Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny are to be reunited with The Last Days of Disco director Whit Stillman in LOVE & FRIENDSHIP, Stillman’s adaptation of Jane Austen novella Lady Susan that was left unpublished in her lifetime.
Set in the 1790s, LOVE & FRIENDSHIP concerns itself with beautiful widow Lady Susan Vernon (Beckinsale), who has come to the estate of her in-laws to wait out the colourful rumours about her dalliances circulating through polite society.
Whilst ensconced there, she decides to secure a husband for herself and her rather reluctant debutante daughter, Frederica.
In addition to Beckinsale and Sevigny, the cast includes Xavier Samuel (Adore, Fury, The Twilight Saga) as the object of Lady Susan’s affections and Stephen Fry as Mr Johnson, long-suffering husband to Lady Susan’s friend and confidante Alicia (Sevigny). Further cast includes Emma Greenwell, Morfydd Clark, Jemma Redgrave, James Fleet, Tom Bennett and Justin Edwards.
The film is being produced by Stillman, Katie Holly and Lauranne Bourrachot, and co-produced by Raymond van der Kaaij.
LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is a Westerly Films production in association with Blinder Films, Chic Films, Revolver Films, Irish Film Board, Arte and the Netherlands Film Fund.
International sales are being handled by Protagonist Pictures.
Filming begins in Ireland later this month.