Tilda Swinton to Star in David Lowery’s ‘Death in Her Hands’ From See-Saw Films

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David Lowery has a new film in the works with Tilda Swinton set to star.

Death in Her Hands” – A captivating, unconventional mystery and a haunting exploration of the human psyche, is being brought to life by Lowery (Director of “A Ghost Story” and “The Green Knight”), who is adapting it from the renowned novel by Ottessa Moshfegh (“My Year of Rest and Relaxation”).

See-Saw Films, the esteemed production company known for “The Power of the Dog,” “The King’s Speech,” “One Life,” (as well as TV series such as “Slow Horses” and “Heartstopper”), will be involved in the production.

In “Death in Her Hands,” a newly widowed woman named Vesta Gul (played by Swinton) discovers a disturbing handwritten note in the woods near her new home: “Her name was Magda. No one will ever know who killed her. It wasn’t me. Here is her dead body.” However, there’s no body or evidence of violence. With just her camera, her dog Charlie, and an overactive imagination, Gul becomes fixated on solving the mystery of Magda’s identity and what happened to her. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the mystery of Magda’s death may be the key to Vesta regaining control of her own life. Eventually, in a dramatic and operatic finale, we realize that Magda’s death could be the catalyst for Vesta to truly live.

The movie is set to be created by Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, and Jeanie Igoe; Simon Gillis and Ann Phillips will serve as executive producers. Collaboratively, Cross City Films, See-Saw’s internal sales division, and WME Independent are working together to secure funding at Cannes.

Lowery, who’s working on ‘Mother Mary’ right now, confessed that his deep-rooted fandom for Ottessa Moshfegh led him to use the task of adapting ‘Death In Her Hands’ into a movie as an excuse to immerse himself extensively in her writings. However, he admitted that this secret indulgence has come to an end!

The novel’s screenplay is about to be a movie, and it has become clearer than ever that adapting this specific book is a tricky task (those who have read the book will realize why)! However, I am up for it, and feel empowered to have such talented collaborators working with me: everyone at See-Saw, Jeanie, and not forgetting Tilda Swinton, who I believe will bring Ottessa’s story to life in ways I could only imagine.

Producers Canning and Sherman stated, “David Lowery is exceptional at creating captivating, moody narratives, making him the ideal choice to adapt Ottessa Moshfegh’s chilling and brilliant novel for the big screen. We eagerly anticipate viewers delving into the world he builds and becoming engrossed in Vesta’s tale, portrayed by the extraordinary, captivating, and utterly compelling Tilda Swinton.”

Producers Canning and Sherman noted that David Lowery excels at creating compelling, atmospheric stories, which makes him the perfect candidate to bring Ottessa Moshfegh’s hauntingly brilliant novel to life on screen. They are excited for audiences to explore the world he creates and be captivated by Vesta’s story, as played by the mesmerizing Tilda Swinton.

Swinton is represented by Hamilton Hoddell, CAA, and Peikoff Mahan. On the other hand, Lowery is represented by WME and Victoria Cook from Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.

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2025-05-16 15:17