EXCLUSIVE: Filming has begun in Canada on New Regency-backed fencing thriller Balestra, which will be produced as a feature with an alternate version to be released separately as a limited series.
Cush Jumbo (The Good Fight), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place) and James Badge Dale (Iron Man 3) lead cast the project, which will follow a woman who has dedicated her life to becoming the greatest fencer in the world. With the Paris Olympics looming as her last chance to reach the top of the podium, she is pressured by her husband and coach Raph (Dale) to become a test subject for the Halo, a prototype device that lets her extend her training into her sleeping hours. Reality begins to blur when Joanna encounters a stranger named Elliot (Jacinto) and finds herself caught between her exhilarating new dreams and her pursuit of Olympic gold.
Rounding out the cast is Christin Park (Charmed) as Audrey, Joanna’s (Jumbo) fearless opponent and teammate in the U.S. fencing team.
The project heralds from New Regency, Item 7 and Oddfellows Entertainment. Written by Imran Zaidi from an original idea by Aron Eli Coleite, director is Nicole Dorsey (Black Conflux).
Backers are New Regency, Telefilm Canada, Elevation Pictures, Entract Films and the Canada, British Columbia and Quebec tax credits. World sales are handled by New Regency while Elevation Pictures and Entract Films will distribute in Canada.
Producers are Pierre Even and Paul-E. Audet for Item 7 and Chris Ferguson. Jesse Savath is executive producer for Oddfellows Entertainment. Cush Jumbo, Nicole Dorsey, Imran Zaidi and Aron Eli Coleite are also executive producers alongside Automatik, Elevation, Entract, New Regency and QCode.
Jumbo, who has the lead role, most recently starred in Harlen Coben’s Stay Close on Netflix. Jacinto, who recently starred in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers,can currently be seen starring in Amazon’s rom-com I Want You Back and will next be seen in Top Gun: Maverick. James Badge Dale is known for playing Ray Abruzzo in Hightown, alongside roles in The Pacific, 24 and Ironman.
Director Dorsey said: “Balestra is a thriller. A psychological nightmare; a dream in which you’re trying to run but your legs won’t budge. It’s about greatness – its perceived value and the thought that without it, you have nothing, you are nothing.”
Added Jumbo: “I am thrilled to be venturing into the intense and world of Balestra with Nicole and the team. The combination of high-octane sport and bent lines of reality making it a truly thrilling experience to shoot and I know audiences are going to love it”.
Dorsey teams up with Marie Davignon as director of photography, Caitlyn Byrnes as production designer, Brooke Wilcox as costume designer and Veronique Barbe as editor.
Nicole Dorsey, Imran Zaidi and Aron Eli Coleite are all represented by Grandview. Dorsey is also represented by CAA, Zaidi by UTA and Coleite by WME. Cush Jumbo is represented by Anonymous Content and Curtis Brown, Manny Jacinto by CAA and Alchemy Entertainment and James Badge Dale by CAA and MJ Management.