Gaby Chiappe's THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF to star Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy

As we've previously (and delightedly) shared, Lone Scherfig (AN EDUCATION) is attached to direct this feature film scripted by Gaby Chiappe, and the project was selected for the Brit List 2014. Now, we've got yet more exciting news...

The cast for the film has just been announced, and it includes Gemma Arterton (QUANTUM OF SOLACE), Sam Claflin (THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY) and Bill Nighy (THE SECOND BEST MARIGOLD HOTEL).

The film was developed by BBC Films, who are also co-financing (exec producers Christine Langan and Ed Wethered), and it is produced by Oscar-nominated Number 9 Films and Wildgaze Films, led by Stephen Woolley (MADE IN DAGENHAM) and Amanda Posey (BROOKLYN). 

THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF is adapted by Gaby Chiappe from Lissa Evans’s 2009 novel, and is a romantic comedy set in early 1940’s WW2 London.

As Deadline Hollywood puts it, the story is 'imbued with the screwball repartee of classic Hollywood of the time, THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF is a battle of the sexes that follows the misadventures of a British movie crew trying to make a patriotic film to boost morale during the Blitz'.

HanWay will handle worldwide sales, and the principal photography is planned for late summer.

Gaby Chiappe's THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF on the Brit List 2014

Gaby Chiappe's feature film adaptation of the novel THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF by Lissa Evans has been selected for this year's Brit List.

The list is a collection of hot, unproduced screenplays, which are selected by a mixture of UK producers, agents, distributors and sales companies.

This year, there were 140 entries but only 34 scripts made it onto the final list, so it's a fantastic achievement.

THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF is with Number 9 Films, Wildgaze Films and BBC Films, and is scheduled to go into production next year. It's a romantic comedy featuring a love story set against the making of a propaganda film during World War II.

The novel was selected for the prestigious Orange Prize for Fiction, so the accolades are stacking up for this story already. Watch this space for more news on the feature film.

Gaby Chiappe's Episode of THE PARADISE tonight on BBC1

Gaby Chiappe's episode of period drama set in the first Victorian department store, THE PARADISE, transmits tonight on BBC1 at 9pm. The episode was directed by David Drury, and stars Sarah Lancashire, Joanna Vanderham (WHAT MAISIE KNEW), Elaine Cassidy, Emun Elliott (PROMETHEUS) and GAME OF THRONES' Patrick Malahide. The series was created by Bill Gallagher, and is loosely based on the novel by Zola. A new co-production deal between BBC America Worldwide and Masterpiece will see THE PARADISE coming to PBS.