Damon D’Oliveira and Clement Virgo of Conquering Lion Pictures, known for their acclaimed works, Brother and The Book of Negroes, have secured the highly anticipated film and television rights to Catherine Hernandez’s upcoming novel Behind You, set to be published on May 7, 2024.
Hernandez, the best-selling and prize-winning novel author of Scarborough, will adapt her own novel for the big screen. Behind You examines the insidiousness of rape culture through the dual narrative of a young Filipina growing into womanhood while a nameless serial killer is at large in her Scarborough neighbourhood, and the same woman years later watching her teenage son’s behaviour with increasing fear.
The novel serves as Hernandez’s eagerly awaited follow-up to her national bestseller, The Story of Us. Hernandez says, “I knew Conquering Lion Pictures was the right home for the film adaptation of Behind You simply because when I declared my desire to pen the screenplay myself, Clement Virgo casually said, ‘Yeah. You know what you’re doing.’ You rarely hear that as a racialized woman in the media industry. And given the journey of my novel’s protagonist from scarred to self-assured woman in the face of misogyny, it felt empowering to begin the script fueled by Conquering Lion Pictures’ guidance and confidence in me. I wholeheartedly trust them as well. Given their track record of outstanding adaptations, from The Book of Negroes to Brother, I know this sensitive story is in compassionate, accomplished hands.”
Clement Virgo and Damon D’Oliveira , co-founders of Conquering Lion Pictures, expressed their enthusiasm for the project: “Catherine has crafted an unapologetic story that explores timely themes in an astonishingly fresh voice. As with our previous slate, we look forward to producing an adaptation of this compelling story for the screen.”
Rights were sold by Samantha Haywood at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Damon D’Oliveira negotiated the deal on behalf of Conquering Lion Pictures.
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