Karen Gillan has secured distribution for her feature directorial debut. The Orchard snagged rights to “The Party’s Just Beginning,” a suicide drama that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actress also wrote. Deadline broke the news.
“The Party’s Just Beginning” takes the “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” star far from Hollywood and back to her roots. Set in Gillan’s hometown of Iverness in the Scottish Highlands, the pic sees her playing Liusaidh, a young woman working a dead-end job who spends her nights trying to drink away her sorrows after her best friend commits suicide.
The source reports that “The Party’s Just Beginning” took the “Doctor Who” alumna six years to write and five to finance. The film made its U.S. premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in April.
“Totally and completely thrilled to team up with The Orchard on my directorial debut,” Gillan commented. “I greatly admire the films that The Orchard put out into the world and I’m honored to have ‘The Party’s Just Beginning’ be one of them.”
Paul Davidson, EVP, Film, and TV at The Orchard, added, “’Karen Gillan’s ‘The Party’s Just Beginning’ establishes her as a unique talent and fresh new voice that absolutely blew us away. It’s a directorial debut anchored by a stellar performance and a compelling screenplay that makes her a true triple threat. We are excited to partner with her on her first feature.”
The Orchard plans to release the film this fall.
Gillan’s previous credits as a writer-director include shorts “Conventional” and “Coward.”
“We need more of you. So go for it!” the multi-hyphenate said when we asked her advice for other female filmmakers. “And if you have to be disagreeable, then be disagreeable,” she urged. “Some of us, as women, have been conditioned to be agreeable. Sometimes even rewarded for it. But that’s not how we are going to get on in this field. I pride myself in always being kind, and I treat every person I meet with the same amount of respect. But if don’t agree with something, I’m not going to go along with it.”
Gillan can currently be seen on the big screen in “Avengers: Infinity War.”
