Zoe Saldana is eyeing a trip to the Olympics after battling in space, “Avatar,” and everywhere in between. The actress will play a competitive fencer in new drama, a press release announced.
Written and directed by Jasmine McClade, “Fencer” tells the story of Mae (Saldana), an athlete “facing personal demons and childhood rivals as she vies for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.” Mae’s passion for the sport is described as “ruling every facet of her life to the detriment of family and friendships; achieving physical and mental perfection for the fight comes at a cost.” While competing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, a tragic accident leads Mae to consider her future in a new light.
Saldana has plenty of experience with stunts — she’s starred in the “Avatar,” “Star Trek,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Avengers” franchises. She also played an assassin in “Colombiana.”
“Fencer” is inspired by McClade’s own experiences as a national champion fencer. She led Harvard University’s team to the school’s first-ever NCAA Championship title in fencing.
“As a writer and filmmaker I seek to tell brazen, character-driven stories about people who are flawed, and thus real. Especially women. Characters who are their own worst enemies and yet incredibly resilient,” McClade said in a statement. “‘Fencer’ is a celebration of perseverance and sacrifice, while also a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting one’s sense of worth and security solely through achievement and external validation. ‘Fencer’ will provide one of the screen’s first realistic glimpses into the thrilling world of fencing, much more demanding and diverse than stereotypes may suggest, and an intimate and intense look into the minds and lives of female athletes,” she emphasized. “It is a dream come true to get to work with Zoe on ‘Fencer,’ and to marry my two greatest passions: filmmaking and fencing.”
McClade made her feature debut with 2011’s “Maria My Love.”
Saldana’s upcoming slate includes Reed Morano CIA thriller “Sabaya” and Netflix’s series adaptation of Tembi Locke’s best-selling memoir “From Scratch.”
Sales for “Fencer” will commence at the European Film Market, taking place between February 20-27 in Berlin.
