FirstGen Teams Up with Michelle Garza Cervera for Feature Adaptation of Laura Van Den Berg’s Novel ‘The Third Hotel’
FirstGen Developing Film Adaptation of Laura van den Berg’s The Third Hotel
FirstGen, a production company recognized for its work on Mona Fastvold’s recent feature The Testament of Ann Lee, is set to adapt Laura van den Berg’s novel The Third Hotel into a film. The announcement comes as the company continues to expand its portfolio in challenging narrative projects.
Michelle Garza Cervera will direct the film, while Isa Mazzei is tasked with adapting the screenplay. This collaboration marks a significant step for both filmmakers, with Cervera expressing enthusiasm about the project.
Published in 2018, The Third Hotel centers on Clare, a widow who travels to Latin America following her husband Richard’s mysterious death. Her journey leads her to confront her grief and eventual obsession when she finds a man in the street who strikingly resembles him. As she pursues this man, Clare’s reality begins to unravel, plunging her into a surreal state suspended between life and death.
The novel has received considerable acclaim, noted for its psychological horror elements and intricate mystery. It was a finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award and garnered praise from outlets such as Time, The New Yorker, NPR, and The New York Times Book Review.
In a statement regarding her involvement, Cervera remarked, “I’m so thrilled to work on an adaptation of such an eerie and brilliant novel alongside Isa Mazzei, whose work I’m a real fan of, and FirstGen, who have made films I love. I’m honored to be part of it.”
Mazzei shared similar sentiments, stating, “The book is wonderfully surreal and deeply unsettling in a way that lingered with me. I’m excited to be able to translate that feeling into a cinematic experience, and I feel lucky to be collaborating with such a thoughtful and talented team.”
Michael D’Alto from FirstGen expressed optimism about the project, saying, “This is a wonderful creative team adapting a haunting and beautiful book. We are honored to work with them to actualize their vision, and can’t wait for everyone to see this film.”
Cervera, a Mexico City-based filmmaker known for her debut feature Huesera: The Bone Woman, has gained recognition with multiple awards, including Best New Narrative Director at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. She is represented by Untitled Entertainment, WME, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Mazzei is acclaimed for her previous work on Blumhouse/Netflix’s Cam, which won Best Screenplay and Best First Feature at the Fantasia Film Festival. She has also produced the thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline and co-wrote Faces of Death, which achieved IFC’s largest theatrical release to date.
Van den Berg has previously authored the novel Find Me and several story collections, including I Hold a Wolf by the Ears and The Isle of Youth. She is represented by Curtis Brown Group.
In addition to The Testament of Ann Lee, FirstGen’s recent projects include Bird, directed by Andrea Arnold and starring Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski, and On Swift Horses, directed by Dan Minahan and featuring Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Diego Calva, and Will Poulter.
