Tessa Thompson Collaborates with Filmmaker Jonas Carpignano on Adaptation of Katie Kitamura’s Bestselling Novel A Separation
Tessa Thompson Set to Produce and Star in Film Adaptation of ‘A Separation’
Tessa Thompson has signed on to both produce and star in the film adaptation of A Separation, drawn from Katie Kitamura’s bestselling novel. The project will be written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jonas Carpignano, known for his work on award-winning films such as A Chiara and Mediterranea.
Originally published by Riverhead Books in 2017, A Separation follows a woman who embarks on a reluctant journey from London to a remote peninsula in southern Greece to locate her estranged husband, who has gone missing. The narrative dives deep into the themes of intimacy and the complex grief that accompanies the end of a marriage.
In addition to Thompson, the producing team includes Riva Marker from Linden Productions, Kishori Rajan from Viva Maude, along with Greta Caruso and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos of Faliro House. David Levine from Anonymous Content will serve as executive producer.
The project marks a reunion between Thompson and Linden Productions, following their collaboration on Aleshea Harris’ thriller Is God Is, which is set to release on May 15 through Orion Pictures. It is also a return to Faliro House for Linden, having previously worked together on Stereophonic, which earned five Tony Awards in 2024.
Katie Kitamura expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “Jonas and Tessa are two of the boldest and most original artists working today. I feel very lucky to be part of this extraordinary collaboration, and to be working with such an exceptional team of producers to bring this novel onto the big screen.”
Thompson recently starred alongside Jon Bernthal in Netflix’s His & Hers, a murder mystery adapted from Alice Feeney’s novel. Her production company, Viva Maude, is also developing an adaptation of Raven Leilani’s debut novel, Luster. The company operates under a first-look deal with Amazon MGM and has partnered with Plan B to produce Hedda, Nia DaCosta’s reinterpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play. The film premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, where Thompson received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Drama.
Jonas Carpignano is celebrated for his trilogy that examines modern-day southern Italy through the lives of marginalized communities, with films like Mediterranea, which garnered critical acclaim at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. His subsequent work, A Ciambra, was Italy’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, while A Chiara debuted in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2021, later distributed in the U.S. by Neon.
Kitamura’s most recent work, Audition, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and is set to be adapted by Lulu Wang with Higher Ground and Laika.
Projects currently in development at Linden include an adaptation of Alyssa Hill’s Zygote, featuring Jennifer Garner, a series based on Emma Rosenblum’s Bad Summer People with Sarah Michelle Gellar, and a film adaptation of Sarah Blakely-Cartwright’s Alice Sadie Celine.
Faliro House has an extensive portfolio, having produced over 90 films, including the Academy Award-nominated Before Midnight and The Lost Daughter. Recent projects include Harvest and A Sad and Beautiful World.
Anonymous Content’s AC Studios has released notable titles such as the Oscar-nominated Nickel Boys, and is working on upcoming projects like Netflix’s East of Eden, starring Florence Pugh.
Thompson is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman, while Carpignano is with WME and Lichter Grossman, Nichols. Kitamura is represented by Trident Media Group and Anonymous Content.
