by Abhi Parasher
The feature film has been optioned by 12 Helpful Hands Productions (Los Angeles) with Louise Alston (Back of the Net, The Will) attached to direct.
Industry veteran Dureyshevar [left] has signed on to produce the film. In the past, Dureyshevar has produced action (Recoil, Hunt to Kill), horror (Final Girl) and romance (Sunrise in Heaven).
“I’m thrilled to be working on this with Dureyshevar and Louise, they are the perfect team to bring this story to life,” said Brisbane-based Vagg.
Dureyshevar and Alston are keen to pursue diverse casting for a heightened holiday feature aimed at streamers.
Date for Christmas is about a woman who wants to please her dying mother by convincing a workplace rival to impersonate her fiancé over Christmas. But, complications arise when the mother’s health suddenly improves.
“Rom Com is the new black,” says Alston. “I love that there is a real surge of funny, well made, punchy romance. What the world needs now is love.”
Stephen Vagg has been writing television for a decade since his last feature film Jucy released in 2011. He also regularly contributes to FilmInk. Alston has become a go-to romantic comedy director in Los Angeles, working with Reel One and Passionflix.
The deal was put together by Vagg and Alston’s manager, Sean Dubravac at Entertainment Lab LA.
