The Weinstein Co. Picks up Schnabel’s Miral

More pics of Freida Pinto on the set of Miral

The Playlist links back to this pay wall-blocked Variety break that the Weinstein Co. has announced their presence with authority for Oscars 2010 by choosing Julian Schnabel’s Miral, the Rula Jebreal’s Israeli-Palestine conflict story.

The Playlist says it was adapted by Jebreal and “revolves around a real-life orphanage established in Jerusalem by Palestinian woman Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass) following the 1948 creation of Israel. In the fictional storyline, the title character (Frieda Pinto) is sent to the orphanage in 1978. Later in life, she goes to teach at a refugee camp and falls for an activist.”

“It is the first film I am involved in that shows the ‘other side’ of the Israel-Palestine conflict,” Harvey Weinstein noted. “As a staunch supporter of Israel, I thought this would be a movie I would have a hard time wrapping my head around. However, meeting Rula moved me to open my heart and mind and I hope we can do that same with audiences worldwide.”
…The film will join the studio’s other awards season fare including Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech” starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, Derek Cianfrance’s acclaimed romantic drama “Blue Valentine” and the John Wells’ downsizing-drama “The Company Men.”

High hopes for the King’s Speech; Blue Valentine should be a strong contender, especially for acting and writing, and Company Men got a nice boost from Sundance.