101 Studios To Adapt Riveting True Story Of Groundbreaking U.S. International Women's Crew Team

LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 101 Studios announced today that it will produce, finance, and distribute the film adaptation of Daniel J. Boyne's biography, The Red Rose Crew: A True Story Of Women, Winning, and The Water, executive produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Lindsay Williams from Gotham Group and Alexis Ostrander and Zoë Kent of A to Z Productions. Ostrander (The Haircut, Defining Beauty: Ms. Wheelchair America) is slated to direct the film, and the story will be adapted by Laura Hansen. This is the first feature film from Sports Illustrated Studios, the newly formed studio under 101 Studios and Authentic Brands Group. 

In 1975, a group of inspiring women rowed their way to international glory, battling sexual prejudice, bureaucracy and male domination to usher in a new era for competitive sports. Dubbed the "Red Rose Crew," a team of eight dedicated rowers from across the country—including soft-spoken MIT professor Gail Pearson, competitive lead rower Carie Graves and teenage coxswain Lynn Stillman—banded together, determined to prove themselves at the World Rowing Championships. Under the guidance of legendary Harvard men's crew coach Harry Parker, who initially doubted that women could withstand the rigors of hard training, the team not only achieved unprecedented success, they also made history. An uplifting and exhilarating true story of triumph against the odds.

"We are thrilled to be able to tell this story," said David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios. "We chose for this film to be Sports Illustrated Studios' inaugural release because at Sports Illustrated Studios, we are proud to bring to life the most compelling sports stories in history in ways that haven't been seen before, and that's exactly our mission with Red Rose Crew. The Red Rose Crew's journey is a remarkable one that many are unfamiliar with, and with a team of dynamic filmmakers, we look forward to allow audiences to see their tenacity and determination firsthand in theaters worldwide."

Daniel Boyne has authored several books and is also a freelance journalist and rowing coach at Harvard University. He served as the marine and rowing consultant on The Social Network. "I am very happy to work with such a talented team of people and I am excited that this inspirational and important story will be told in such an authentic way," said Boyne. The Red Rose Crew: A True Story Of Women, Winning, and The Water was published in 2000 by Lyons Press.

Laura Hansen and Alexis Ostrander brought Boyne's novel to 101 Studios. "There aren't nearly enough stories celebrating women in sports and, for so many reasons, this feels like the perfect time to be inspired by the Red Rose Crew and everything they overcame," said Hansen. "I'm so honored to help bring this pioneering, unconventional sisterhood to life with Alexis and the rest of our amazing team." Hansen is represented by Gotham Group and attorney Rob Goldman.

Alexis Ostrander is a Warner Brothers Emerging Film Directors and TV Directors Workshop alumna, and has directed episodes of Supergirl, American Horror Story, and Servant. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her direction of the pilot episode of Light as a Feather on Hulu and was named one of the Alice Initiative's Emerging Female Directors in January 2020. She also partook in the AFI Directing Workshop for Women.

"I'm excited to be working with 101 Studios and have a partner that is championing such an empowering story," said Ostrander. "I was drawn to this group of unsung heroes and how their struggles and triumphs still hold water today. Their camaraderie, perseverance and steadfast belief in themselves inspire me, and I can't wait for the world to fall in love with them."

Leif Cervantes de Reinstein of Sheppard Mullin negotiated the deal on behalf of 101 Studios with George Davis on behalf of Gotham Group, and CAA, Rick Genow and Hannah Mulderink from Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, LLP for Alexis Ostrander and Zoë Kent.

About 101 Studios:
101 Studios is a global entertainment company dedicated to the acquisition, financing, development, production and distribution of high-caliber, creator-driven storytelling. The studio empowers content creators through first-class collaboration and innovation. Inaugural release was Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's The Current War: Director's Cut, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon. Upcoming releases include Sundance Audience award winner Burden featuring Forest Whitaker and Garrett Hedlund and the Russo Brothers acclaimed film City of A Million Soldiers. On the television side, 101 produces Taylor Sheridan's hit series for Paramount Network YELLOWSTONE, starring Kevin Costner as well as Sheridan's upcoming series Mayor of Kingstown. Additionally, 101 Studios oversees and manages the newly formed Sports Illustrated Studios, a content platform based on the biggest and most compelling stories, characters and moments in sports past, present and future.

About Sports Illustrated Studios:
Sports Illustrated Studios is a content platform devoted to long-form film, television, and audio content based on past, present and future Sports Illustrated Stories. Sports Illustrated Studios was formed in partnership with 101 Studios and Authentic Brands Group and takes audiences inside the biggest and most compelling stories and characters in sports. The first project announced is "Covers," a docu-series based on the top Sports Illustrated covers of all time. 

About Authentic Brands Group:
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Its portfolio has a retail footprint in more than 5,500 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world and generates over $12 billion in annual retail sales. ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media.

About Gotham Group:
The Gotham Group is a Hollywood-based management and production firm. Founded in 1994 by CEO Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, the company – the only major management/production company owned solely by a woman – represents some of the most creative minds in Hollywood including top directors, writers, producers, authors, animators, illustrators, publishers and actors, while actively producing such major film projects as The Maze Runner Franchise, Kodachrome, and The Spiderwick Chronicles.

SOURCE 101 Studios