4th Street Films has announced development of a new feature film project, The Year of the Great Storm. Tyler Perry, Ozzie Areu, and Matt Moore will produce the project alongside Russ Stratton and Johanna Baldwin of Air Extreme Films.
Doug Liman and George C. Wolfe are also attached to the project as executive producers. Stratton, Baldwin, and Liman previously worked together on A&E’s 14-episode documentary series, The uneXplained, which focused on metaphysical phenomena.
Karzan Kader is on board to direct The Year of the Great Storm. Kader’s short film Beakas won a Student Academy Award and went on to become a critically-acclaimed feature length film by the same name.
“We’re thrilled to be tackling this difficult but inspiring subject matter with an incredible director, writer, and team of producers,” said Ozzie Areu, President of Tyler Perry Studios. “The story of the Biehl family’s journey is one of courage, compassion, and redemption, and we are humbled that they have allowed us unfettered access to bring their lives to the big screen.”
In addition to producing, Johanna Baldwin penned the script for The Year of the Great Storm. Baldwin has been following the Amy Biehl story since Amy’s death 20 years ago. After meeting Amy’s family in 1996, Baldwin has been working closely with them to track their story over time and has had exclusive access to the family as well as two of the men responsible for her murder. Her other writing credits include the play A Childproof Room at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, directed by Doug Liman and starring Tony Shalhoub, in addition to the film Venus & Mars for BBC One. Her debut novel, All (Wo)men Desire To Know, will be published March 16.
