Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning are 20TH CENTURY WOMEN

Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning are set to take the leads in ‘20th Century Women,’ the next directorial effort of Mike Mills (‘Beginners’).

Slated to begin filming in Southern California later this year, the drama is set in 1979 and centres on three very different women who grew up in different eras of the 20th century.

Bening will play Dorothea Fields, a mother who is trying her best to raise her teenage son, Jamie. Navigating life and love, sex and freedom, men and women isn’t easy as Dorothea looks for answers from two other remarkable women in her life.

Gerwig will play Abbie, a young sophisticated photographer submersed in the punk culture of the era who is forced to return to her home town and ends up living with Dorothea and Jamie. Fanning will pay Julie, a 16-year old smart and secretively provocative friend of Jamie’s who challenges Dorothea’s understanding of love, learning valuable lessons about life in the process.

“These three characters are all women that I knew growing up,” said Mills. “I’m thrilled to have Annette, Greta and Elle, three incredible actresses who will bring an authenticity and vulnerability to each of these very strong, funny and complicated roles.”