Acclaimed Irish filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson is set to follow up his Oscar-nominated ‘Room’ with a feature adaptation of Dean Kuipers’ gripping book ‘Burning Rainbow Farms,’ says Deadline.
Playwright Cory Finley is on board to provide the script, with the drama telling the story of Tom Crosslin and his lover Rollie Rohm, two marijuana advocates who built the titular Rainbow Farm, a peaceful, pot-friendly haven in rural Michigan. The farm quickly became the centre of marijuana and environmental activism, drawing thousands of blue-collar libertarians and hippie liberals, evangelicals and militiamen to its annual hemp festivals.
After an accident involving a teen attendee of one of their festivals, the stoner utopia was raided and the hippie couple was charged with possession of a firearm and for cultivating 200 plants. In an act of defiance, Crosslin and Rohm skipped their appointed court date on their criminal case, and torched Rainbow Farm. County officials called the FBI. A five-day standoff erupted, with shots fired, and the couple was eventually shot dead.
In addition to directing, Abrahamson will produce the drama with Ed Guiney of Element Pictures. Anonymous Content’s Adam Shulman, and Alix Madigan over at Mad Dog Films will co-produce. Executive producers include Element’s Andrew Lowe, Film4’s Daniel Battsek and Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the tension in U.S. political discourse between various ideals of personal liberty and the perceived threats against them from the state,” said Abrahamson in a statement. “The intensely moving and tragic story of Tom and Rollie and the fate of Rainbow Farm, brilliantly captured and contextualised in Dean Kuiper’s excellent book, is a vivid and compelling way of dramatising a fundamental fracture which continues to define U.S. society today. I’m delighted to be working with such great producers as Alix and Adam, alongside my partner Ed Guiney and very excited to be collaborating with Cory Finley, who is an exceptional talent.”