Greenfingers

Based on real-life events, Joel Hershman's Greenfingers is a triumph-over-adversity story, starring Helen Mirren, Clive Owen and Natasha Little, about a man serving a long-term prison sentence who unexpectedly discovers a love of gardening. His talent is recognised by a famous horticulturist and he goes on to compete in the world's biggest garden show, win the heart of the woman he loves and regain his will to live.



US producer Travis Swords first read the story in 1998 in a piece in the New York Times by Paula Deitz called Free To Grow Bluebells In England. Swords had been looking for the right feature to back following his 1992 film, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, directed by Hershman.



Swords and Hershman then teamed up with BoneYard Entertainment's Daniel J Victor, who had previously helped to finance and executive produce such films as Sling Blade and Henry Fool. Victor set up an equity fund called Motion Pictures Partners to finance and produce two to three features a year, of which Greenfingers is the first. Trudie Styler's London-based Xingu Films then came on board as co-executive producer and the Los Angeles-based Overseas FilmGroup took worldwide sales rights.



Greenfingers shot on location in England in the summer of 1999. It will premiere either later this year or in 2001.