A feature film about Jessica Watson's solo, around-the-world sailing adventure will be filmed early next year.
True Spirit will recount Watson's story as the youngest person, at just 16 years of age, to sail solo around the world non-stop and unassisted in 2010. However she said the film will delve into more than her solo voyage, which lasted several months.
“There’s so much more to the story than that, you know, the drama I went through before I left, hitting the ship, the personal side of it and the relationships amongst the team that got me there,” she told IF Magazine. “There’s a lot of stories and certainly there was a long period of time at sea by myself but what people don’t realise is that was a small part of the story.”
The role of Watson has yet to be cast although she will have some input into the decision as a consultant on the film.
“It’ll be very weird certainly, but I love the idea of someone else being the face of it and I can just be behind the scenes,” she said.
True Spirit will be produced by the company behind inspirational movie Soul Surfers: Brookwell McNamara Entertainment, led by Sean McNamara and David Brookwell, as well as Australia’s Sunstar Entertainment, led by Andrew Fraser, Daniel Starling and Brian Andrews.
Brookwell said the feature film, which follows a book and documentary about her trip, would be inspirational and uplifting.
"I remember just watching the documentary for the first time and it just put chills down my spine. It's just such a great ending to the story – she came into the harbour and what a celebration, a life-affirming event, and that's what we want to tap into and just relive that experience."
True Spirit is expected to be filmed on the Gold Coast and Sydney early next year. Paramount Pictures plans to release the film in Australia and New Zealand around Christmas 2013.
Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.
