David Farnor | On 01, Nov 2017

Kimberly Peirce will direct Amazon’s new original series, This Is Jane.

The show is based Laura Kaplan’s non-fiction book, The Story of Jane. First published in 1997, it tells the story of the creation of “Jane”, an underground abortion service in Chicago during the 1960s and 70s. For four years, the group, who taught themselves how to perform abortions, broke the law to provide services to women denied by the medical establishment of the time, not only including the procedure itself, but also health education and counselling.

The series is adapted by writer Dan Loflin and produced by John Lesher’s Le Grisbi Productions. The project is also produced by Peter Heller, who optioned the book with Loflin and started developing the script.

It marks a reunion for Lesher and Peirce, who has known each other since her feature debut Boys Don’t Cry, which won Hilary Swank an Oscar for her performance. Since then, Peirce has also helmed the 2013 Carrie remake and ‪This Film Is Not Yet Rated‬. She is no stranger to the small screen, though, or Amazon Studios: she has also worked on Jill Soloway’s I Love Dick, as well as AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire.
 

Amazon to tell The Story of Jane

11th May

Amazon Studios has acquired the screenplay for a film based on Laura Kaplan’s book, The Story of Jane.

The non-fiction book, first published in 1997, tells the story of the creation of “Jane”, an underground abortion service in Chicago during the 1960s and 70s. For four years, the group, who taught themselves how to perform abortions, broke the law to provide services to women denied by the medical establishment of the time, not only including the procedure itself, but also health education and counselling.

“I’m excited that my book The Story of Jane will become a film,” author Laura Kaplan told Deadline, who broke the news of the script. “Twenty years after the book’s publication, and more than 40 years after the events it recounts, Jane’s history is more important now than ever. It tells the true story of what women were willing to do to help other women.”

Rather than use the book’s full title, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Sevice, the spec screenplay shortens the title to “This Is Jane”. Written by Dan Loflin, the project was acquired in a reported six-figure deal by the streaming service for John Lesher’s Le Grisbi Productions.

Lesher recently produced both Black Mass and Oscar winner Birdman. Meanwhile, Peter Heller (who developed the screenplay with Lofilin) is set to produce, with Le Grisbi’s Sean Murphy overseeing the adaptation. The project is now on the hunt for a director.

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