Because the project shot in and around Newcastle, Northern Film & Media also came on board. Executive producers are Javier Gozullo, Andres Barbe (Formato), and Sandra Jobling (Coastal Productions). Intandem Films is handling international sales (outside of Spain) and the Spanish theatrical launch is likely for Christmas 2010.įormato producciones, which had worked on Ron’s previous feature Mia Sarah, came on board as executive producer and offering post-production services. They will screen at the London UK Film Focus in June and then are aiming for a slot in Toronto. And in the performances there’s something that says, ‘If I’m going to die I want to make the best of the time I have.’”Īfter securing the rights, the team quickly raised £2m (mostly from private equity) in two months and shot the film in November and December 2009 and are now in the final stages of post-production and should be finished by the first week of June. But it’s very life asserting and upbeat, it’s funny, it’s true to kids’ experiences. “What attracted me to the project is that it’s a story of two kids who have leukemia, and you think, ‘Oh, big downer’. The story is not as depressing as it might appear on paper, Auty says.

Producer Auty of London-based Life & Soul Productions had been wanting to develop a project with Madrid-based writer/director Gustavo Ron of El Capitan Pictures, and Ron fell in love with the novel. They fought off other keen bidders to secure the rights to the book about a year ago – “we hung in there, pressed hard,” producer Martyn Auty explains. And a team of UK and Spanish filmmakers knew they wanted to bring the story to the big screen. But Sally Nicholls’ 2008 novel Ways To Live Forever was a huge hit with readers and critics. Funny and honest, it is one of the most powerful and uplifting books you will ever read.The premise might sound like a tough sell - two young friends with leukemia wants to know the facts about dying and are obsessed with making lists. Ways To Live Forever is the first novel from an extraordinarily talented young writer. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer. And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying.

He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead. Moving and funny and, yes, sad' - Eva Ibbotson My name is Sam.

elegant, intelligent, moving.' - Guardian '. Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2008 'A hugely impressive achievement. He hasn't got forever, but he's going to make every minute count.

Sally nicholls ways to live forever