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Armando Iannucci Joins Forces With ‘Intouchables’ & ‘Death Of Stalin’ Producer For Westling Comedy ‘Sumo’ – EFM

Andreas Wiseman
·2 min read

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Veep creator Armando Iannucci is joining forces with Intouchables and Death Of Stalin producer Yann Zenou on a coming-of-age comedy set in the world of amateur Sumo wrestling.

Iannucci will act as executive producer and will be joining fellow BAFTA-winning producers Emily Leo and Oliver Roskill as well as Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto and Gianluca Chakra.

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Also joining the team is Australian director Natalie Bailey who has collaborated with Iannucci on HBO’s TV show Avenue 5 and BBC’s The Thick Of It. Rocket Science is handling worldwide sales at the European Film Market. The aim is for a theatrical release, according to the partners.

The film follows the story of Jonah, a silver tongued and overweight kid with low self-esteem who meets Hana, a Japanese female janitor at his school – and an ex Sumo wrestler. Along with a pedantic and friendless building manager, the unlikely trio set about building a Dohjo, and training for the US Sumo Open.

American-Japanese actor Suzy Nakamura from HBO’s Avenue 5 and ABC’s Dr. Ken has committed for the role of Hana. The script was written by Brit list scribe Richard Galazka.

The film is scheduled to start shooting in Cape Town, South Africa in late spring. Casting is underway.

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