SCREEN DAILY – In a quiet corner of suburban Dublin, the Bloomsbury group is bringing art to life. Paintings and drawings are dotted throughout Baldonnell House, one of several Irish locations hosting the production of a new film about literary icon Virginia Woolf.

Vita & Virginia, directed and co-written by Chanya Button (Burn Burn Burn), centres on the true story of the love affair between the acclaimed author (played by Elizabeth Debicki) and socialite/writer Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton), and how the relationship inspired Woolf’s novel Orlando. Isabella Rossellini and Rupert Penry-Jones also star.

For Arterton, who is an executive producer on the film — based on Eileen Atkins’ 1993 stage play — the story is one she has long aspired to bring to screen. “Eileen Atkins sent me a very early draft, maybe four or five years ago. I ended up showing Chanya the script on holiday.”

While many accounts of Woolf turn towards her troubled later years, this film shows her at her most vibrant, according to Arterton. “She wrote such vivid stories, full of inspiration and energy and creativity and humour and wit,” she says. “I don’t know if we’ve seen that side, because the fascination with her is always the end of her life, which is sad, I think. They were only lovers for a small period of time, but they were great friends.”

This is the actress’s second time in a producer role. “I produced a film which has yet to come out called The Escape,” she says. “My involvement comes more creatively — script stage, crew stage, getting directors and the cast in place. I was very involved in that, and various drafts of the script. Because Chanya is a friend of mine, it was very collaborative with her in terms of visual style, what we felt about this story.”

BY ESTHER MCCARTHY

Vita & Virginia centres on the love affair between writers Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Screen reports from the Dublin set, where iconic English locations have been brought to life.

In a quiet corner of suburban Dublin, the Bloomsbury group is bringing art to life. Paintings and drawings are dotted throughout Baldonnell House, one of several Irish locations hosting the production of a new film about literary icon Virginia Woolf.

Vita & Virginia, directed and co-written by Chanya Button (Burn Burn Burn), centres on the true story of the love affair between the acclaimed author (played by Elizabeth Debicki) and socialite/writer Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton), and how the relationship inspired Woolf’s novel Orlando. Isabella Rossellini and Rupert Penry-Jones also star.

For Arterton, who is an executive producer on the film — based on Eileen Atkins’ 1993 stage play — the story is one she has long aspired to bring to screen. “Eileen Atkins sent me a very early draft, maybe four or five years ago. I ended up showing Chanya the script on holiday.”

While many accounts of Woolf turn towards her troubled later years, this film shows her at her most vibrant, according to Arterton. “She wrote such vivid stories, full of inspiration and energy and creativity and humour and wit,” she says. “I don’t know if we’ve seen that side, because the fascination with her is always the end of her life, which is sad, I think. Their relationship was one that lasted until Vita’s death. They were only lovers for a small period of time, but they were great friends.” Read More

Brand new Gemma interview about her movie The Escape, taken while she was at the Les Arcs European Film Festival, you watch the interview below!

VARIETY – Protagonist Pictures has released a first look at “Vita & Virginia,” currently in post-production. Protagonist is handling worldwide sales for the drama at American Film Market. “Vita & Virginia,” which stars Elizabeth Debicki as writer Viginia Woolf and Gemma Arterton as Vita Sackville West, follows the passionate relationship of the literary pair from the Bloomsbury set.

The film, set in the 1920s, is based on the relationship between the women, when Sackville West pursues Woolf, no matter the cost. The filmmakers characterize the films as a “timeless love story, told in a contemporary style, about two women who smashed through social barriers to find solace in their forbidden connection.”

Chanya Button directs from a script she co-wrote with Eileen Atkins. Pic also stars Isabella Rossellini, Rupert Penry-Jones and Peter Ferdinando. Evangelo Kioussis for Mirror Prods. and Katie Holly for Blinder Films produce. Executive producers are Simon Baxter, Christopher Figg, Nicolas Sampson, Norman Merry, Dave Bishop and Gemma Arterton. (source)

An additional set of portraits of Gemma, taken during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival while promoting her upcoming movie The Escape have just been released and added to the gallery, enjoy!

Added a couple of portraits of Gemma taken by W Magazine while she was at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting her upcoming movie The Escape. Sadly there wasn’t a great coverage for it, but she does looks amazing in these new shoots! Enjoy :)

While at the Toronto International Film Festival, Gemma did a portrait session for her new movie The Escape. The HQ versions of the portrait have now been added to the gallery, thanks to my friend Emily from Marvelous Margot! Enjoy!