Kirsten Dunst to make directorial debut with Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar
Dunst has directed two short films previously but this will be her first feature film
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kirsten Dunst will be making her directorial debut with an adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s seminal feminist novel The Bell Jar.
The Emmy-nominated actress will go behind the camera for the first time to direct Dakota Fanning in the lead as Esther Greenwood, whose harrowing spiral into severe depression was believed to be semi-autobiographical prior to Plath’s suicide just a month after the novel’s 1963 release.
Dunst has co-written the screenplay with Nellie Kim, Deadline reports, and has enlisted Fanning as a co-producer. She has directed two short films previously (Welcome screened at Sundance and Bastard at Cannes) but never a full-length movie. Production is expected to begin early next year.
The story follows the experiences of 19-year-old Esther, who spends the summer of 1953 interning at a magazine in New York before returning home to Boston where she suffers a breakdown, repeatedly attempts to kill herself and ends up in a psychiatric hospital.
Dunst will likely bring her experience starring in Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides to her take on The Bell Jar. The 1999 film adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides’ 1993 debut novel, tells the story of the isolated and impenetrable Lisbon sisters who eventually kill themselves in a suicide pact.
The Bell Jar has had the silver screen treatment before, in Larry Peerce’s 1979 film starring Marilyn Hassett. Its tagline was “Sometimes just being a woman is an act of courage”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments