EXCLUSIVE: Director and cinematographer Alexander Witt is set to direct Feathering the Wind, a coming-of-age feature set against the high-speed world of competitive youth sailboat racing as its producer gear up to take the production to the market at the AFM.
Witt has built an extensive career directing and shooting second-unit action for some of Hollywood’s biggest films and franchises, with credits including Gladiator, The Bourne Identity, the James Bond films Skyfall and Casino Royale, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War and Michael Mann’s Ferrari.
He also brings decades of experience directing commercials and features. His feature directing credits include Resident Evil: Apocalypse and the Sayen film trilogy. His commercial work includes campaigns for Reebok, Honda and Helly Hansen, among others.
Actor-producer-writer Christopher Atkins and Michelle Alexandria of Light Year Pictures are producing. Atkins, who first broke onto the big screen opposite Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon has more than 80 acting credits to his name. Alexandria is executive producer on the upcoming Maserati: The Brothers with other productions in the works including Kaitlyn’s Chance and Ethan Almighty.
Feathering the Wind is billed as a timeless coming-of-age story set against the speed, danger and intensity of competitive youth sailboat racing.
“I’m really excited to have Alexander on board,” said Atkins. “It’s a timeless coming of age wrapped in incredible high-speed youth sailing sequences – an F1 on the water. Alexander brings sensitivity to the story and the action experience to bring it to the screen. It’s a perfect match.”
“Alexander’s extraordinary body of work brings a level of skill, vision and prestige that is invaluable. The beauty, speed and intensity of sailing deserve to be experienced on the big screen, and I can’t wait to see Alexander make this film his own,” said Alexandria.
Also attached to the filmmaking team is veteran aerial and aquatic cinematographer Jordan “Jordy” Klein Jr., whose credits include The Abyss, Cocoon and Splash. Klein began his career working alongside his father, Academy Award-winning underwater cinematographer Jordan Klein Sr., building a career that has spanned decades of aquatic and aerial filmmaking.
Feathering the Wind is produced by Light Year Pictures and is represented by entertainment attorney Peter Capozzi of Kelley Martin Capozzi LLP. Additional casting and production details will be announced in the coming weeks.