The Front Runner Becoming a Movie!
THE FRONT RUNNER was an amazing book that touched me profoundly in my tender teen years. While working on my script today, I discovered that the book is being made into a film that is scheduled for release in 2011. The film is being exec-produced by Greg Zanfardino (Alliance Filmworks/Moniker Entertainment) and produced by Tyler St. Mark (nephew of Kathy Bates).
Written by Patricia Nell Warren, The Front Runner was published in 1974. It’s the story of a cross-country coach who works at an obscure college because of his controversial personal history. Three terrific cross-country runners come to his school, one who may be Olympic material. The coach falls in love with that runner (as a former professor, this plotline is always difficult for me because of the whole ethical, imbalance of power thing but, that is my issue). The relationship is touching and the challenges as meaningful back then as they are now. The story races adroitly to a difficult resolution. I remember crying like a baby when I read the book. It was one of those “touchstone” moments in my life.
So, needless to say, I was delighted to see the book is coming to mainstream culture. There were no casting announcements on the website or IMDb.
Alliance Filmworks / Moniker brought QUEER AS FOLK to the U.S. and are slated to release a second film based on another Patricia Nell Warren story. ONE IS THE SUN is the story of an Indian woman who was also a chief. Obviously Alliance/Moniker and Warren seek stories for the under-represented cultural factions. I’ll be watching for more info on both films.
