Tessa Thompson is taking on a new challenge. The actor will star in and produce a film adaptation of Katie Kitamura’s bestselling novel A Separation, with acclaimed filmmaker Jonas Carpignano attached to write and direct. The project brings together a creative team known for bold, character-driven stories .
The Story Behind ‘A Separation’
Published by Riverhead Books in 2017, A Separation tells the story of a woman who travels from London to a remote peninsula in southern Greece. Her estranged husband has gone missing, and she reluctantly agrees to look for him despite their private agreement to separate. The novel explores the quiet turmoil of a marriage ending, the mysteries of intimacy, and the complicated grief that follows .
The book received attention for its spare, hypnotic prose and its psychological depth. It was a New York Times Notable Book and a finalist for the Premio Von Rezzori . Readers and critics have praised Kitamura’s ability to capture the gaps between what we know about the people we love and what we discover later .
Kitamura, a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, has built a reputation for elegant, fearless writing. Her most recent novel, Audition, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and is being adapted by filmmaker Lulu Wang with Higher Ground and Laika .
The Creative Team Behind the Adaptation
Jonas Carpignano brings a strong background in intimate, grounded storytelling to the project. He is known for his trilogy of films examining modern-day southern Italy: Mediterranea (2015), A Ciambra (2017), and A Chiara (2021). Mediterranea screened at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim. A Ciambra was selected as Italy’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. A Chiara premiered in Cannes Directors‘ Fortnight and was distributed in the U.S. by Neon .
Tessa Thompson will produce through her company Viva Maude, alongside a strong team of producers. Riva Marker will produce for Linden Productions, reuniting with Thompson after their work on Is God Is, a thriller adapting Aleshea Harris’ stage play, which releases May 15 through Orion Pictures. Kishori Rajan joins for Viva Maude, along with Greta Caruso and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos of Faliro House. David Levine of Anonymous Content will serve as executive producer .
Linden Productions and Faliro House have collaborated before on Stereophonic, the most-nominated play in Tony Awards history, which won five awards in 2024 including Best Play .
What the Producers and Author Say
In a joint statement, the producers shared their excitement about the source material. “In A Separation, Kitamura unflinchingly explores the complexities of class, race and fidelity with her trademark elegance and fearlessness. We could not be more thrilled to collaborate on such an evocative story” .
Author Katie Kitamura also expressed enthusiasm for the team adapting her work. “Jonas and Tessa are two of the boldest and most original artists working today. I feel very lucky to be part of this extraordinary collaboration, and to be working with such an exceptional team of producers to bring this novel onto the big screen” .
Tessa Thompson’s Recent Work
Thompson has been busy with several high-profile projects. She recently starred opposite Jon Bernthal in His & Hers, a Netflix murder mystery based on the Alice Feeney novel, which her company Viva Maude produced .
Under a first-look film deal with Amazon MGM, Viva Maude teamed with Plan B to produce Hedda, Nia DaCosta’s reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 stage play Hedda Gabler. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned Thompson a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Drama .
Among Viva Maude’s other upcoming projects is an adaptation of Raven Leilani’s debut novel, Luster .
Faliro House and Anonymous Content’s Track Record
Faliro House has produced or co-produced more than 90 films, including Academy Award-nominated titles like Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight, Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter. Recent works include Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Harvest .
Anonymous Content’s AC Studios recently earned acclaim for the Academy Award-nominated Nickel Boys and Golden Globe nominees True Detective: Night Country and Disclaimer. Upcoming projects include Netflix’s East of Eden starring Florence Pugh and Apple’s Neuromancer starring Callum Turner .
What’s Next for the Film
The adaptation of A Separation is in early development. No production schedule or release date has been announced. With a celebrated novel as its foundation and a team of experienced, award-winning filmmakers and producers attached, the project brings together talent known for thoughtful, character-focused work .
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