Shaftesbury Films has acquired the rights to Elizabeth Hay's Scotiabank Giller Prize-winning novel Late Nights on Air, which the company will develop into a television series."Christina Jennings and Julie Lacey (Vice President, Creative Affairs) won me over with their enthusiasm for the characters in this book and its northern setting," says author Elizabeth Hay. "I'm delighted about their plans to dramatize the story."
"We knew after reading Late Nights on Air, long before the Giller Awards were announced, that this book was a winner," says Christina Jennings, Chairman, Shaftesbury Films. "Elizabeth's compelling story, set in a local radio station in the far north, and populated with a rich cast of characters, will provide viewers with a unique television experience."
Hay's Late Nights on Air features a cast of eccentric characters all working together at the local radio station in Yellowknife during the 1970s. Set in this remote locale, these transplanted strangers strike up some unlikely friendships as they begin to learn about each other's pasts.
Last year Shaftesbury acquired the rights to the 2006 Giller Award-winning book Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam, which is being developed into a limited series by Jason Sherman for The Movie Network and Movie Central.
Elizabeth Hay is represented by Bella Pomer of The Bella Pomer Agency, and Sarah Cooper of The Saint Agency.
