JJ Bola’s The Selfless Act of Breathing is getting a film adaptation, Deadline reports.
Vancouver, Canada–based Bron Studios, known for films such as Fences, Joker, and Judas and the Black Messiah, acquired the rights to Bola’s novel, published in the U.S. earlier this month by Atria.
The novel tells the story of Michael Kabongo, a Congolese British schoolteacher who takes a trip to the U.S. after suffering a slide into depression and hopelessness. A critic for Kirkus praised the book, writing, “[H]is prose is sensitive and powerful. Lovers of character studies that tend toward the dark will find much to admire in this novel. Solid writing and sensitive insights make this one a winner.”
Playwright Keenan Scott II (Thoughts of a Colored Man) will write the screenplay for the movie, which will be produced by Aaron L. Gilbert (Licorice Pizza), Ryan Busse (Road to Bethlehem), Stephen Meinen (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Katia Washington, and Jared Kramer.
“We could not be prouder to be a part of bringing JJ Bola’s profound novel to the screen,” Gilbert told Deadline. “We were immediately captivated by his words and believe this book has the ability to reach and unite readers across all borders and walks of life. Keenan’s voice blew us away and he is the perfect person to entrust with this material. We are very excited and honored to support this type of storytelling.”
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
