Sebastian Stan (Thunderbolts, The Apprentice) and Leo Woodall (Prime Target, One Day) are set to lead Burning Rainbow Farm, the next feature from acclaimed Australian director Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth, The Order). The film will tell the harrowing true story of a rural Michigan couple whose peaceful pro-marijuana community ended in one of America’s most dramatic sieges.
Rocket Science will present the film to international buyers at the Cannes Film Market, with CAA Media Finance handling North American rights.
Based on a Shocking True Story
The film is an adaptation of Dean Kuipers’ 2006 nonfiction book Burning Rainbow Farm: How a Stoner Utopia Went Up in Smoke, with a screenplay by Tommy Murphy (Holding the Man). It centres on Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm, a gay couple who created Rainbow Farm, a cannabis-friendly utopia in Cass County, Michigan. After their son was taken from them and following a series of confrontations with authorities, the couple became the focus of an FBI siege that ended in tragedy just days before the 9/11 attacks.
OTHER POSTS:
Woodall, coming off of projects like One Day and Prime Target, is set to play Rollie Rohm opposite Stan’s Tom Crosslin.
Sebastian Stan Has Long Championed the Story
Stan had his eye on the project for several years before it finally came together. Speaking to IndieWire in January, the actor shared, “But I’ve known about it for six years or something. I’ve been tracking it through different evolutions, and it finally landed with Justin. I was tracking him now for two years to basically give me a chance, and finally, I think we’ve got to go and find all the other people.”
He also described the true story’s unique mix of activism, love, and controversy: “They were raising a child as well. They were real activists in some ways, and they were very controversial as well because they were running this Rainbow Farm, which was like the start of this Woodstock-style festival that was bringing all these people together, advocating for legalizing marijuana. It was also such a loving place. They were attracting a lot of attention from local authorities, and a lot of controversies were going on down there.”
A Director Drawn to Difficult Histories
Kurzel, known for true-story-driven projects like Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang, Nitram, and last year’s The Order, seems set to be an appropriate choice to bring this haunting chapter of American history to the screen with equal parts grit and empathy.
Speaking about the film, Kurzel said in a statement: “Burning Rainbow is a love story about two outliers who raise their middle finger to hate and declare ‘This is who we are, and we dare you to take it from us’. I’m excited to create this loveable and courageous couple with Sebastian and Leo, their union will be one to remember.”
The film is being produced by Nicole O’Donohue, Kurzel, and Alexandra Taussig for Thirdborn, alongside Adam Shulman of Anonymous Content, Alix Madigan of Mad Dog Films, and Justin Lothrop and Brent Stiefel of Votiv.
Sources: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter
