Obama’s Higher Ground to Adapt Baldwin: A Love Story for Film

Higher Ground and Anonymous Content are developing a feature film adaptation of Nicholas Boggs’ biography “Baldwin: A Love Story.” Anonymous Content has closed a deal to option the book, alongside a separate deal for Boggs and his partner, bestselling novelist Marlon James, to adapt the work for the screen.

Anonymous Content Options the James Baldwin Biography

Anonymous Content recently hired Darren Walker, the former president of the Ford Foundation, as its new president and CEO. Walker revealed the film project on Thursday at the Bloomberg Screentime conference. The production company has previously produced major screen projects including “Nickel Boys,” “True Detective,” and “Spotlight.” Its upcoming slate features Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk,” Zoe Kazan’s “East of Eden,” and “The Statement,” which pairs the company once again with “Spotlight” writer and director Tom McCarthy.

Archival Research Shapes the Screenplay

The source biography, “Baldwin: A Love Story,” relied on recently uncovered archival material and fresh reporting to examine James Baldwin’s intimate and artistic relationships. The book explores the writer’s connections with his mentor, Black American painter Beauford Delaney; his lover and muse, Swiss painter Lucien Happersberger; and his collaborators, Turkish actor Engin Cezzar and French artist Yoran Cazac. Baldwin’s extensive literary legacy includes novels such as “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “Giovanni’s Room.” His life and work were previously examined on screen in the Oscar-nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro.” Former President Barack Obama has frequently expressed admiration for Baldwin’s writing, recently featuring the author’s masterpiece “The Fire Next Time” on his podcast series “A Great Book with Barack Obama.”

Producers Assemble for the Adaptation

Darren Walker and David Levine are producing the film for Anonymous Content, while Anikah McLaren produces for Higher Ground alongside producer Howard Gertler. Authors Nicholas Boggs and Marlon James are attached to the project as executive producers. James is well known for authoring bestselling novels including “The Disappearers” and “A Brief History of Seven Killings.”