'Nick and Norah' Director Peter Sollett To Helm Ellen Page's Equal Rights Drama 'Freeheld'

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by Drew Taylor
September 6, 2012 10:22 AM
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We can't say we remember "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" all that much, besides how funny Ari Graynor was as the super-drunk friend and how inauthentic the New York geography seemed. But it certainly made an impact on someone, as that film's director, Peter Sollett, has just been hired to helm Ellen Page's based-on-actual-events equal rights drama "Freeheld," as was revealed on screenwriter Ron Nyswaner's website (via The Film Stage).

"Freeheld" tells the story of Stacie Andree (Page), a lesbian who fought New Jersey state law following the death of her partner. Her crusade for equal rights profoundly altered the way the state handled similar cases, and the story has all the rousing elements of a truly stirring true-life tale. The story takes on additional dimensions now, as more states are allowing same sex couples the right to marry (and the legal implications that go along with it) while getting even more violent resistance from the other side, who wish to keep marriage between a man and a woman. To illustrate, you can see Mitt Romney being schooled by a gay Vietnam vet below...

Sollett also directed "Raising Victor Vargas," an excellent, undersung coming of age story from 2002, which is hopefully more of an indicator that he can pull off a film like this.