2009 Tony Nominee Lloyd Developing Film Project Based on Economist Yunus

Variety reports that "Mamma Mia!" and "Mary Stuart" director Phylidda Lloyd is developing a feature project inspired by economist Muhammad Yunus' revolutionary concept of micro-financing. Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work, pioneered the use of micro-loans to people, predominantly women, in poor communities. 

His Grameen bank has since loaned over $6 billion in Bangladesh and his work has been duplicated in more than 100 countries according to Variety.

The film is being co-produced by former BBC Films' topper David Thompson's Origin Pictures and Christian de Boisredon, Vivian Norris de Montaigu and Nicolas Jourdier, who initiated the project and collaborated closely with Yunus to get his seal of approval the paper reports. The still-untitled project is being written by Francesca Marciano.

Lloyd is one of Britain's most important theater and opera directors. Internationally she is best known for her work on Mamma Mia, the Tony® -nominated musical sensation currently playing in sixteen countries. She directed the Golden Globe® -nominated film version of Mamma Mia, which has become the highest-grossing movie helmed by a woman, as well as the highest- grossing movie ever in the UK. Her other stage credits include major productions at the National Theatre, RSC, Royal Court Theatre, Bristol Old Vic Theatre and Shakespeare's Old Globe.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.