Chiwetel Ejiofor Will Adapt, Direct THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE

As his feature directorial debut hits Sundance tonight, Chiwetel Ejiofor has been set to adapt and direct The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, based on the bestselling book by Jeff Hobbs.

Growing up outside of Newark, NJ, Robert Peace dreamed of making his single mother proud by escaping his crime-ridden city. He defied the odds and went to Yale on a full scholarship. He was captain of the water polo team and graduated with honors in molecular biochemistry and biophysics. All this promise and potential was dashed when he was gunned down at age 30 by rival drug dealers just blocks from where he grew up. The drama tells the story of his struggle and tragic murder.

"I'm deeply honored to bring Robert Peace's painful and profound story to the screen," Ejiofor said. "A story that reminds us that the social mobility at the heart of the American Dream remains, for many, as stubbornly elusive now as it ever was."

Ejiofor previously directed Sundance premiere "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind" and several short films. He's best known for being a very respected actor and star of such films as 12 Years a Slave, Love Actually, Redbelt, Children of Men, The Martian, Salt, Inside Man, and American Gangster.

"Robert's story is particularly relevant today, now more than ever," said producer Fuqua. "I'm thankful we have found great partners with Jeffrey and Simon and fortunate to have Chiwetel on board to bring this incredibly powerful story to life."

"Rob was a brilliant and ambitious man with the widest grin who had the opportunity to achieve anything he wanted but was not willing to leave his roots behind in the quest for his American dream," says Hobbs. "He was also a loyal friend to me and my husband Jeff, who wrote this important book about his life. Antoine, Kat, Jeff and I couldn't be more thrilled to partner with LAMF and our tremendous filmmaker Chiwetel and his producer Andrea to bring Rob's astonishing story to the screen."

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