Goodfellas have boarded the upcoming war crime drama film Occupation from writer/director Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi (The Tribe). Two-time Academy Award®-nominee Alexander Rodnyansky (Loveless, Leviathan, Beanpole) will produce alongside Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content. Michael Kupisk of AR Content will executive produce alongside Anonymous Content’s David Levine, Linzee Troubh from The Atlantic, and Eva Dottelonde, Livia Van Der Staay and Noëmie Devide for France’s Goodfellas. Goodfellas will be representing the worldwide sales rights beginning in Cannes while Anonymous Content and CAA Media Finance will co-represent the North American rights.

Financed by AR Content, Occupation is based on Peter Pomerantsev’s May 2022 article for The Atlantic entitled “We Can Only Be Enemies,” which follows a Ukrainian family whose house is shelled at the onset of the war. Unable to reach Kyiv, they return to their village. Taking refuge in their bomb shelter, they have no choice but to cohabitate with the Russian soldiers responsible for the bombardment. Production will begin in Poland this fall.

“This is a tremendous project, the kind that wakes you up, punches you in the face and makes you want to fight your life. It reminds us of SON OF SAUL or COME AND SEE and Myroslav already proved the cinematic power he can bring to this experience with his first film, The Tribe,” commented Goodfellas’ Vincent Maraval.

AR Content’s Alexander Rodnyansky said, “This terrible war has become one of today’s most historic events, and this film is important to me as a citizen of the world and as a Ukrainian. Miroslav’s script, based on Peter Pomarantsev’s amazing article, is incredibly powerful and, more importantly, true. I’m happy to once again join forces with VIncent Maraval and the Goodfellas team – we’ve worked on some great films together and I am excited to have them aboard this very important project.”