Sony Pictures Classics have pre-emptively purchased US and multiple foreign rights to Nigel Cole’s (Calendar Girls, Saving Grace) latest film, Made In Dagenham. The film, inspired by a true story, was written by William Ivory and produced by Stephen Woolley (The Crying Game, Scandal, Interview With The Vampire), and Elizabeth Karlsen (Little Voice, Ladies In Lavender, Mrs Harris) through through their Number 9 Films label. HanWay Films represents Worldwide sales – it’s CEO Tim Haslam, and the film’s producers Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley negotiated the sale to Sony Pictures Classics.

Made in Dagenham was originally developed with funding from the UK Film Council, and its production has been backed by BBC Films, BMS Finance, Lip Sync Productions and the UK Film Council

The film stars Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins (for Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky), Rosamund Pike (An Education, Pride And Prejudice), Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter, The Young Victoria), Bob Hoskins (A Christmas Carol, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Mona Lisa), Andrea Riseborough (star of the upcoming remake of Brrighton Rock), and Richard Schiff (star of The West Wing).

Made in Dagenham is a rousing, inspirational, entertaining and often hilarious dramatization inspired by the true story of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in support of equal pay. The actions of these women – the Erin Brockoviches of 1960s Essex – had an impact not only around the UK but the world, leaving a lasting legacy that had a permanent impact on women’s role in society. “With the subject of women’s rights front and center, Made In Dagenham is one of those unknown true stories of triumph audiences love to embrace, brilliantly directed by Nigel Cole, perfectly acted by Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson, Rosamund Pike, Geraldine James and Bob Hoskins. We are honored and delighted to be working once again with our old friends Liz, Stephen, HanWay and BBC Films,” said Sony Pictures Classics. “This is a project very close to our hearts and is a moving and emotionally rich film that will have an effect on both female and male viewers wherever it is shown. We are extremely excited to be reunited with the Sony Pictures Classics team who we have worked closely with on many films over a thirty year period,” said producers Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen. Director Nigel Cole added, “It’s fantastic that Sony Classics will be taking the story of these wonderfully empowering women to US audiences; as they showed with An Education they will be great partners for our film.”