A feature film based on Guy Gavriel Kay’s acclaimed novel Ysabel is in the works through Toronto’s Kinetic Productions and StromHaus Productions, which recently optioned the rights to the best-selling fantasy.

The deal was negotiated by Debbie Wood of Westwood Creative Artists with Kinetic’s Maryke McEwen (The Diary of Evelyn Lau) and Jeanne Stromberg and Alan Hausegger of StromHaus (Marine Life).

Ysabel follows 15-year-old Ned Marriner who stumbles upon a hidden, magical world when he accompanies his father to Provence on a photo shoot. The book picked up the 2008 World Fantasy Award for best novel.

Canuck author Kay’s earlier historical fantasy The Lions of Al-Rassan was optioned in 2005 by Warner Bros., and is currently in development, with Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond) attached to direct.