M ongrel Media has acquired Canadian rights to documentary filmmaker Jamie Kastner’s next project.

The Skyjacker’s Son, currently in development, is expected to serve as Kastner’s first scripted feature. The film is based on the director’s 2017 documentary The Skyjacker’s Tale, which told the real-life story of an American fugitive who hijacked a plane to Cuba in 1984 and lived there to evade the FBI. The scripted project offers a fictional take on the events from the perspective of the fugitive’s son.

The film will be produced by Laura Baron Kastner of Toronto’s Cave 7 Productions and Maudie producer Mary Young Leckie of Solo Productions. It is expected to go into production in 2023, according to a news release.

Hungry Eyes Media’s Jennifer Holness and Sudz Sutherland are attached as executive producers, while Havana-based prodco Island Films is attached as the service producer and consultant in Cuba.

Development was supported through Ontario Creates and the Harold Greenberg Fund.

Mongrel Media previously acquired Canadian distribution rights to Kastner’s 2019 documentary, There Are No Fakes, following its world premiere at Hot Docs.

The Skyjacker’s Tale had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, with A71 Releasing (now Vortex Media) handling Canadian distribution and Strand Releasing picking up U.S. rights. The doc was broadcast on Super Channel and Bell Media-owned French-language channel Canal D.

Photo of Jamie Kastner courtesy of Cave 7 Productions