First Generation Films has boarded Anton Corbijn’s Life, which stars Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan, as shooting starts in Toronto.

The German/Canadian/Australian coproduction from Australian writer Luke Davie also stars Ben Kingsley and Alessandra Mastronardi.

The See-Saw Films and First Generation Films indie project tells the true story of a friendship that developed between Magnum photographer Dennis Stock (Pattinson) and actor James Dean (DeHaan) when Stock was commissioned to photograph the actor for Life magazine in 1955.

Life is produced by Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Christina Piovesan, Wolfgang Mueller and Benito Mueller.

Besides its Cinespace Film Studios shoot in Toronto, Life will also be shot in Los Angeles.

The film is financed by The Harold Greenberg Fund, Corner Piece Capital, LLC, Telefilm Canada, Film4, Screen Australia, Michel Merkt and Union Bank, N.A.

FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.

Photo: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

This article was updated on Feb. 20, 2014 to include the location of Life‘s Toronto shoot.