Angelina Jolie is set to team up with Netflix for their newest drama movie.
The actress will be directing their adaption of "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers," Netflix announced on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. The film will be based on Loung Ung's memoir of his experiences as a child in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime.
Jolie, 40, co-adapted the script with Ung, and she says that the book deepened her understanding of children experiencing war. "I was deeply affected by Loung's book," she said in a statement to Us Weekly. "It deepened forever my understanding of how my children experience war and are affected by the emotional memory of it. And it helped me draw closer to the people of Cambodia, my son's homeland."
Working with Ung helped reinforce her connection to Cambodia. Maddox, her and Brad Pitt's oldest son, will also be involved in the production of the Netflix Original Film, though it is unclear exactly what role the 13-year-old will play.
"Films like this are hard to watch but important to see," Jolie continued. "They are also hard to get made. Netflix is making this possible, and I am looking forward to working with them and excited that the film will reach so many people."
Ung and Jolie met in 2001 while in Cambodia, and instantly connected. "Immediately I trusted Angelina's heart," Ung said. "Through the years, we have become close friends, and my admiration for Angelina as a woman, a mother, a filmmaker, and a humanitarian has only grown. It is with great honor that I entrust my family's story to Angelina to adapt into a film."
Everyone involved in the film is excited to have Jolie on board. "We are proud to be with Angelina Jolie in bringing this emotionally powerful and ultimately uplifting story exclusively to Netflix members around the world," said Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer, according to E! News. "Loung Ung's incredible journey is a testament to the human spirit and its ability to transcend even the toughest circumstances."
The film will be available on the online streaming service sometime in late 2016.
