Fionn Whitehead, Luis Gnecco, Alan Cumming to Star in ‘Borges and Me’ Film Adaptation

Fionn Whitehead (“Dunkirk”) and Luis Gnecco (“Neruda”) are starring in the adaptation of the memoir “Borges and Me” by New York Times bestselling author Jay Parini (“The Last Station”), which is filming in Scotland. Marc Turtletaub (“Puzzle,” “Jules”) is directing from a screenplay by Oren Moverman (“The Messenger,” “Love & Mercy”).

Rounding out the cast are BAFTA and Emmy winner Alan Cumming (“The Traitors,” “The Good Wife”), BAFTA and Emmy nominee Peter Mullan (“Ozark”) and Emmy nominee Harriet Sansom Harris (“Hacks”).

The film is a co-production between the U.K., Belgium and the Netherlands, financed by Big Beach. Producers include Alex Polunin from Ossian International in the U.K., alongside Michael B. Clark, Turtletaub and Tim Foley of Big Beach. Co-producers include Leontine Petit and Erik Glijnis from Lemming Film and Dries Phlypo from A Private View. Stephen Burt will executive produce.

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Parini’s memoir recounts the author’s 1970 trip through the Scottish Highlands with the renowned Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. Parini’s earlier historical novel “The Last Station” was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film.

In “Borges and Me,” Parini finds himself stuck in a Morris Minor chauffeuring the brilliant, blind Borges through Scotland. Quiet and conservative, Parini — a 23-year-old student dreaming of becoming a writer — is at a loss to make sense of the wild, irrepressible Borges, then 70. As the journey takes a surreal turn, their differences magnify until, in the tradition of a classic road movie, the two ultimately find common ground.

Whitehead was recently seen in the FX/BBC adaptation of “Great Expectations,” opposite Olivia Colman, and previously in Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk,” “The Children Act” and Frances O’Connor’s “Emily,” for which he was nominated for the BIFA for best supporting performance.

The Chilean-Italian actor Gnecco is best known for his roles in “Neruda” and “No,” the first Chilean film to be nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film, and the Oscar-winning “A Fantastic Woman.”

Cumming is a two-time Tony winner, six-time Emmy nominee and Emmy winner for his role as host of Peacock’s reality show “The Traitors.” Known for his role on the CBS series “The Good Wife” and the spinoff “The Good Fight,” his recent projects include the Apple TV+ series “Schmigadoon!” and the documentary “My Old School.” Cumming recently concluded touring his solo concert show “Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age,” and was just named the new artistic director of Scotland’s Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

BAFTA-winning actor and director Mullan received international acclaim for his role in “My Name Is Joe,” where he won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. A renowned Scottish actor and filmmaker, he appeared in “Trainspotting,” “War Horse,” the Harry Potter franchise, Netflix series “Ozark,” HBO’s “Westworld,” Netflix series “Cursed” and BBC’s “Mum.” He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his work in Jane Campion’s “Top of the Lake” in 2013.

Harris was nominated for an Emmy for her guest appearance on Netflix’s “Hacks” in Season 2’s episode “Retired.” Her film credits include Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and “The Phantom Thread,” Christopher Nolan’s “Memento,” Barry Sonnenfeld’s “Addams Family Values” and Turtletaub’s “Jules.”

Turtletaub’s most recent film, “Jules,” starring Ben Kingsley, was released by Bleecker Street in 2023 and won the Humanitas Prize for best comedic screenplay. His previous feature, “Puzzle,” starring Kelly Macdonald and Irrfan Khan, premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, and was the winner of the audience award at the Deauville Film Festival.

Moverman is a screenwriter-director best known for his Oscar-nominated film “The Messenger,” as well as “Rampart,” “Time Out of Mind,” “The Dinner,” “Love & Mercy,” “Married Life,” “I’m Not There” and “Puzzle.”