Harpo Films announced today that it has acquired the film rights to Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings. The book debuted in January at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List and was the latest selection for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0.
Kidds book, which follows the success of her previous novels, “The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair, is about two unforgettable women, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world. It tells a remarkable fictionalized story of real-life 19th century abolitionist sisters Angelina and Sarah Grimké. In the novel, for her eleventh birthday, Sarah is gifted with a ten-year-old enslaved girl named Hetty. And while Sarah attempts to reject the gift, ultimately she cannot, nor can she free Hetty or even really protect her when she needs it most. Sarah and Hettys lives remain intertwined as they grow into women, each facing their own challenges with courage and faith that they have learned from, and inspired in, one another.
In her book, Sue Monk Kidd has given us such a rich narrative, compelling characters, and a rare historical perspective that we know will be the ideal foundation for a wonderful film, said Oprah Winfrey.
An exclusive interview with Oprah and Kidd is planned for broadcast on the Emmy® Award-winning series Super Soul Sunday on Sunday, April 13 at 11am ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.
