Alfred Molina to make directorial debut with 'Lilian'

Veteran actor Alfred Molina is donning the director's hat with "Lilian", a big screen adaptation of the Jill Gascoine novel.

Molina is also attached to executive produce the indie along with Kelly Kahl and Derek Beamer, reported Deadline.

Amy Lowe Starbin is penning the script of the film, which will be backed by Cannonball Productions.

The story follows cancer survivor Jessica who leaves her husband and children in England to visit a friend in the US hoping to rediscover the joy of life. Once she reaches America, she unexpectedly finds herself falling for another woman.

The actor, who has credits across film and TV from "Boogie Nights", "Frida", "Spider-Man 2" to "Feud", said he always knew he would eventually turn director.

"When I was young I was moved by the films of Carol Reed - that's what started this journey in fact - that was the first time I realised there was a guiding hand behind the camera.

"The idea of being that guiding hand has always interested me. When I read the novel 'Lilian' years ago it touched me deeply - I started seeing the film and feeling the characters' journeys-and like that I knew that I wanted to direct this film," Molina said.

Production is expected to begin here in late 2019.