The singer will also produce 'In the Shadow of the Mountain.'
Selena Gomez has a new film in the works! Tempesta Films and One Community announced on Tuesday that the 28-year-old singer will star in and produce In the Shadow of the Mountain, an upcoming biopic about Silvia Vásquez-Lavado, a record-breaking, gay mountaineer. The film is based on Vásquez-Lavado's memoir of the same name, which is due out in February 2022.
The mountaineer was the first Peruvian woman to summit Mt. Everest and the first openly gay woman to complete the Seven Summits, a challenge to climb the highest mountain on each continent. Vásquez-Lavado, who was a victim of childhood assault and neglect, found healing and power in mountaineering. As such, she has organized treks to Mt. Everest base camp for other women survivors of abuse.
The film, which was optioned by Donna Gigliotti and Scott Budnick's respective production companies, will be written and directed by Elgin James. Gomez's July Moon Productions, Lara Love Hardin's Idea Architects and Vásquez-Lavado herself will produce.
In an Instagram post, Vásquez-Lavado said she's "so humbled and grateful to share this thrilling news," before complimenting Gomez as "bold, talented, and brilliant."
"To all of my family and friends, thank you for all your words of encouragement and support along this road," she wrote in part. "I can’t wait to share more!"
Meanwhile, in a press release, Gigliotti called Vásquez-Lavado "a force of nature."
"Scott and I are so excited to work with Elgin and Selena to tell this story of resilience, courage, adventure and humanity," she added.
"We are thrilled to get to work bringing Silvia’s incredible and inspiring story to life on screen," Budnick said.
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