Sarah Gadon to Make Directorial Debut With ‘Lullabies for Little Criminals’
Sarah Gadon is stepping behind the camera for Lullabies for Little Criminals, a feature-film adaptation of Heather O’Neill’s acclaimed novel. The Alias Grace and True Detective actress is set to make her feature directorial debut with the project while also adapting the screenplay and serving as a producer.
With production planned for Montreal, Lullabies for Little Criminals is a Canadian film project worth watching for actors, filmmakers, and entertainment professionals interested in upcoming production and casting opportunities.
What Is Lullabies for Little Criminals About?
Lullabies for Little Criminals follows Baby, a 13-year-old girl caught between the comforts of childhood and the dangers of an increasingly complicated adult world.
Baby lives with her father, Jules, whose struggle with drug addiction prevents him from providing the stability and care his daughter needs. As Baby grows older, she attracts the attention of a charismatic but dangerous local figure.
That relationship places her in an increasingly volatile situation and threatens the childhood innocence she is struggling to hold onto.
The story explores childhood, poverty, addiction, vulnerability, survival, and the difficult transition into adolescence.
Sarah Gadon Makes Her Directorial Debut
Lullabies for Little Criminals will mark Sarah Gadon’s feature directorial debut.
Gadon is adapting Heather O’Neill’s novel for the screen in addition to directing and producing the movie.
Canadian audiences may recognize Gadon from numerous film and television projects. One of her best-known performances came in Netflix’s limited series Alias Grace. Her credits also include True Detective, Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, A Dangerous Method, Enemy, Belle, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, and Black Bear.
Gadon has worked with prominent filmmakers including David Cronenberg, Denis Villeneuve, Mary Harron, Xavier Dolan, and Amma Asante. Her move into directing represents a new chapter in a career spanning Canadian and international film and television.
From Heather O’Neill’s Award-Winning Novel to the Screen
The movie is based on Heather O’Neill’s novel Lullabies for Little Criminals.
The book received widespread recognition in Canada and won CBC’s Canada Reads competition in 2007.
Set in Montreal, the story follows Baby as she navigates an unstable upbringing and encounters people and circumstances that increasingly pull her away from childhood.
Adapting such a character-driven novel gives the filmmakers an opportunity to bring its distinctive Montreal setting and complex characters to the screen.
Who Is Producing Lullabies for Little Criminals?
Sarah Gadon will produce Lullabies for Little Criminals alongside Shawn Williamson and Emily Alden of Brightlight Pictures.
Brightlight Pictures is a Vancouver-based production company with credits spanning film and television.
Its previous projects include 50 Dead Men Walking, Colossal, Summer of ’84, and Descendants 2. The company has also been involved with productions including Firefly Lane, Upload, Float, Borderline, and Monster High: The Movie.
Who Are the Casting Directors for Lullabies for Little Criminals?
Creative Drive Artists is one of the casting companies associated with Lullabies for Little Criminals.
Casting professionals play an important role in bringing a film’s characters to life by working with filmmakers and producers to identify and evaluate talent for available roles. For a character-driven project like Lullabies for Little Criminals, casting will be especially important as the production translates Heather O’Neill’s characters from the novel to the screen.
Actors interested in potential Lullabies for Little Criminals casting opportunities can follow Creative Drive Artists and monitor Project Casting for casting calls, auditions, and other production updates.
Specific casting requirements can vary by role, so actors should review individual casting notices for eligibility, filming locations, compensation, and application instructions.
“Lullabies for Little Criminals” Casting Call for Lead Roles
“Lullabies for Little Criminals” Casting Call for Lead Roles
Job Description
Casting is underway for a lead role in the upcoming feature film Lullabies for Little Criminals, adapted from Heather O’Neill’s acclaimed novel and brought to the big screen by CDA’s Sarah Gadon. The production is seeking girls to play age 13 for the lead role. Filming is set to take place in Montreal in January/February 2027.
Job Responsibilities
- Perform a lead role in the upcoming feature film Lullabies for Little Criminals.
- Portray a 13-year-old character on screen.
- Participate in filming in Montreal in January/February 2027.
- Attend auditions and additional casting steps as requested.
Requirements
- Seeking girls who can play age 13.
- Must be available to film in Montreal in January/February 2027.
- Must be interested in auditioning for a lead feature film role.
Compensation
- Compensation details were not provided
Where Will Lullabies for Little Criminals Film?
Production on Lullabies for Little Criminals is planned for Montreal, Quebec.
Montreal is one of Canada’s major film and television production centers, regularly hosting Canadian and international productions.
The location is particularly relevant because Heather O’Neill’s original story is closely connected to Montreal. Shooting there gives the production an opportunity to preserve the setting and atmosphere that play an important role in the novel.
Production schedules and other details may change as the movie progresses.
Sarah Gadon’s Career Continues to Expand
Gadon has built a career spanning independent films, major productions, and television dramas.
Around the time Lullabies for Little Criminals was announced, Gadon appeared in Carly Stone’s North of Normal, alongside Robert Carlyle, James D’Arcy, Amanda Fix, River Price-Maenpaa, and Benedict Samuel.
She was also selected as a TIFF Micki Moore Writer in Residence and had previously been named a TIFF Rising Star.
Her extensive experience in front of the camera, combined with her work as a writer, provides a foundation for her transition into feature directing with Lullabies for Little Criminals.
Why Actors Should Follow Lullabies for Little Criminals
With production planned for Montreal and casting professionals associated with the project, actors may want to follow Lullabies for Little Criminals as it moves toward production.
Casting calls could potentially include principal, supporting, day-player, or background opportunities depending on the production’s needs. Actors should rely on confirmed casting notices for information about which roles are actually available.
Project Casting helps actors stay informed about new movie casting calls, television auditions, commercial opportunities, and entertainment industry jobs.
Stay Updated on Lullabies for Little Criminals
Lullabies for Little Criminals brings together an acclaimed Canadian novel, an established production team, and Sarah Gadon as she takes on her first feature directing role.
For actors and entertainment professionals, the Montreal production is also a project to watch as additional casting and production information becomes available.
Looking for your next acting opportunity? Explore casting calls, auditions, film jobs, and entertainment opportunities on Project Casting. Create your profile, discover roles that match your experience, and apply for your next opportunity today.
