The film rights to the book Sofia, Story of a Forbidden Love by Margalith Klewijwegt have been sold to In-Soo Productions in Rotterdam.

Sofia is the gripping, true story of a young Moroccan-Dutch woman who wants to decide for herself who she marries. Margalith Kleijwegt reconstructed Sofia's life, her struggle to break free from home. She also delved into Sofia's family: her parents, her brothers and sisters, and her grandmother. Why did Sofia not submit to her father's rules? What made her so rebellious? And was repudiation the only choice for her father?

In-Soo Radstake of In-Soo Produtions (Carmen van het Noorden, Spion van Oranje, Parradox, Made in Korea) will produce the film. During the last IDFA, Parradox, the documentary about the life of Pim de la Parra produced and directed by In-Soo Radstake, was nominated as Best Dutch Documentary. NRC Handelsblad wrote: 'Parradox is a must.'

In-Soo Radstake on Sofia:
'Sofia is a timeless love story. We are going to make a beautiful, moving film about something that is becoming increasingly common: mixed-race love. In many families, this is still a taboo; with this film, we hope to break the secrecy surrounding it.'
Filming is scheduled for early 2012.

Margalith Kleijwegt is an editor at Vrij Nederland. In 2005, she published the book *Onzichtbare ouders* (Invisible Parents), in which she addressed the unacceptable isolation of immigrant families for the first time. This bestseller went through eight reprints and was sold to Germany. In *Sofia, the Story of One Family*, she further explores the themes from *Onzichtbare ouders*.

Press on Sofia (Atlas Publishers, 2010):
'Margalith Klewijwegt has struck exactly the right tone to portray the obstacles (on both the Moroccan and Dutch sides) to the self-development ardently pursued by Sofia. And she has admirably empathized with her main characters, with the result that her book possesses the qualities of a moving novel.' ***** Anet Bleich - de Volkskrant

'I read the book in one sitting, highly recommended' - Margriet

'A beautiful book' - Ernst Hirsch Ballin



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