India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte) and Damian Hardung (Maxton Hall – The World Between Us) are set to lead in the highly anticipated film Into The Deep Blue, winner of the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Into The Deep Blue follows Nick (Hardung) and Fiona (Amarteifio), best friends who met in group therapy and are struggling to piece their lives together after experiencing loss. The last thing they need is to fall in love. When a weekend trip brings their deepening feelings to the surface, they might sooner cut each other off than face them. The screenplay, crafted by writer and novelist Jennifer Archer, was honored with the 2022 Nicholl Fellowship. A novel adaptation of the film is soon to be released.

Damian Hardung is currently starring in Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Prime Video’s biggest ever international launch and the most-watched international show of all time in its first week.

India Amarteifio is best known for her starring role in Queen Charlotte, one of Netflix’s most popular series of all time, having amassed over 307 million hours viewed.

The film will be shot in the UK and directed by Jonathan Wright, known for his work on Sony’s Awakening The Zodiac. Producing Into The Deep Blue are Aletha Shepherd and Jennifer Presser of Shot of Tea, a production company renowned for its character-driven narratives. Shot of Tea’s debut feature film, Everything & The Universe, recently completed and has been picked up by Brandon Evans and Todd Slater’s Brick Lane Entertainment.

Jennifer Presser, Producer and Founder/Head of Casting for Break Away Casting, added: “This film is such an amazing story of grief, friendship, and growth, and I couldn’t be more excited to be working with this amazing group of talent. We are thrilled to have India and Damian bring these complex characters to life. Their raw talent is something to behold and will elevate this film to the next level.”

Aletha Shepherd, Producer and Founder of Shot of Tea, said: “We are thrilled to bring together such a fabulous cast for this remarkable script. It’s such a joy working with such talents, especially when we know we have something truly special on our hands. We are excited to find the right home and partner to make sure this film garners the success it deserves.”

Hardung is represented by Subtitle Talent and Die Agenten, while Amarteifio is represented by Hamilton Hodell and UTA.