It’s All Made Up Productions has secured the rights to adapt author, broadcaster and DJ Annie Macmanus’ critically acclaimed and deeply moving, second novel The Mess We’re In.

Samantha Beddoe and Philip Barantini’s outfit It’s All Made Up Productions fought off fierce competition to option the book for a feature-length film adaptation. The deal signifies It’s All Made Up’s focus on developing a high-end feature film and drama slate with wide international appeal.

Samantha Beddoe and Philip Barantini, Executive Producers and Co-Founders said, “The Mess We’re In is a timeless coming of age story about moving to the big city in pursuit of your dreams. As non-Londoner’s, who have walked a similar path, it spoke to us, and we could see that it’s powerful narrative and universal themes would make for a beautiful and timely film adaptation. We are thrilled to have secured the rights and be working with Annie on taking her evocative novel to the big screen.”

From a small town in Ireland to London’s mecca music scene. A glorious, visceral exploration of a young woman’s searing ambition to embed herself in the electrifying and vibrant music scene of noughties London. Balancing a fractured family, tumultuous friendships and an uphill battle carving out a career as a woman in a male-dominated industry, the struggle to make your mark in this world is realised with unflinching honesty and profound dreamlike energy, capturing the formative time in a person’s life when the world is at their feet and the first step is always the hardest.

Annie Macmanus says, “I’m delighted that The Mess We’re In has a chance to exist on screen and curiously excited to learn about the process of adaptation. It’s All Made Up make brilliant, vital and important work and I’m honoured to be working with them.”

Over her 20 year career in the arts, Annie Mac has created a far reaching cultural presence, rooted in quality, integrity, and authenticity. Her debut novel, Mother Mother, was published in 2021 to critical acclaim and became a Sunday Times Bestseller.

The Mess Were In is published by Wildfire and has been described by the Guardian as an “evocative and lyrical coming-of-age story” and by the Observer as “an immersive tale of music and messiness”.

Macmanus is repped by Emily Hayward-Whitlock at The Artists Partnership and Eleanor Birne at RCW Literary Agency in the UK. It’s All Made Up Productions is repped by Independent Talent in the UK and by CAA and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole in the US. The company is managed by Grandview in the US.