Donald Sutherland’s production company, Martin’s River Ink, has begun work on an animated adaptation of William Gilkerson’s illustrated YA novel, Pirate’s Passage (Shambhala Publications), winner of the 2006 Governor General’s Literary Award for children’s literature (text). Sutherland will produce, write, and star in the film, to be aired on CBC Television.

Set in a 1952 Nova Scotian village, the story’s protagonist is 12-year-old Jim, who becomes drawn in by the mysterious Captain Johnson ““ to be voiced by Sutherland ““ and his tales of piracy. A boat full of Canadian stars are lending their voices to the film, including Gage Munroe, Carrie Moss, Kim Coates, Rossif Sutherland, Megan Follows, Colm Feore, Paul Gross, and Gordon Pinsent.