Viggo Mortensen is to make his directorial debut on feature Falling, which is being described as an intimate drama about a son’s relationship with his ageing father.

The Green Book and Captain Fantastic star wrote the screenplay and will play one of the two leading roles. Cast also includes Lance Henriksen (Aliens) and Sverrir Gudnason (The Girl In The Spider’s Web).

HanWay Films will handle international sales and will launch the movie at the American Film Market. UTA Independent Film Group will oversee the U.S. sale. Pic is produced by Daniel Bekerman (The Witch) of Scythia Films together with Mortensen who has previously produced movies through his Perceval Pictures label. Production leads include cinematographer Marcel Zyskind (The Two Faces of January) and production designer Carol Spier (Eastern Promises).

Mortensen will play John Petersen who lives with his partner Eric and their adopted daughter Monica in Southern California. His father Willis (Henriksen) is a farmer whose attitudes and behavior belong to a more traditional era and family model. When Willis travels to Los Angeles for an indefinite stay with John’s family in order to search for a place to retire, the two different worlds collide.

HanWay Films MD Gabrielle Stewart commented, “The industry has always regarded Viggo as a really soulful artist. He is a talented photographer, poet, and musician. His screenplay for Falling is a powerful, well-observed family drama. We are thrilled to be part of his promising and exciting directorial debut.”

Mortensen is represented by Theresa Peters at UTA and Lynn Rawlins, Henriksen by Jeff Witjas at APA and Jane Henriksen, and Gudnason by Bella Wingfield, Charles Collier and Annika Kildén.