Dolphin Entertainment Developing Clare Mulley Biography ‘The Woman Who Saved The Children’ On Save The Children Founder Eglantyne Jebb For Film

Matt Grobar

10 December 2024 at 8:45 am·3-min read

EXCLUSIVE: Bill O’Dowd’s Dolphin Entertainment has acquired rights to The Woman Who Saved the Children, Clare Mulley’s acclaimed biography of Save the Children founder Eglantyne Jebb, for development as a feature film.

Published by Oneworld Publications in 2010, The Woman Who Saved the Children explains how Jebb’s unwavering determination and groundbreaking vision led to the creation of the global humanitarian organization Save the Children in 1919. Over the past century, this pioneering organization has become the world’s foremost advocate for children, impacting millions of lives each year. In 2023 alone, Save the Children reached nearly 106 million children across 115 countries.

More from Deadline

“With The Woman Who Saved the Children, we’re showcasing a story of extraordinary vision and resilience that is both globally relevant and emotionally powerful,” said Dolphin’s Founder and CEO, O’Dowd. “As our development expands to include our return to scripted content, The Woman Who Saved the Children reflects our commitment to developing films that not only captivate audiences but also continues to reinforce Dolphin as a key player in meaningful, story-driven filmmaking within today’s entertainment landscape.”

A woman of passion and conviction, Jebb defied expectations to become one of the world’s most influential champions for children’s rights. From her early days in Cambridge to her audacious actions on the world stage, her life was filled with daring exploits, from espionage in Serbia to public protests in Trafalgar Square. Her unwavering commitment to child welfare, coupled with her brilliant mind and indomitable spirit, left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and transform lives.

Commented biographer Mulley, “Eglantyne was a true revolutionary, breaking all the rules, defying convention and transgressing the law in her determination to save the lives and improve the life-changes of every child, everywhere. Witty and wayward, she burned fast through life, dying all too young, but her enduring legacy remains as relevant and urgent as ever.”

More than 100 years after its establishment, Save the Children remains committed to its founding principles. In the United States and around the world, the nonprofit works to ensure children grow up healthy, educated, and safe. Save the Children also responds to emergencies in many of the places where it’s toughest to be a child and advocates for children to ensure their voices are heard and their rights are prioritized in policymaking and decision-making.

“Save the Children was founded in the wake of WWI on the belief that all children have rights, a radical idea at the time,” said Janti Soeripto, President and CEO, Save the Children US. “We look forward to seeing our founder’s lesser known, yet transformative life story told on the big screen.”

An award-winning author and broadcaster celebrated for her incisive explorations of women’s roles in history, Mulley’s other works include The Spy Who Loved, on the first woman to serve Britain as a special agent during WWII; The Women Who Flew for Hitler, an account of two female Nazi test pilots; and Agent Zo, a gripping tale of the only woman to parachute into enemy-occupied Poland.

Founded in 1996, Dolphin Entertainment most recently co-produced The Blue Angels, the acclaimed documentary on US. Navy pilots, which was the first project in a multi-year partnership between Dolphin and IMAX. Also produced by J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell, the Amazon MGM title was released exclusively in IMAX theaters on May 17, and premiered on Prime Video over Memorial Day Weekend, becoming the #1 movie on the service during this holiday window.

Simon Shaps of Georgina Capel Associates brokered the deal on behalf of Mulley.

Best of Deadline