British novelist Henri (Coel) is stuck. Work has dried up, her relationship is going nowhere. So when she's offered a job on a film in Ghana, West Africa - her parents' homeland, where her estranged father lives - she can't resist the chance to reconnect with him and the country of her heritage. But when she arrives, neither the job nor her father turn out the way she expected, and soon Henri has to deal with danger and hypocrisy, form new friendships, lose her illusions, and create a new sense of identity - one that might leave her stronger, but could also break her.
Coel will executive produce with Jesse Armstrong, Phil Clarke, Roberto Troni, Jo McClellan and Piers Wenger. A24 and Various Artists Limited will produce.
"Michaela's words have the ability to transport the reader like no other," said Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO and Max Comedy Programming. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the conversation that began with I May Destroy You, alongside our close collaborators at VAL, A24 and the BBC. With Henri as our guide, First Day on Earth is as lyrical as it is visceral in its excavation of the idea of home."
"I am delighted to be working with VAL, HBO and the BBC again, and to partner with A24; thanks to all of their combined taste, care and expertise, I feel our show is in great hands," added Coel. "First Day on Earth is another very personal story for me which I hope will engage viewers from all over the world, and I can't wait for audiences to go on Henri's journey with her."
