Barry Sonnenfield to Direct and Exec. Produce FUNNY IN FARSI for ABC

Producer-Director Barry Sonnenfeld (Pushing Daisies) is set to direct and executive produce the pilot of Funny in Farsi.  The single-camera comedy is being developed for ABC about growing up Iranian American in 1970s Newport Beach, based on Firoozeh Dumas’ memoir of the same name.

According to THR, ABC ordered a pilot script last season, but the director they had in mind pulled out and the project got shelved.  The pilot has been adapted from the book by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai (who worked together on the three-camera According to Jim), and Sonnenfeld is helming the show in conjunction with another show, likely a drama, both in a deal with ABC.