The documentary West of Memphis, from director Amy Berg and producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, tells the story behind the fight to stop the state of Arkansas from killing an innocent man.  While it examines the police investigation into the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, the film also uncovers new evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the three other victims – Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, who became known as the West Memphis 3 – who were imprisoned for 18 years for crimes they did not commit.

At the film’s press day, filmmaker Amy Berg spoke to Collider for this exclusive interview about how she came to be a part of this moving and powerful story, the aspects of the case that stuck out the most once she started delving into it, the unique challenges in taking on something that was constantly changing and evolving, going through 800 hours of footage for the editing process, her thoughts on the Alford plea deal that ultimately got the three men out of prison, and what it was like to collaborate with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh.  She also talked about the first narrative feature she’ll be directing in the Spring, called Every Secret Thing, which is a drama about a detective who looks to unravel a mystery surrounding missing children, that stars Diane Lane.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Elizabeth Banks and Diane Lane are poised to team up for the crime drama Every Secret Thing.  Merced Media Partners, Palmstar, and Hyde Park announced today that they will be financing director Amy Berg’s (Deliver Us From Evil) drama from a script by Nicole Holofcener (Please Give, Friends with Money).  The story centers on Ronnie and Alice, who were convicted for the murder of a baby when they were just 11-years-old and were incarcerated until they turned 18.  While attempting to adjust to live outside juvenile detention, children start to go missing and the police turn their attention once again to Ronnie and Alice.  The mystery surrounding the original murder still looms overhead, and their roles in it take center stage in what sounds like an intriguing character drama.

Filming is set to get underway in February 2013, with Frances McDormand onboard as a producer.  That makes quite the line-up both in front of and behind the camera for this promising crime drama.  Berg most recently directed the Peter Jackson-produced documentary West of Memphis, which documents the wrongful conviction of the West Memphis 3.  Hit the jump to read the full press release for Every Secret Thing.