Sunshine directors’ next

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, husband and wife directing team who made a splash with their debut LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, have signed on to their next project. The duo will direct THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER, based on the upcoming novel by Tom Perotta, for Warner Independent. The book was optioned back in September well in advance of the books publishing date next year. Perotta’s novels were previously adapted into ELECTION and LITTLE CHILDREN. ABSTINENCE follows a woman who works as a sex-ed teacher in middle America whose teachings sometimes conflict with the conservative values of the region. Meanwhile she falls in love with the school’s born again soccer coach. Dayton and Faris are expected to get a big push for Oscar consideration this December courtesy of Fox Searchlight. Perotta will write the screenplay for his novel working closely with both Dayton and Faris. No word on when filming might begin.