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"HANNIBAL RISING" PRODUCTION NOTES
Dino De Laurentiis Presents in association with Quinta Communications and Ingenious Film Partners HANNIBAL RISING Starring GASPARD ULLIEL GONG LI RHYS
IFANS An
'R' rating has been received by the MPAA
As the Soviet Union redraws its borders in the wake of World War II, swaths of independent Eastern Europe come under the bitter yoke of Soviet domination. In Lithuania, one teenager, orphaned by the war and mute from the horrors he has endured, finds himself incarcerated in a Soviet orphanage, where he bridles against his classmates' ruthless hazing and rebels against the place's rigid pecking order. But this is no ordinary boy, it's the young Hannibal Lecter. He makes a remarkable escape from the iron curtain and journeys to the outskirts of Paris, France, where his only surviving relative, an uncle, lives. Arriving at Lecter Castle, Hannibal discovers his uncle has died. However, the man's mysterious and beautiful Japanese widow, the noble descendant of the Tale of Genji's author Lady Murasaki Shibuku, welcomes him home. Lady Murasaki's kind and wise attentions ignite lifelong passions in Hannibal for fine food, music, and painting. She leads Hannibal to recover his voice, but she cannot help him banish the repressed memories that haunt his nightmares, or shield him from the prosaic evil that lives in even the most genteel of places. Commencing his illustrious medical career, Hannibal obsessively tries to plumb the depths of his own subconscious. Hannibal's ghosts prove to be real people – vicious, predatory war criminals – from whom he needs the answers to his past, and ultimately, revenge. This quest, however, will endanger everyone and everything he cares about, and nurture dark desires that will forever demand feeding.
CAST Young Hannibal GASPARD ULLIEL Lady Murasaki GONG LI Grutas RHYS IFANS Kolnas KEVIN MCKIDD Inspector Popil DOMINIC WEST Dortlich RICHARD BRAKE Milko STEPHEN WALTERS Grentz IVAN MAREVICH Pot Watcher GORAN KOSTIC Paul the Butcher CHARLES MAQUIGNON Father Lecter RICHARD LEAF Mother Lecter INGEBORGA DAPKUNAITE Young Hannibal AARON THOMAS Mischa HELENA-LIA TACHOVSKA
CREW Director PETER WEBBER Producers MARTHA DE LAURENTIIS DINO DE LAURENTIIS TARAK BEN AMMAR Co-Producers CHRIS CURLING, ZEPHYR FILMS PHIL ROBERTSON, ZEPHYR FILMS PETR MORAVEC, ETIC FILMS Writer THOMAS HARRIS Director of Photography BEN DAVIS Production Designer ALLAN STARSKI Costume Designer ANNA SHEPPARD Editor PIETRO SCALIA Co-Editor VALERIO BONELLI Make-up Designer MAURIZIO SILVI Hair Designer FERDINANDO MEROLLA
Produced by Zephyr Films, Etic Films, Cathago Films, DDL of Italy Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica in association with Ingenious Film Partners LLP. Hannibal
Rising is a UK, Czech Republic, France, Italy Co-production
HANNIBAL
RISING Genesis Dino De Laurentiis, Producer Hannibal Lecter is a cultural icon. Possibly the most famous anti-hero ever created. Brilliant, charming and evil, he grips the popular imagination like no other villain. His creator, the reclusive American writer Thomas Harris, introduced him to the world as a minor, though significant, character in the menacing novel Red Dragon published in 1981. Harris is widely acknowledged as one of the world's most skilful writers of psychological thrillers. His complex, brilliantly written stories are remarkable; not just for their spine-chilling horror, but also for the way they create empathy for the cunning, ruthless serial killer. Red Dragon quickly became a best seller. Producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis spotted the potential in the story and were the first to bring Hannibal to the screen in the 1986 Michael Mann thriller MANHUNTER. MANHUNTER was a cult success, but it was the 1991 movie SILENCE OF THE LAMBS which brought Hannibal into the mainstream. Directed by Jonathan Demme, the taut, terrifying narrative collected five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins and Best Actress for Jodie Foster. Following SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Dino and Martha De Laurentiis returned to the Hannibal franchise when they produced the massive box office hits HANNIBAL in 2001 and the remake RED DRAGON in 2002, with Anthony Hopkins starring in both. It was fitting, therefore, that they were the drivers behind the new story. "We were inspired by a passage in the novel Hannibal," Martha explains. "We found a two page sequence about Mischa, Hannibal's younger sister, which hinted at reasons for Hannibal's violence and suggested the opening of the story." The couple knew they had to get Thomas Harris on board and approached him with the idea. Although initially hesitant about re-entering the universe of his most famous creation, the writer found himself so absorbed by the idea that he wanted to write the screenplay as well as the novel. "How could we refuse?" says Martha. Once they had a short treatment of the story, director Peter Webber was brought onto the project. "Peter was on our wish list from the beginning," Martha says. "We wanted to go with a young, hungry director for this project. GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING showed that he could tell a story visually and we could see from some of his TV work in the UK, that he had the right edginess." Webber was looking for his next project after his extraordinary feature debut, the hugely acclaimed, award winning, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING. He was thrilled by the idea of tackling the Hannibal legacy. "After GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, I was inundated with lots of scripts where no one really says anything, where people stare at each other across rooms, and lots of films about dead painters - Leonardo, Caravaggio - you name it and they've all landed on my doorstep! I realised that was really not what I wanted to do; I was very proud of that film, but I don't want to make carbon copies of it forever and ever. PEARL EARRING was really a film about love and this is a film about hate. I thought this was really a great opportunity to keep myself fresh and interested, doing stuff I'd never done before." "This story is about the birth of a monster, the creation of the character, so Hannibal is at the centre of it, whereas in the previous films, he's always been tangential," continues Webber. "In SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, he has something like 18 minutes of screen time. In this film he is on screen 90% of the time. What's more, in the previous films, he arrives on screen as a monster. For me, what's interesting is seeing how this character came to be who he is." Thomas Harris is renowned for his detailed research and can take up to ten years to develop one of his blockbuster novels. Webber found the writer's knowledge was a huge support as the film progressed. "He's got such an amazing, detailed imagination. He is able to tell you what colour the curtains are in a certain scene, what the furnishings were, all these details - he just has an encyclopaedic mind. The other thing that's fascinating about Harris is that he used to be a crime writer, so each of the rather grisly murders in this film are all based on specific crime scenes that he attended." The two men developed a close creative relationship, with Webber visiting Harris in Miami to work on the script. "It's actually hard to get him out of the house; he is a private man. So it was a privilege to be admitted into his home," says Webber. Their exchange of ideas continued throughout the production: "We were in constant communication on the phone. Every evening when I got back, I wrote him emails as I prepared for the next day. I have a problem with this line, I want to change this or that." Webber sees the process as one of collaboration and interpretation: "The concepts are his. I fine-tune it. I make sure things work with the actors and within the drama of the scenes. There are some details that you change, some moments that change. Sometimes I take something of his and I expand on it. He lays the egg and I hatch it!" Martha De Laurentiis confirms the immense value of the writer's close involvement: "Thomas was always accessible and we always kept him updated on what we were doing. He certainly did so much more than a screenwriter or an author normally does. It wouldn't be HANNIBAL RISING without Thomas Harris' constant input." There was still a real challenge in conveying the complexity of the storytelling in just 16 weeks of shooting. "Every thing that Hannibal does needs screen time to create impact," Martha explains, "You can't shoot tension and all of the delicious details of the character quickly, you can't do it in two shots, you need time to establish it, get closer and enjoy it, setting all that up, so it honors the screenwriter and the screenplay." One of the issues they had to deal with was how to manage the audience's engagement with the savage serial killer. Webber says: "Can you be sympathetic towards a psychopathic murderer? I'm interested in building something that is psychologically complex, where you are taken on a journey and have feelings for someone. I would say that in our film maybe you don't have as much sympathy for Hannibal at the end as you do at the beginning, but you do understand why he ends up the way he does. Maybe that's what's true about all tragedies – it's about that fatal flaw in a character, the one thing that brings a great person to their knees." For Webber, HANNIBAL RISING was the most ambitious project he'd undertaken: "The scale of this one is very different. We've got big battle scenes, a number of murders. The budget is considerably bigger than my last film and so there's a much greater sense of responsibility." However, he was undaunted by the challenge. "The tone of the story is different but you are using the same tools; you just use them in a different way."
THE CAST OF HANNIBAL RISING Casting the central role of young Hannibal was critical to the film. Producer Dino De Laurentiis describes how they searched for a long time to find the right person: "We couldn't find a face with the right kind of mystery. We needed a young guy who looked like he could kill, but also someone who could be charming." Gaspard Ulliel had already completed A VERY LONG ENGAGMENT when he came to Dino De Laurentiis' attention. "I saw the face of this young star and I thought this is it! We met with Gaspard in Paris, Peter did a screen test with him at my house and it was all up there on the screen, his intensity, his look. I remember I said, 'Gaspard, you were born to be Hannibal Lecter!'" Peter Webber was just as certain: "It comes down to a gut feeling. I watched Gaspard's screen test and I thought, this is the only person that I am compelled to watch for two hours. There's something very special about him. He's got something dark." This instinct was confirmed as they began preparing the character together. "We sent him to a morticians because I wanted him to really understand how it feels to work with dead bodies," explains Webber. "He enjoyed it so much that he wanted to go back for a second day! It was at that moment I realised I'd made the right decision. There is just something that little bit damaged about him, which is just fantastic!" Ulliel was aware from the first that he would be judged against previous incarnations of the role. "To walk in Anthony Hopkins' footsteps is a very daunting prospect," he admits. "I watched the other films a lot and looked at how he moves and performs- how he blinks his eyes. I learnt many things from watching his performance, but I soon realized that the job was not to imitate him exactly, even if it was right to take some of the small details from his performance and add them to this character." "I had to try and find the character within me and make it different," he continues. "We are dealing with a different person. He's much younger, he hasn't experienced the same things, he hasn't been hardened by his time in prison at this stage. I was also interested in the real evolution of the character. We see him discover his dark side through his medical training as well as through his first murders. There is a crescendo during the movie as he finds killing and eating people addictive. So, by the end of the film, I am getting closer to Anthony Hopkins' way of thinking and speaking as Hannibal and I take more from his performance." For Ulliel, the biggest challenge was the relationship between Hannibal and Lady Murasaki. "In the three previous Hannibal films, you see Hannibal in lots of different situations, but rarely in contact with a woman in this way, having those kinds of feelings. It appears like a romance, but it is much more. He learns a great deal from Lady Murasaki and there is a real exchange. She helps to build his character and is the only comfort to him through his childhood. I wanted to bring over this complexity of feelings. I was prepared for the killing scenes, as I'd thought hard about them. It was the first thing I worked on. The more simple scenes are somehow harder for me - to come back and use simple dialogue and actions for the everyday Hannibal." Ulliel prepared for the role with his own research into the character's motivation and found that Hannibal had an unusual psychology for a serial killer. "I read the three books by Thomas Harris and I also read a number of books about serial killers that were written by criminal profilers. They were hard to read, really shocking, but interesting too. Hannibal behaves in a different way than most serial killers, whose attacks are often linked to sexual meaning and feelings. There is usually some element of sexual relief, which is absent from Hannibal's killings." Webber also helped with the research, Ulliel continues, "Peter gave me some DVDs of films which illustrated the atmosphere he wanted. He also had me look at some Asian samurai sword movies as there are some scenes in this film which are very Japanese in context." Ulliel was guided through the challenging murder scenes by the careful preparation and choreography of stunt coordinator Lee Sherwood. "I start putting the fights together on day one," Sherwood explains. "I also get the actors involved, because every one of them will have their way of doing something, they'll want to do it left-handed or right-handed or they'll want to move in a way that they feel fits with their character. We get them involved in the action at the very early stages and I must say that the actors on this film have all been very, very good to work with." Playing the mysterious Lady Murasaki is Gong Li, China's most famous actress. Gong Li made her name working with the renowned director Zhang Yimou on such films as RED SORGHUM and RAISE THE RED LANTERN. She continued to perform in internationally acclaimed Chinese films throughout the 1990s, recently moving to Hollywood in MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Producer Martha De Laurentiis is enthusiastic about their star: "Gong Li is able to emote in her face, in her eyes, she doesn't need words. She's the kind of film actress that you only come upon once in a decade, someone who has great depth of intelligence combined with incredible ability as an actress, as a film star." Following her acclaimed performance in MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, Gong Li is at ease playing another Japanese character: "The most important thing for me is the character of the woman; whether she is Japanese or Chinese is not important to me. It's all about the character that I am playing and in this case how strong and interesting a woman she is." "She is a very mysterious woman," she continues. "She is lonely but also strong. She is able to gain so much strength from her culture, for instance in the way that she worships the armor of her ancestors every day. She has her good side as well as her bad side. She understands Hannibal and what they have in common is a painful background. She knows that Hannibal has suffered a lot in his childhood and she has also suffered. She tries to use her good side to bring him out of his darkness. The problem is that it is too late." Like the rest of the cast, Gong Li feels proud to be part of the iconic Hannibal legacy: "I have seen all of the other Hannibal films. My favourite is SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, especially the performances of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. I just really appreciate how they use their eyes to convey so much. I really like this film and have seen it many, many times." Peter Webber almost lost Gong Li because of scheduling difficulties. "Gong Li was shooting MIAMI VICE which overran and we had to change our schedule," says Webber. "It caused all sorts of problems. But it was worth it. Every minute that she is on screen is a moment of truth and beauty. She's so subtle but so strong. She is an actress who is at the top of her powers." Amongst the other members of the powerful cast is versatile Welsh actor Rhys Ifans (ENDURING LOVE, VANITY FAIR) who plays Grutas, the leader of the army deserters that kill Hannibal's sister. "I think the other men in the gang are victims of the war but Grutus is a psychopath," says Ifans. "He doesn't have any remorse at all about killing the little girl, whereas the other guys might. He relishes handing out punishment and pain. It is a dark world, but Peter gives it a grace. It starts as a war film and then it goes into film noir. I think it is a graceful film and that's obviously due to Peter and also Ben Davis the director of photography. It is beautifully lit and there are a lot of really wonderful shadows to step in and out of, it feels good." He is equally positive about the casting of Hannibal: "I think the choice of Gaspard is brilliant. You could not, and should not, be looking for a young Anthony Hopkins, but Gaspard has certainly brought to it the sense of mischief that Hopkins had. I think this is the key to Hannibal Lector. He is charming and a man of taste and he certainly does have that kind of aristocratic air about him, which is very scary." THE LOOK OF YOUNG HANNIBAL The look of the film was always going to be hugely important in conveying the tension and trauma of the story. Director of Photography Ben Davis, whose credits include IMAGINE ME AND YOU and LAYER CAKE, was responsible for translating Webber's ideas into a visual style. "The great thing about this film is it has so many different textures," says Davis. "It has different seasons, different moods, and different time periods. Also our lead character changes fundamentally from the beginning to the end, so the look of the film shifts with him." The story gave Davis the opportunity to explore different moods, something he relished: "Visually the film follows Hannibal's journey, starting in Lithuania in the war, which is a very dark time in his life, reflected in a very dark, de-saturated, grainy look. There are a lot of shadows, a lot of blacks. Then he escapes Eastern Europe, crosses the border, and comes into post war France. It's very claustrophobic at the beginning and then opens up when he escapes. We are outside for the first time, so there are more wide shots to convey a sense of freedom. And because that seems to me to be the only part of his life which is in any way nice, the colors become warmer." The final, violent crescendo of the film was a creative challenge to light. "It's a sort of a descent into insanity, which is reflected in style, as the film becomes more and more film noir. Peter is a fantastic choice of director for this project because he has, like Gaspard, a sense of the macabre about him. There are scenes in the film that need to be handled very subtly and he's done that, and he's brought something new to the Hannibal films. There's a subtlety to his approach which is key." Ben Davis' lighting skill is certainly appreciated by the performers. "Ben is a great cinematographer," says Ulliel, "the light is amazing. This is really important in a film like this, because it creates the atmosphere of suspense and fear." Production designer Allan Starski, who won an Academy Award for his work on SCHINDLER'S LIST and received numerous nominations and awards for THE PIANIST, was charged with creating the look of the film. Starski took his first inspiration from the script: "Thomas Harris' knowledge is fantastic and this really helped me because his descriptions are so good." Both Webber and Starski wanted to introduce as much reality as they could into the scenes of the Second World War. Webber explains: "Our props look real. For example, the Russian tank looks shabby, it's got a bike tied to the back of it, it's got cans of paint. It's not nice and pristine which is what you often see in war movies. Allan grew up in Poland during the communist era and he's old enough to remember the world war. That's great because he can bring that level of authenticity to the film." Starski's concern over authenticity even influenced how he had the sets painted. "Lady Murasaki's Paris apartment is very elegant but it's her father's apartment and we should believe that it has history," he explains. "Therefore even the walls must be true to the history and look like they were painted eight years ago not four days ago. I want to show the process of aging with the layers of paint." This striving for perfection was appreciated by the performers, as Stephen Walters, who plays Milko, explains: "Being surrounded by such authentic sets really helps the actors. For my death scene in the water tank, they filled the tank with body parts. That creates a reality before you've even started acting. The attention to the detail is amazing." That focus on authenticity was shared by costume designer Anna Sheppard, re-teamed with Allan Starski following her Oscar-nominated work on SCHINDLER'S LIST and THE PIANIST. For the character of Hannibal, subtlety was the key. "Gaspard's got the most amazing face and he plays a lot with his eyes so the costumes on him are different enough to show his change of age but not to distract from his performance. We used the costumes and the make-up to show how Hannibal's character develops as the film progresses. When Hannibal first arrives in France, we kept a boyish look and used a lot of light colours and original clothing from the fifties, but when he goes to Paris his clothes become more streamlined and more severe. The last sequence is played just in a black polo neck, which really shows off his face and his slicked back hair. He looks very menacing." Sheppard was delighted to be dressing Gong Li. "We used a very stylised Japanese element in her dressing gowns, the shape of her kimono. I managed to find some original kimonos from the forties. The moment we move from the chateau, which was her husband's home, to the family home in Paris, she becomes a very chic Parisian, and the older Japanese element practically disappears." Gong Li's busy schedule did present some challenges: "It was quite nerve racking because I met her just once when I went to Miami to discuss her character, then I didn't see her until she arrived on set," explains Sheppard. "All her costumes were made without fittings, so there were a lot of alterations. I was dreading it slightly, but she was fantastic, putting on costumes she had never seen and then going straight out on scene - it worked out perfectly." Peter Webber is keenly aware that however individual the performances and however unique the look of the film, HANNIBAL RISING will be measured against the films that have come before it. "There are things both in the script and the performances where we tip our hats to those previous films, but the nature of this film is very different," he says. "It's a European story rather than an American story, it's not a psychological thriller in the same way, it's more of a drama, more of a horror movie than the others. I hope that what we do is something quite separate and quite distinctive."
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
GONG LI – Lady Murasaki Gong Li is an acclaimed international star, who last year made her American film debut as the dangerous Hatsumomo in MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, directed by Rob Marshall. She won the National Board Of Review award for Best Supporting Actress for this performance. Gong Li will continue her American film career with an all-star line-up of high profile film projects. She starred in Michael Mann's MIAMI VICE opposite Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx most recently. Gong Li's performances have been thrilling audiences around the world since her screen debut in RED SORGHUM, which won the Golden Bear at the 1987 Berlin Film Festival and marked the beginning of a new era in Chinese film. Director Zhang Yimou, one of the first post-Cultural Revolution filmmakers (known as the Fifth Generation) to emerge from the Beijing Film Academy, made six more films with Gong Li after RED SORGHUM. His JU DOU (1990) and RAISE THE RED LANTERN (1991) were the first Chinese films to be nominated for Academy Awards. Their collaborations also included THE STORY OF QIU JU (1992), which brought Gong Li the Best Actress prize at Venice International Film Festival and China's Golden Rooster Award, as well as TO LIVE (1994) and SHANGHAI TRIAD (1995). Gong Li has made three films with Chen Kaige, another leading Fifth Generation director. The first, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE (1993), was Oscar-nominated and won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for best foreign film, and prizes from top critics' groups. Gong Li received the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress for FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE. She also starred in TEMPTRESS MOON (1996) and THE EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN (1999) for Chen Kaige. She was seen last year in ZHOU YU'S TRAIN, her second film with director Sun Zhou, who also directed her in BREAKING THE SILENCE (1999). She won the Golden Rooster for Best Actress for BREAKING THE SILENCE. Gong Li has also starred in two projects for Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai, 2046 and THE HAND, his segment of the three-part anthology film, EROS. Born in Northeastern China in the Shenyang province, Gong Li graduated from Beijing's Central Drama College. She has headed juries at the Berlin (2000), Venice (2002) and Tokyo (2003) International Film Festivals, and in 1998 was honored by the French government with the title "Officier Des Arts et Lettres" for her contributions to cinema. Li lives in Beijing.
GASPARD ULLIEL – Hannibal Lecter At an early age, Gaspard Ulliel completed summer studies at Cours Florent. After finishing high school he went on to study cinema at the University of Saint-Denis. Ulliel's acting career began in television and short films before landing a small role in BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF starring Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel. His first breakthrough role was in Michel Blanc's SUMMER THINGS with Charlotte Rampling, for which he won the Prix des Lumieres for Best Newcomer and the Golden Star for Best Newcomer. His next major part was as Emmanuelle Beart's lover in STRAYED, directed by Andre Techine. He followed this with TULSE LUPER SUITCASES, directed by Peter Greenaway, starring Isabella Rossellini and Franka Potente. Ulliel was the lead opposite Audrey Tautou in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT for which he received a French Cesar for Best Newcomer. Feature films that followed were Rodolphe Marconi's LE DERNIER JOUR, Richard Dembo's LA MAISON DE NINA. He recently completed Laurent Boutannat's JACQUOU LE CROQUANT. Next
Ulliel will be seen in the forthcoming PARIS, JE T'AIME, a collection of love
stories by 20 filmmakers – Ulliel stars in director Gus Van Sant's story.
RHYS IFANS – Grutas Rhys Ifans was born 22nd July 1968 in Ruthin, Wales. He was educated at the Guildford School of Music and Drama and began performing in youth theatre at 13. In his later teens he sang lead vocals with neighborhood friends who later became the rock band Super Furry Animals. Rhys has appeared in several other rock promos including the Stereophonics, Catatonia and more recently Oasis. In 1999 Rhys won international recognition for his scene-stealing performance as Hugh Grant's scruffy housemate in the hit NOTTING HILL, directed by Roger Michell. Rhys has since appeared in films as diverse as the Adam Sandler-helmed LITTLE NICKY, Lasse Hallstrom's THE SHIPPING NEWS, HOTEL, directed by Mike Figgis, HUMAN NATURE, directed by Michel Gondry, THE 51ST STATE, with Robert Carlisle and Samuel L Jackson and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS, directed by Shane Meadows. He recently played the lead opposite Miranda Otto in DANNY DECKCHAIR, directed by Jeff Balsmeyer. Rhys has also made a number of stage appearances including ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST, at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Robert Delamere, VOLPONE at The National, directed by Matthew Warchus and UNDER MILK WOOD, also at the National and directed by Roger Michell. Most recently Rhys has lent a menacing turn to his portrayal of Jed in Roger Michell's ENDURING LOVE based on Ian McEwan's disturbing best-selling novel. This year also saw him in Mira Nair's VANITY FAIR and in early January 2005 Rhys played the lead role in NOT ONLY BUT ALWAYS, a Peter Cook biopic for Channel Four, which earned him a BAFTA Television award for best actor. His latest films include CHROMOPHOBIA with Penelope Cruz and Kristin Scott-Thomas, directed by Martha Fiennes and FOUR LAST SONGS, directed by Francesca Joseph- both of which will be released in 2006. Rhys is currently shooting RESTRAINT OF BEASTS with Pawel Pawlikowski and THE GOLDEN AGE, directed by Shekar Kapur. Next, Rhys will be playing Don Juan in Patrick Marber's new play DON JUAN IN SOHO at the Donmar Warehouse, to be directed by Michael Grandage.
DOMINIC WEST - Inspector Popil Dominic West trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He went on to perform in many theatre productions including the hugely popular DE LA GUARDA at London's Roundhouse theatre, THE SILVER TASSIE at the Almeida, Peter Hall's season at the Old Vic, DESIGN FOR LIVING on Broadway and the recent production of AS YOU LIKE IT, alongside Sienna Miller, at the Wyndham Theatre. West can currently be seen as Detective James McNulty in HBO's gripping television crime show THE WIRE. Last year, West completed production on the feature film 300 for Warner Brothers and starred alongside Julianne Moore in THE FORGOTTON. Other film credits include MONA LISA SMILE with Julia Roberts; ROCKSTAR starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston; Sandra Bullock starrer 28 DAYS; James Ivory's SURVIVING PICASSO with Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore; and Richard Loncraine's RICHARD III starring Ian McKellan, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith and Annette Bening.
KEVIN McKIDD – Kolnas Kevin McKidd has this year appeared in the BBC and HBO co-production ROME. He plays the lead role of Lucius Vorenus in the epic drama series chronicling the rise of the ancient Roman Empire through the eyes of two foot soldiers. The series premiered in the US on August 28 2005. In addition, Kevin recently completed filming the BBC production ELIZABETH, THE VIRGIN QUEEN, a four-part historical drama directed by Coky Giedroyc and written by Paula Milne. For DDLC, has Kevin filmed THE LAST LEGION, produced by Martha De Laurentiis and Raffaella De Laurentiis, directed by Doug Lefler and also starring Colin Firth. Kevin McKidd can also be seen in the Ridley Scott feature KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, in which he plays the supporting role of the English Sergeant. The film also stars Orlando Bloom and Eva Green. Kevin's debut film role was as the gentle Tommy in the hugely influential film TRAINSPOTTING, based on the Irvin Welsh novel, and also starring Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle. In the same year he played the vicious gang leader Malky Johnson in Gillies McKinnon's critically acclaimed SMALL FACES. Other film credits to date include HIDEOUS KINKY and REGENERATION both also directed by Gillies McKinnon, DAD SAVAGE, SOFT TOUCH (Acid House Trilogy), BEDROOMS AND HALLWAYS (playing a lead role an the lovelorn, thirty-something Leo), TOPSY TURVY (directed by Mike Leigh), DOG SOLDIERS, MAX, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, 16YRS OF ALCOHOL, for which he was nominated for Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards 2003, ONE LAST CHANCE, AFTERLIFE and DE-LOVELY. His television work is equally as vast, including GUNPOWDER, TREASON AND PLOT (Box TV), for which he was awarded the Best Actor at Fipa D'or Biarritz festival 2004, North Square (Company pictures), ANNA KARENINA (Channel 4), RICHARD II (BBC2) and the BBC Scotland productions THE KEY and LOOKING AFTER JO JO. On stage, Kevin was given the Gulliver Award in 1994 for his part in THE SILVER DARLINGS, at the Citizen's Theatre in Glasgow. He also went on to play Richmond in the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of RICHARD III, and had the title role in the Almeida's West End production BRITANNICUS, which followed onto Broadway. It was for this role that he won the Ian Charleston Award in 1998. Other productions include TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE, where he played opposite Jude Law at the Young Vic, and FAR AWAY at the Royal Court (directed by Stephen Daldry).
RICHARD BRAKE – Dortlich Richard Brake has appeared in such films as Stephen Norrington's DEATH MACHINE and Anthony Minghella's COLD MOUNTAIN. He has most recently had roles in Christopher Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS and Steven Spielberg's MUNICH. Richard can also be seen in Brian De Palma's BLACK DAHLIA, opposite Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank and Aaron Eckhart.
STEPHEN WALTERS – Milko In addition to appearances in numerous television series, Stephen Walters has also appeared in television mini-series such as THE VIRGIN QUEEN and the critically acclaimed BAND OF BROTHERS. His feature film credits include PLUNKETT AND MACLEANE, THE 51ST STATE, and MEAN MACHINE. Stephen can also be seein in Matthew Vaughn's LAYER CAKE and Christopher Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS.
IVAN MAREVICH – Grentz Ivan's credits include the role of Tsar Nicholas in Stephen Poliakoff's television mini-series THE LOST PRINCE, as well as a featured role in Stephen Fry's feature film BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS.
GORAN KOSTIC – Pot Watcher Goran Kostic has appeared on both the large and small screen. His television credits include episodes of the series SPOOKS, THE BILL and FOYLE'S WAR. Goran's feature film credits include John Hay's THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE and James Breese's BENJAMIN'S STRUGGLE. Goran also has a lead role in the upcoming Alfonso Cuaron film CHILDREN OF MEN, co-starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine.
CHARLES MAQUIGNON – Paul the Butcher Charles Maquignon's feature film credits include Lars Von Triers' MANDERLAY, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF starring Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN PARIS starring Julie Delpy.
PETER WEBBER – Director Peter Webber attended the film school at Bristol University. Webber has directed award-winning documentaries on subjects ranging from the composer Richard Wagner to crash test dummies to creatures of the deep sea. He later went on to direct the controversial Channel Four miniseries, MEN ONLY, charting the decline into crime and debauchery of the formerly respectable members of a five-a-side soccer team. His next drama, BBC's THE STRETFORD WIVES, starred Fay Ripley in a tale of women's revenge on men, before being invited to direct series 4, episode 6 of SIX FEET UNDER. Webber's debut feature film GIRL WITH A PEARL EARING, starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johannsen and was a huge success earning 3 Academy® Award nominations, 2 Golden Globe nominations and 10 BAFTA nominations. The film received many awards at international film festivals including the Hitchcock d'Or and Audience Award at the Dinard Film Festival. Webber's
filmography is available on www.pfd.co.uk. DINO DE LAURENTIIS – Producer As a producer and presenter of motion pictures, the career of Dino De Laurentiis spans over 65 years. Dino's remarkable contribution to cinema, both in Europe and in the United States, is unprecedented. He helped transform the very image of Italy and its people immediately following WWII through pioneering filmmaking collaborations with such directors as Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Michelangelo Antonioni, and others. Following the war, the people and art of Italy, Germany and Japan were largely isolated from the rest of the world for obvious reasons. Their film industries, which prior to the war had thrived, were at a standstill, with morale low and funding tight at best. Dino, realizing that films genuinely serve as "ambassadors to the world," virtually invented the concept of foreign pre-sales and the practice of the selling of rights territory-by-territory to finance his pictures. (Pre-sales are now an established method for independent filmmakers to finance their films and make their dreams realities). Subsequently the studios started sharing risks by partnering with each other and splitting the rights to their movies. Dino was able to reach across European borders, creating the concept of cultural co-productions and forming production partnerships with countries that only a year or so before had been at war with his own. These films energized Italy's movie industry, heightened national pride, and opened the door to new relations with the rest of the world. Fellini's LA STRADA and NIGHTS OF CABIRIA, both produced by Dino, won Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. LA STRADA, in fact, won the very first award for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1956. The next year, Dino's film THE GREAT WAR, directed by Mario Monicelli, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Shortly thereafter, the Italian government awarded Dino the prestigious Cavalieri Del Lavoro for his contribution to launching Italian cinema worldwide. To this day, he is the only producer to hold this highest of civilian honors. Dino's films continued to expand in importance and scope. In the sixties, he attracted to his Rome-based studio, Dino Citta, major stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Bette Davis, Robert Mitchum, Richard Harris, George C. Scott, Peter O'Toole, Orson Welles, Anthony Quinn, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas and many others, and such major US directors as John Huston (THE BIBLE), King Vidor (the epic WAR AND PEACE), Roger Vadim (BARBARELLA), Edward Dmytryk (ANZIO) and Martin Ritt (FIVE BRANDED WOMEN). As an Independent filmmaker, Dino gambled on moving his enterprises to the US where he wasted no time in expanding even further his considerable contributions to the world of global cinema. Important, powerful films followed such as THE VALACHI PAPERS, SERPICO, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, THE SHOOTIST, THE SERPENT’S EGG, BUFFALO BILL, KING KONG, RAGTIME, CONAN, DEAD ZONE, DUNE, THE BOUNTY, YEAR OF THE DRAGON, MANHUNTER, BLUE VELVET, CRIMES OF THE HEART, BEDROOM WINDOW, BOUND, BREAKDOWN, U-571 and HANNIBAL. His last project was the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS prequel RED DRAGON, directed by Brett Ratner and starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Early 2007 will see the release of three of De Laurentiis' current projects: HANNIBAL RISING, THE LAST LEGION, directed by Doug Lefler and starring Colin Firth, Sir Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai, as well as VIRGIN TERRITORY, starring Hayden Christiansen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth and based on the Italian literary classic, The Decameron. Dino has launched the careers of many young talented directors. As a risk-taker, an innovator and a tremendously energetic and creative independent producer, he has always insisted on providing opportunities to directors, emphasizing their creative freedom while offering the great production values of a major studio. The directors he has worked with include Sydney Pollack, Sidney Lumet, Milos Forman, Bruce Beresford, Michael Cimino, David Lynch, Luchino Visconti, Ingmar Bergman, Robert Altman, Terrence Young, John Milius, David Cronenberg, William Friedkin, Michael Crichton, Frank Pierson, Don Siegel, Roger Donaldson, Curtis Hanson, Michael Mann, Peter Bogdanovich, Ridley Scott, and young directors John Dahl, Larry and Andy Wachowski, Jonathan Mostow and Brett Ratner. In total, Dino has produced, presented, financed or distributed more than 600 films. As a pioneer in building studios around the world, he has built four major facilities: Dino Citta’ in Rome, North Carolina Film Studios which is now Screen Gems Studio in North Carolina, Village Roadshow Studios in Australia and the De Laurentiis studio in Ouarzazate, Morocco. He has been responsible for films that have been commercial as well as critical successes. All told, his productions have earned 4 Academy Awards, 30 Academy Award nominations, and have been recognized with close to 100 different awards worldwide, including the Palme d'Or for Best Film and 3 Golden Lions for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival. At the Oscars ceremony 2001, Dino was awarded the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award. Dino's philosophy is and always has been that the best movies are made by supporting and championing the director to the fullest possible extent. He believes that discovering and nurturing new talent, from directors to writers to actors, is one of a producer's most important contributions. His passion about the projects he becomes involved with, as well as the entire creative filmmaking process, has made him one of the most prolific producers of all time. Above all, he is a passionate filmmaker, never giving up on his vision for making movies the world wants to see. He is, without a doubt, one of the film industry's most influential independent producers – a legend!
MARTHA DE LAURENTIIS – Producer After graduating from Ball State University, producer Martha De Laurentiis began her film career, which spans over 30 years, in New York as an assistant auditor on the NBC miniseries, THE DRAIN CURSE for Martin Poll. Producer Frank Marshall recognized her talents and hired her as his assistant for Paramount's WARRIORS and for the next three years she continued working in NY production. Martha met Dino De Laurentiis in 1980 while working as his New York Production Accountant on RAGTIME, directed by Milos Forman. After the completion of RAGTIME, Martha became the head of administration for Dino De Laurentiis Productions where she oversaw the financing of Stephen King's DEAD ZONE, AMITYVILLE II and AMITYVILLE III. FIRESTARTER marked her arrival as associate producer, which led her to producing more films including Stephen King's CAT'S EYE and SILVER BULLET, DATE WITH AN ANGEL, BEDROOM WINDOW, Stephen King's MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE and RAW DEAL with Arnold Schwartzeneger, along with three CBS mini-series Stephen King’s SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK, SOLOMON AND SHEBA and SLAVE OF DREAMS. In 1983, Martha established her company, the Dino De Laurentiis Company and in 1984 together with Dino, built the North Carolina Film Studios in Wilmington, NC of which she was president through 1988. In the five years as president, twenty-seven films were shot locally in Wilmington, establishing North Carolina as the second leading filmmaking state in the country. In 1986, they expanded to the Gold Coast in Australia building a studio complex which is currently the Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Studios. In 2003, Martha and Dino began construction on a major film studio in Ouarzazate, Morocco, which is now completed and operational, including vast back-lot and sets from Ridley Scott’s KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Together with Dino, DDLC has produced more than thirty films including the Oscar-nominated CRIMES OF THE HEART, David Lynch's BLUE VELVET, Michael Mann's MANHUNTER, Michael Cimino's YEAR OF THE DRAGON and DESPERATE HOURS, BREAKDOWN starring Kurt Russell, the critically acclaimed BOUND, U-571 starring Matthew McConaughey, HANNIBAL directed by Ridley Scott and RED DRAGON starring Ed Norton and Anthony Hopkins. Along with HANNIBAL RISING, 2007 will see the release of DDLC's THE LAST LEGION, directed by Doug Lefler and starring Colin Firth, Sir Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai. Audiences can also look forward to VIRGIN TERRITORY, starring Hayden Christiansen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth, based on the Italian literary classic, The Decameron. This current slate of films is produced in conjunction with Quinta Communications and will be released by The Weinstein Company in the USA. Martha is President of the West Coast Advisory Board for the Jason Foundation, whose mission is the prevention of teenage suicide. She is currently serving on the boards of Ball State University Advisory Board Alumni Association, The North Carolina School of the Arts Board of Visitors, The Los Angeles Women's Leadership Council, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Women’s Leadership Board and the international organisation, Save the Children.
TARAK BEN AMMAR – Producer Tarak Ben Ammar was born in Tunisia to a prominent family, including his father who held several ministerial posts and his uncle, Habib Bourguiba, the first President of the Republic of Tunisia. Tarak Ben Ammar is a graduate of Georgetown University. He put Tunisia on the entertainment industry map with his company Carthago which included a production entity and studios, which Ben Ammar built. He convinced a number of US producers to film their projects in Tunisia and participated in the production of international movies, including major blockbusters such as George Lucas' STAR WARS and Spielberg's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Having learned from such prestigious teachers the basics of film making, he went on to produce or co-produce between 1980 and 1990 over 50 pictures, ranging from commercial French comedies (TAIS-TOI QUAND TU PARLES, DEUX HEURES MOINS LE QUART AVANT JÉSUS CHRIST, etc…) to prestigious pictures such as Zefirelli’s LA TRAVIATA and Roman Polanski’s PIRATES. After this first part of his career as a film producer, Tarak Ben Ammar decided to devote more time as an investor and a strategic adviser to major media players. In 1990, he formed with Mr Silvio Berlusconi, whom he met in 1983, a company called Quinta Communications. Quinta Communications has been used as a vehicle for a number of investments and as a production and distribution company. Quinta co-produced with Lux Vide such TV series as JESUS OF NAZARETH and THE BIBLE. It also produced in 2002 FEMME FATALE, directed by Brian de Palma. The company also engaged in trading of audiovisual rights, acquired from US producers and sold to European Broadcasters. In 1996 and 1997, Quinta managed and produced Michael Jackson's international 'History' concert tour and his multi-platinum album 'Blood on the Dance Floor'. More recently, Quinta and Ben Ammar had enormous success as the distributor of Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST in fifteen major worldwide territories. Quinta Group continues to produce large budget projects such as THE LAST LEGION, VIRGIN TERRITORY and HANNIBAL RISING, all in association with the De Laurentiis company Mr Ben Ammar was awarded the "Legion d'Honneur" in 1984 by President François Mitterand for his cultural contributions. He has four children and resides in Paris.
CHRIS CURLING – Co-Producer Chris Curling is a prominent and respected independent producer based in London with excellent connections in every sector of the business, both in the UK and the rest of Europe. In 1990 he founded his own company, Zephyr Films, which specialises in international co-productions of British qualifying films. Over the last three years he has produced more than ten films. Chris' first film of the year will be PENELOPE, to be directed by Mark Palansky. A co-production with Scott Steindorff’s Stone Village Pictures and Reese Witherspoon's Type A Films, the film will star Christina Ricci and Reese Witherspoon. Following that will be Gillian Armstrong's Houdini film DEATH DEFYING ACTS, which he is producing with Marian Macgowan. Kirk D’Amico, Dan Lupovitz and Marcis Nassatir are executive producers. 2007 will see the release of THE LAST LEGION, a film directed by Doug Lefler and starring Colin Firth, Sir Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai and a co-production with Dino and Martha De Laurentiis and Tarak Ben Ammar. Following this will be the third of his trio of films in conjunction with DDLC and Tarak Ben Ammar; VIRGIN TERRITORY, starring Hayden Christiansen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth and directed by David Leyland. The film is a modern take on the Italian literary classic, The Decameron. Last year Chris executive produced David Mackenzie's new film ASYLUM for Paramount, starring Ian McKellen, Natasha Richardson and Marton Csokas. The film was in competition AT 2005's Berlin Film Festival. He was also a producer on Mike Binder’s latest film THE UPSIDE OF ANGER starring Kevin Costner and Joan Allen, for Media 8 and Fine Line. In addition, he has just completed the first film of Richard E. Grant, the coming of age comedy, WAH-WAH, starring Gabriel Byrne, Emily Watson, Julie Walters, Miranda Richardson and Nicholas Hoult as the adolescent boy growing up in colonial Africa. The film will be released in the summer of 2006. Chris is a member of the European Producer's Club and ACE. He also serves on PACT's film committee and BSAC's Co-Production working group.
PHILIP ROBERTSON – Co-Producer Phil Robertson is a director of Zephyr Films, a London-based independent production company, which he has run in partnership with fellow producer Chris Curling since 1995. He has a successful track record in the production of feature films for the international market, specialising in British qualifying co-productions. Phil is currently co-producing both VIRGIN TERRITORY and THE LAST LEGION, with the De Laurentiis Company. Doug Lefler directs THE LAST LEGION, with Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley featuring and both are scheduled for release in late 2006-early 2007. Also nearing production at Zephyr Films are Gillian Armstrong's Houdini film DEATH DEFYING ACTS for Myriad Pictures, and MY ITALIAN STORY, which is directed by Barry Levinson and will star Antonio Banderas and Isabelle Huppert.
PETR MORAVEC – Co-producer Peter Moravec's has produced several feature films including Roman Polanski's OLIVER TWIST starring Sir Ben Kingsley, Peter Hyams' A SOUND OF THUNDER starring Ed Burns and Catherine McCormack, and Andy Cadiff’s CHASING LIBERTY starring Mandy Moore.
CREW BIOGRAPHIES
BEN DAVIS – Director of Photography Ben Davis' career has ranged from short films through to commercials. His sharp eye and talent was noticed by many and was soon working as cinematographer on his first feature, MIRANDA, starring Christina Ricci, John Hurt and John Simm. He then went on to work for Mathew Vaughn on his impressive LAYER CAKE starring Daniel Craig. This was followed by Oliver Parker's upcoming romantic comedy IMAGINE ME AND YOU starring Lena Heady. His most recent feature is the Dino De Laurentiis Company production, VIRGIN TERRITORY, with Hayden Christensen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth.
ALLAN STARSKI – Production Designer A hugely successful production designer in his native Poland, Allan Starski still resides in Warsaw from where he travels the world to lend his talents to international filmmakers. In 1993 he designed the sets for Steven Spielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST, for which he was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA nomination and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Production Design. In the past decade he has designed the sets for numerous international movies, the most notable being WASHINGTON SQUARE, the Polish film PAN TADEUSZ for which he won the Polish 'Eagle' Award, THE BODY and THE PIANIST, Roman Polanski’s award-winning story of courage and survival in the Warsaw ghetto of World War II. His work on this production won him a French 'Cesar' Award and another Polish 'Eagle' Award. His recent credits are OLIVER TWIST, another Polanski collaboration starring Ben Kingsley, THE I INSIDE and EUROTRIP.
ANNA SHEPPARD – Costume Designer An established costume designer in her native Poland, where she worked as Anna Biedrzycka through the '70s and '80s, Anna Sheppard moved to England in the late '70s. After working with Agnzieszka Holland on TO KILL A PRIEST, she became internationally recognised when Steven Spielberg chose her to costume SCHINDLER'S LIST, for which she was nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA Film Award for Best Costume Design. This painful period of history was revisited when she designed the costumes for Roman Polanski's award winning THE PIANIST, her work being recognised with a Polish 'Eagle' Award and nominations for an Oscar and a French 'Cesar' Award. Sheppard’s collaborated with Polanski continued on his most recent film, OLIVER TWIST. Sheppard lives in London and works in Europe and the US. She has a range of credits including WASHINGTON SQUARE, DRAGONHEART (SATURN nomination for Costumes), THE OGRE, THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU, WISDOM OF CROCODILES and Michael Mann’s Academy® Award nominated contemporary drama, THE INSIDER, starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. She returned to the subject of World War II when Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks asked her to design the costumes for their mini-series, BAND OF BROTHERS. Her recent credits include SAHARA, SHANGHAI KNIGHTS and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, the last two with Jackie Chan.
PIETRO SCALIA – Editor Pietro Scalia's many feature film credits include Rob Marshall's MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, starring Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh; John Dahl's THE GREAT RAID, starring Benjamin Bratt and James Franco; Gus Van Sant's GOOD WILL HUNTING, starring Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Minnie Driver; Sam Raimi's THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo Di Caprio; and Oliver Stone's JFK, starring Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones and for which Pietro won a Best Editing Academy Award in 1991.Pietro has also worked with Bernardo Bertolucci on two occasions, 1996's STEALING BEAUTY and 1993's LITTLE BUDDHA. He has also edited several films directed by Ridley Scott, including HANNIBAL, GLADIATOR (Academy Award nominated) and BLACK HAWK DOWN (for which he won his second Academy Award for editing).
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