Back in Cannes a year after presiding over the main Cannes jury, the two-time Palme d’or winner Ruben Öslund unveiled more details about his next mega-project, English-language “The Entertainment System Is Down,” which he said should be ready for Cannes 2026.
The press conference, attended by the hottest talent and producers from the Nordic region and beyond, was hosted by Film i Väst, one of Europe’s largest regional film funds.
Making his usual rock star appearance, flanked by actors Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl, Östlund unveiled more details about “The Entertainment System Is Down”, to be shot entirely on a real 747 airplane, bought by the producers for the movie.
”I was in London doing some casting and Erik [Hemmendorff, producer and partner in the Swedish banner Plattform Produktion] was in Northern London looking for airplanes. A few days later I asked: ‘Did you buy it?’ And he said: ‘Yes!’ That was quite early in the process. I said: ‘Oh,...
The press conference, attended by the hottest talent and producers from the Nordic region and beyond, was hosted by Film i Väst, one of Europe’s largest regional film funds.
Making his usual rock star appearance, flanked by actors Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl, Östlund unveiled more details about “The Entertainment System Is Down”, to be shot entirely on a real 747 airplane, bought by the producers for the movie.
”I was in London doing some casting and Erik [Hemmendorff, producer and partner in the Swedish banner Plattform Produktion] was in Northern London looking for airplanes. A few days later I asked: ‘Did you buy it?’ And he said: ‘Yes!’ That was quite early in the process. I said: ‘Oh,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Cannes and Sundance-winning filmmaker Tarik Saleh starts shooting tomorrow (May 15) on political thriller Eagles Of The Republic with Playtime on board for international sales. Memento Distribution will release in France and Sf Studios has bought Nordic rights.
Eagles Of The Republic is third and final film in Saleh’s Cairo trilogy after Sundance Grand Jury prize winner The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) and Cannes screenplay winner Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven (2022).
Written and directed by Saleh, its cast includes Swedish actor Fares Fares, French star Lyna Khoudri, American-Palestinian actress Cherien Dabis, French-Moroccan actress Zineb Triki and Finnish-Syrian actor Sherwan Haji.
Eagles Of The Republic is third and final film in Saleh’s Cairo trilogy after Sundance Grand Jury prize winner The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) and Cannes screenplay winner Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven (2022).
Written and directed by Saleh, its cast includes Swedish actor Fares Fares, French star Lyna Khoudri, American-Palestinian actress Cherien Dabis, French-Moroccan actress Zineb Triki and Finnish-Syrian actor Sherwan Haji.
- 5/14/2024
- ScreenDaily
New projects from directors including Agnieszka Holland, Carla Simon, Joachim Trier, Amanda Kernell and Tarik Saleh are among 26 features to receive backing from Eurimages’ in its latest round of co-production funding.
The 26 features – including five documentaries and one animation – have shared a total of €7m funding. Fourteen are to be directed by women.
Polish director Agnieszka Holland’s Franz Kafka biopic Franz received €500,000 ahead of an expected shoot in Czech Republic and Germany next month with newcomer Idan Weiss to play Kafka. Holland’s most recent film Green Border won the special jury prize in competition at Venice in 2023.
Spain’s Carla Simon,...
The 26 features – including five documentaries and one animation – have shared a total of €7m funding. Fourteen are to be directed by women.
Polish director Agnieszka Holland’s Franz Kafka biopic Franz received €500,000 ahead of an expected shoot in Czech Republic and Germany next month with newcomer Idan Weiss to play Kafka. Holland’s most recent film Green Border won the special jury prize in competition at Venice in 2023.
Spain’s Carla Simon,...
- 3/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time has finished weaving its second season, with a bombastic finale that tied up the surprisingly stellar string of episodes that followed an uneven premiere.
Full Spoilers Ahead…..
More from TVLineVirgin River Tops Nielsen Streaming Ranking; Wheel of Time and Lioness RiseLupin Finally Returns With Assane's Boldest Con Yet - Grade the Premiere007: Road to a Million Trailer: See Brian Cox as 'The Controller' in Amazon's James Bond-Themed Competition Series
Despite some hiccups along the way, Rafe Judkins’ vision for The Wheel of Time has finally settled into a satisfying, cohesive groove. He...
Full Spoilers Ahead…..
More from TVLineVirgin River Tops Nielsen Streaming Ranking; Wheel of Time and Lioness RiseLupin Finally Returns With Assane's Boldest Con Yet - Grade the Premiere007: Road to a Million Trailer: See Brian Cox as 'The Controller' in Amazon's James Bond-Themed Competition Series
Despite some hiccups along the way, Rafe Judkins’ vision for The Wheel of Time has finally settled into a satisfying, cohesive groove. He...
- 10/6/2023
- by Jon Negroni
- TVLine.com
[This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike authorization.] After more than a year and a half, the fantastical hit based on Robert Jordan’s epic novels is finally rolling in for a second round. The Wheel of Time Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1’s finale, and the drama’s heroes are now in different fascinating, far-flung spots. Rand (Josha Stradowski)—the humble villager who was revealed to be the reincarnated “Dragon Reborn,” destined to either save or sink mankind—has gone into hiding after his battle with an acolyte (Fares Fares) of the villainous Dark One. And Rand’s beloved Egwene (Madeleine Madden) is training, along with her reluctant fellow villager Nynaeve (Zoë Robins), to join the Aes Sedai, an all-female order that controls magic. Their roguish friend Mat is holed up with a most unlikely captor, and hulking pal ...
- 9/6/2023
- TV Insider
The beginning of a film often teaches us how to watch that particular movie. What to expect and how to enjoy the story Some movies are quite straightforward in their storytelling. They remove all the extra fat from the plot and just plunge us into the action. The new Swedish film A Day and a Half, by debutant director Fares Fares, is never interested in setting up characters or the backstory. It kicks off right in the middle of the plot. There is a thrill to this kind of approach to narrative. And surely, the audience is hooked. At least I was. But is this the only vision through which the film could have delivered its maximum impact?
A Day and a Half begins with the tension of a live wire. A man walks into a hospital to speak to his ex-wife, who works there as a nurse. The man...
A Day and a Half begins with the tension of a live wire. A man walks into a hospital to speak to his ex-wife, who works there as a nurse. The man...
- 9/3/2023
- by Ayush Awasthi
- Film Fugitives
Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) and Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney) in ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Prime Video)
Prime Video’s released seven posters featuring 14 characters from the upcoming second season of The Wheel of Time. The posters were released with details on each character and, according to the streaming service, the posters contain easter eggs hidden in the pairings and costumes.
Season two will kick off with the release of the first three episodes on September 1, 2023. The second season’s based on Robert Jordan’s second novel of the series, The Great Hunt. It will also include some of Jordan’s third novel, The Dragon Reborn.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 Poster Descriptions:
The heart of the series, Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney), who, after her loss of magical abilities, will both struggle to adjust to their new relationship. The Dragon Reborn,...
Prime Video’s released seven posters featuring 14 characters from the upcoming second season of The Wheel of Time. The posters were released with details on each character and, according to the streaming service, the posters contain easter eggs hidden in the pairings and costumes.
Season two will kick off with the release of the first three episodes on September 1, 2023. The second season’s based on Robert Jordan’s second novel of the series, The Great Hunt. It will also include some of Jordan’s third novel, The Dragon Reborn.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 Poster Descriptions:
The heart of the series, Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney), who, after her loss of magical abilities, will both struggle to adjust to their new relationship. The Dragon Reborn,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
In anticipation of The Wheel of Time‘s second season, Prime Video has released the official key art featuring the show’s main cast. Season 2 of the Amazon Original series will premiere on September 1, picking up where things ended in the first season, which saw Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) discovering he was the Dragon Reborn, a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it. The season ended with Rand destroying The Dark One (Fares Fares). Based on the best-selling Robert Jordan fantasy series, The Wheel of Time follows five friends Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), Rand al’Thor, Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden), Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford), Nynaeve al’Meara (Zoe Robins), and Matrim Cauthon (Dónal Finn) as they embark on a perilous journey. In Season 2, the friends from the Two Rivers are scattered over the world and must face threats new and very old. Moiraine, who previously found and guided them,...
- 7/12/2023
- TV Insider
Prime Video has set September 1 for the Season 2 premiere of fantasy epic series The Wheel of Time. It comes almost two years after the series’ first season scored one of the streamer’s biggest premieres. We’re also getting a first look at the second season in some new images released today.
Based on the best-selling Robert Jordan fantasy series The Wheel of Time, a humble farm boy, Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski), learns he is The Dragon Reborn—a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it. Desperate to protect him from the Dark One, an army of powerful sorceresses must reckon with his burgeoning power and encroaching madness. The Wheel of Time turns, and the Last Battle approaches. Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. In Season Two, threats new and very old seek out the...
Based on the best-selling Robert Jordan fantasy series The Wheel of Time, a humble farm boy, Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski), learns he is The Dragon Reborn—a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it. Desperate to protect him from the Dark One, an army of powerful sorceresses must reckon with his burgeoning power and encroaching madness. The Wheel of Time turns, and the Last Battle approaches. Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. In Season Two, threats new and very old seek out the...
- 5/24/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
As “The Wheel of Time” prepares to return for a second season at Prime Video, the Amazon Studios production has added four cast members to play characters from Robert Jordan’s series of fantasy novels. The announcement was made Saturday afternoon at JordanCon, which is dedicated to the author and celebrates sci-fi and fantasy writing.
Maja Simonsen (“Emily in Paris”), Ragga Ragnars (“Vikings”), Jay Duffy (“Hollyoaks”) and Rima Te Wiata (“Kiri and Lou”) have all joined the series for recurring roles. The actors will portray Chiad, Bain, Dain Bornhal and Sheriam Bayanar, respectively.
The recently announced quartet join returning cast members Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Kate Fleetwood, Sophie Okonedo, Alvaro Morte, Hammed Animashaun, Alexandre Willaume, Johann Myers, Kae Alexander, Fares Fares and Priyanka Bose.
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it,...
Maja Simonsen (“Emily in Paris”), Ragga Ragnars (“Vikings”), Jay Duffy (“Hollyoaks”) and Rima Te Wiata (“Kiri and Lou”) have all joined the series for recurring roles. The actors will portray Chiad, Bain, Dain Bornhal and Sheriam Bayanar, respectively.
The recently announced quartet join returning cast members Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Kate Fleetwood, Sophie Okonedo, Alvaro Morte, Hammed Animashaun, Alexandre Willaume, Johann Myers, Kae Alexander, Fares Fares and Priyanka Bose.
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
"Power is a double-edged sword." Indeed it is. Picturehouse has unveiled another new official UK trailer for Cairo Conspiracy, the film formerly known as Boy From Heaven, set in Egypt. This already opened in US theaters in January, and opens in UK cinemas this April. It initially premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay award. The story is about a devout young man named Adam, the son of a fisherman, who is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power for the Sunni Islam religion. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university's highest ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam becomes a pawn in the ruthless power struggle between Eqypt's religious and political elite. The film stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri, Makram Khoury, Mehdi Dehbi, Moe Ayoub, Sherwan Haji,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Picturehouse Entertainment has debuted the trailer for the political thriller ‘Cairo Conspiracy.’
Adam (Tawfeek Barhom), the son of a fisherman, is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicentre of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elites.
A blistering political thriller brimming with tension, the film follows wide-eyed Adam as he becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with wily state security officer Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares). Forced to infiltrate certain cliques in the religious seat of learning, Adam finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations, the threat of exposure ever imminent.
The film stars Fares Fares (The Nile Hilton Incident) and Tawfeek Barhom (The Way of the Wind)
Previously...
Adam (Tawfeek Barhom), the son of a fisherman, is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicentre of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elites.
A blistering political thriller brimming with tension, the film follows wide-eyed Adam as he becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with wily state security officer Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares). Forced to infiltrate certain cliques in the religious seat of learning, Adam finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations, the threat of exposure ever imminent.
The film stars Fares Fares (The Nile Hilton Incident) and Tawfeek Barhom (The Way of the Wind)
Previously...
- 3/8/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
"Make sure he is elected." Samuel Goldwyn Films has revealed the new US trailer for Cairo Conspiracy, the film formerly known as Boy From Heaven, set entirely in Egypt even though it's actually a Swedish production. This premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay award, and has since played at numerous other festivals including Zurich, Hamburg, London, Busan, Vancouver, Ghent, Mill Valley. The story follows Adam, the son of a fisherman, who is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university's highest ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Eqypt's religious and political elite. The film stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri, Makram Khoury, Mehdi Dehbi, Moe Ayoub, Sherwan Haji,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Tarik Saleh’s “Cairo Conspiracy,” which is representing Sweden in the Oscar race, has become France’s biggest (non-English) foreign-language hit since Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” The thought-provoking movie – Saleh’s follow up to “The Nile Hilton Incident” — competed at Cannes and won the screenplay award.
A thriller in Arabic revolving around religion, “Cairo Conspiracy” wasn’t an easy sell on paper but it’s already grossed approximately €3.2 million from more than 460,000 tickets in France since its Oct. 26 bow. It was released by Memento Distribution on 207 screens, and was expanded to more 500 screens on its third week, worthy of a major French title.
“Cairo Conspiracy” currently ranks as France’s biggest (non-English) foreign-language movie since “Parasite” which had garnered over two million admissions. The performance of Saleh’s film has surpassed Park Chan-Wook’s “Decision to Leave” which also played at Cannes and came out in June; as well...
A thriller in Arabic revolving around religion, “Cairo Conspiracy” wasn’t an easy sell on paper but it’s already grossed approximately €3.2 million from more than 460,000 tickets in France since its Oct. 26 bow. It was released by Memento Distribution on 207 screens, and was expanded to more 500 screens on its third week, worthy of a major French title.
“Cairo Conspiracy” currently ranks as France’s biggest (non-English) foreign-language movie since “Parasite” which had garnered over two million admissions. The performance of Saleh’s film has surpassed Park Chan-Wook’s “Decision to Leave” which also played at Cannes and came out in June; as well...
- 12/6/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Other winners include Emily, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed; Swedish Film Institute unveils new talent Wild Card prizes.
Ali Abbasi’s Iran-set serial killer drama Holy Spider won the Bronze Horse for best film at the 2022 Stockholm International Film Festival.
The film’s lead actor Mehdi Bajestani won best actor for playing Saeed Hanaei, the real serial killer who killed sex workers in Mashhad in 2000 and 2001.
The jury said Holy Spider is “a punch in the gut for systematic belief systems that oppress rather than support. An eye opener and a most emotional cinematic experience that awakens internal revolutions in us.
Ali Abbasi’s Iran-set serial killer drama Holy Spider won the Bronze Horse for best film at the 2022 Stockholm International Film Festival.
The film’s lead actor Mehdi Bajestani won best actor for playing Saeed Hanaei, the real serial killer who killed sex workers in Mashhad in 2000 and 2001.
The jury said Holy Spider is “a punch in the gut for systematic belief systems that oppress rather than support. An eye opener and a most emotional cinematic experience that awakens internal revolutions in us.
- 11/21/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Network: HBO
Episodes: 36 (hour)
Seasons: Four
TV show dates: October 2, 2016 -- August 14, 2022
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Luke Hemsworth, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Simon Quarterman, Rodrigo Santoro, Angela Sarafyan, Shannon Woodward, Ed Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Barnes, Clifton Collins Jr., Jimmi Simpson, Tessa Thompson, Fares Fares, Louis Herthum, Talulah Riley, Gustaf Skarsgård, Katja Herbers, Zahn McClarnon, Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassel, and Tao Okamoto.
TV show description:
Based on the 1973 feature film, this drama series is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
Episodes: 36 (hour)
Seasons: Four
TV show dates: October 2, 2016 -- August 14, 2022
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Luke Hemsworth, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Simon Quarterman, Rodrigo Santoro, Angela Sarafyan, Shannon Woodward, Ed Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Barnes, Clifton Collins Jr., Jimmi Simpson, Tessa Thompson, Fares Fares, Louis Herthum, Talulah Riley, Gustaf Skarsgård, Katja Herbers, Zahn McClarnon, Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassel, and Tao Okamoto.
TV show description:
Based on the 1973 feature film, this drama series is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
- 11/10/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Exclusive: Samuel Goldwyn Films has taken North American rights on Tarik Saleh’s Cairo Conspiracy, which formerly was known as Boy from Heaven. Sweden’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where Saleh won the Best Screenplay prize. Samuel Goldwyn is planning an early-2023 release.
The political thriller stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, the son of a fisherman who is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in the Egyptian capital, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader dies suddenly, and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elite. The film also stars Fares Fares as secret serviceman Colonel Ibrahim; this is a reteam for Fares and Saleh after 2017 Sundance hit The Nile Hilton Incident.
In his review,...
The political thriller stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, the son of a fisherman who is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in the Egyptian capital, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader dies suddenly, and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elite. The film also stars Fares Fares as secret serviceman Colonel Ibrahim; this is a reteam for Fares and Saleh after 2017 Sundance hit The Nile Hilton Incident.
In his review,...
- 11/2/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
"Make sure he is elected." Memento International has revealed an official trailer for an acclaimed film titled Boy From Heaven, set entirely in Egypt even though it's actually a Swedish production. This premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay award, and has since played at numerous other festivals including the Zurich, Hamburg, London, Busan, Vancouver, Ghent, Mill Valley Film Fests. On the first day back after summer, the grand imam collapses and dies in front of students at a religious university in Cairo. This marks the start of a ruthless battle for influence to take his place. The film is about corruption and how even the most holy organization, the prestigious Al-Azhar University located in Cairo, is susceptible to horrible power play dynamics. The film stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri, Makram Khoury, Mehdi Dehbi, Moe Ayoub, Sherwan Haji, and Ahmed Lassaoui.
- 10/31/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Festival runs November 9-20.
The Stockholm International Film Festival will present 130 films from 50 countries, opening on November 9 with Sweden’s international Oscar submission, Boy From Heaven by Tarik Saleh.
Political thriller Boy From Heaven premiered in competition at Cannes where it was awarded best screenplay.
Actor Fares Fares will receive the Stockholm Achievement Award on opening night. His credits include Easy Money, Safe House, Westworld and Chernobyl.
The Stockholm Visionary Award will go to Sam Mendes who will present the Nordic premiere of Empire Of Light.
Other notable selections include Luca Guadagnino’s Bones And All; Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King...
The Stockholm International Film Festival will present 130 films from 50 countries, opening on November 9 with Sweden’s international Oscar submission, Boy From Heaven by Tarik Saleh.
Political thriller Boy From Heaven premiered in competition at Cannes where it was awarded best screenplay.
Actor Fares Fares will receive the Stockholm Achievement Award on opening night. His credits include Easy Money, Safe House, Westworld and Chernobyl.
The Stockholm Visionary Award will go to Sam Mendes who will present the Nordic premiere of Empire Of Light.
Other notable selections include Luca Guadagnino’s Bones And All; Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King...
- 10/13/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Click here to read the full article.
Sweden has selected Boy From Heaven, an Egypt-set political thriller from director Tarik Saleh, as its contender for the 2023 Oscars in the best international feature category.
Boy From Heaven premiered in competition in Cannes this year, where it won best screenplay honors for Saleh.
Set within Cairo’s historical Al-Azhar mosque and university (though shot largely in Istanbul), Boy From Heaven follows Adam (newcomer Tawfeek Barhom) on his journey from innocent country boy to promising young Muslim scholar at the world-renowned school, who becomes a target for Ibrahim (veteran Swedish actor, and Saleh regular, Fares Fares), a corrupt state security officer tasked with spying on Al-Azhar. When the film begins, the institution’s Grand Imam has just died, leaving behind a power vacuum that the Egyptian government hopes to fill by putting its man at the head of the mosque.
Memento International...
Sweden has selected Boy From Heaven, an Egypt-set political thriller from director Tarik Saleh, as its contender for the 2023 Oscars in the best international feature category.
Boy From Heaven premiered in competition in Cannes this year, where it won best screenplay honors for Saleh.
Set within Cairo’s historical Al-Azhar mosque and university (though shot largely in Istanbul), Boy From Heaven follows Adam (newcomer Tawfeek Barhom) on his journey from innocent country boy to promising young Muslim scholar at the world-renowned school, who becomes a target for Ibrahim (veteran Swedish actor, and Saleh regular, Fares Fares), a corrupt state security officer tasked with spying on Al-Azhar. When the film begins, the institution’s Grand Imam has just died, leaving behind a power vacuum that the Egyptian government hopes to fill by putting its man at the head of the mosque.
Memento International...
- 9/22/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Memento International is rolling off a banner Cannes, having widely sold Tarik Saleh’s “Boy From Heaven,” which competed and won best screenplay, and Kristoffer Borgli’s Un Certain Regard film “Sick of Myself.”
One of the most political films of this year’s Cannes Film Festival competition, “Boy From Heaven” sold to Latin America (Impacto), Germany and Austria (X Verleih), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Poland (M2 Films), Israel (New Cinema), Ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz), Czech Republic, Slovakia (FilmEurope), Baltics (A-One), Romania (Bad Unicorn), Bulgaria (Beta), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes) and Turkey (Bir Films).
The movie was also acquired by U.K. distributor Picturehouse at Cannes and is being circled by several U.S. buyers.
Saleh’s follow-up to “The Nile Hilton Incident,” “Boy From Heaven” was produced by the Stockholm-based outfit Atmo and Production’s Alexandre Mallet-Guy.
A religious and political thriller, “Boy From Heaven” is set in Cairo at a Koranic school following...
One of the most political films of this year’s Cannes Film Festival competition, “Boy From Heaven” sold to Latin America (Impacto), Germany and Austria (X Verleih), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Poland (M2 Films), Israel (New Cinema), Ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz), Czech Republic, Slovakia (FilmEurope), Baltics (A-One), Romania (Bad Unicorn), Bulgaria (Beta), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes) and Turkey (Bir Films).
The movie was also acquired by U.K. distributor Picturehouse at Cannes and is being circled by several U.S. buyers.
Saleh’s follow-up to “The Nile Hilton Incident,” “Boy From Heaven” was produced by the Stockholm-based outfit Atmo and Production’s Alexandre Mallet-Guy.
A religious and political thriller, “Boy From Heaven” is set in Cairo at a Koranic school following...
- 6/1/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Spy thrillers are a dime a dozen. Rarer is encountering one set in an Egyptian mosque, much less Al-Azhar, one of the most significant mosques in Islamic history and home of the great imam, the highest-ranking Muslim leader in Egypt. Tarik Saleh’s Boy from Heaven embraces both realities, for better and worse.
Saleh’s screenplay hits every convention of the subgenre, as distilled following the spy thriller formula to a T. The direction more or less follows suit—sans action sequences, which don’t belong in the quiet, stern, and measured atmosphere of the mosque campus. Yet the setting and socio-political (even theological) context give it a fresh angle. Cairo’s Al-Azhar isn’t just a mosque. It doubles as the most lauded Islamic institution in the country, the Harvard for those who want to study Islam at the highest level. We enter the film when the current grand imam dies,...
Saleh’s screenplay hits every convention of the subgenre, as distilled following the spy thriller formula to a T. The direction more or less follows suit—sans action sequences, which don’t belong in the quiet, stern, and measured atmosphere of the mosque campus. Yet the setting and socio-political (even theological) context give it a fresh angle. Cairo’s Al-Azhar isn’t just a mosque. It doubles as the most lauded Islamic institution in the country, the Harvard for those who want to study Islam at the highest level. We enter the film when the current grand imam dies,...
- 5/22/2022
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
Sometimes, the worst thing that can happen to a humble person is a sudden elevation to the realm of the elite. Like Charlie Bucket finding a golden ticket, in “Boy from Heaven,” Adam (Tawfeek Barhom) initially cannot believe his good fortune when he receives an acceptance letter to Al-Azhar, a Cairo university that functions as the height of Sunni Islamic power. Adam is an exceptionally bright young man from a small fishing village, living under the thumb of his god-fearing, corporal-punishment-administering father. After his village imam hands over the acceptance letter, he is entranced. At night, in the room he shares with two brothers, he reads it again, illuminating the thick cream paper by a phone light held under the bedclothes.
Barhom starts out excellently as the watchful Adam, a careful young man whose arc involves being shoved into a moral quagmire with no protections. “Your soul is still pure.
Barhom starts out excellently as the watchful Adam, a careful young man whose arc involves being shoved into a moral quagmire with no protections. “Your soul is still pure.
- 5/21/2022
- by Sophie Monks Kaufman
- Indiewire
Now at the five feature film mark, Swedish filmmaker Tarik Saleh reunites with his The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) star a scruffy Fares Fares for his first film on the Croisette and to compete in the comp. Boy From Heaven features Tawfeek Barhom in a narrative filled with more catch 22’s you can shake a stick at.
Set in an historical site in Cairo, we find a thriller where one’s moral compass and faith is constantly being shaken, stirred and put to the test and when the power to make change becomes a trump card then only true change can occur.…...
Set in an historical site in Cairo, we find a thriller where one’s moral compass and faith is constantly being shaken, stirred and put to the test and when the power to make change becomes a trump card then only true change can occur.…...
- 5/21/2022
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Elections, as everyone knows, are too important to be left up to chance, and so the world is constantly inventing ways to ensure their outcome in advance. In Egypt, when it comes to the choice of a new grand imam — a lifetime appointment, whose fatwas impact national law — the process doesn’t even pretend to be democratic: The successful candidate is selected from a small Supreme Council of Scholars, with considerations the outside world will never know. But we can wonder, which is where Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh comes in, imagining the equivalent of a John Grisham thriller set inside Cairo’s world-famous Al-Azhar University.
Banned from Egypt since 2017’s “The Nile Hilton Incident,” the director may well have nothing to lose by implicating the Egyptian government in a conspiracy to fill the country’s highest religious position with the candidate of the president’s choosing — the equivalent of suggesting...
Banned from Egypt since 2017’s “The Nile Hilton Incident,” the director may well have nothing to lose by implicating the Egyptian government in a conspiracy to fill the country’s highest religious position with the candidate of the president’s choosing — the equivalent of suggesting...
- 5/20/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
It’s early days at the Cannes Film Festival, so awards prognostication might seem a little premature, but still, it’s hard to imagine that the phenomenal performance given by Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares in Tarik Saleh’s searing political thriller Boy from Heaven will go entirely unnoticed by this year’s jury. Topping the work he did in Saleh’s 2017 Sundance hit The Nile Hilton Incident, Fares commands the screen from the moment he arrives, playing a character whose disheveled appearance conceals a ruthless efficiency, a laser-focused mind and an entirely pragmatic concept of morality.
It’s funny that Boy from Heaven should premiere after James Gray’s Armageddon Time, another film about a young man’s rude awakening and another film that ruminates on the way fate is shaped — or dictated — by race and class. But Saleh’s film throws religion into that already-volatile mix, and while it...
It’s funny that Boy from Heaven should premiere after James Gray’s Armageddon Time, another film about a young man’s rude awakening and another film that ruminates on the way fate is shaped — or dictated — by race and class. But Saleh’s film throws religion into that already-volatile mix, and while it...
- 5/20/2022
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
The Swedish-Lebanese actor makes his directorial debut
Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares is to make his directorial debut with upcoming Swedish thriller A Day And A Half for Netflix.
Fares, who is best known for Westworld, Chernobyl and Child 44, will direct and star in the film alongside Alexej Manvelov and Alma Pöysti. Fares also wrote the screenplay with Peter Smirnakos.
Set during one hot summer, the story follows a man who takes his ex-wife hostage and embarks with on a road trip with her and a police officer through rural Sweden. It will shoot this summer.
The Swedish-language film is inspired by true events.
Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares is to make his directorial debut with upcoming Swedish thriller A Day And A Half for Netflix.
Fares, who is best known for Westworld, Chernobyl and Child 44, will direct and star in the film alongside Alexej Manvelov and Alma Pöysti. Fares also wrote the screenplay with Peter Smirnakos.
Set during one hot summer, the story follows a man who takes his ex-wife hostage and embarks with on a road trip with her and a police officer through rural Sweden. It will shoot this summer.
The Swedish-language film is inspired by true events.
- 5/20/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
“Westworld’s” Fares Fares is set to make his directorial debut with a Swedish film titled “A Day and a Half” for Netflix.
Fares will also star in the feature alongside Alexej Manvelov (“Chernobyl”) and Alma Pöysti (“Tove”). It is scheduled to hit Netflix in 2023.
Inspired by a true story, “A Day and a Half” tells the tale of Artan (played by Manvelov), a man who takes his ex-wife Louise (Pöysti) hostage on a perilous road trip through Sweden with the police in tow. Police officer Lukas (played by Fares) is also along for the ride. Artan hopes the crazy summer trip will result in him being reunited with his daughter.
Shooting will commence in Sweden later this month.
Warner Bros. International TV Production in Sweden are producing the pic. As well as starring in and directing the film, Fares has also co-written the screenplay with Peter Smirnakos.
Johan Hedman...
Fares will also star in the feature alongside Alexej Manvelov (“Chernobyl”) and Alma Pöysti (“Tove”). It is scheduled to hit Netflix in 2023.
Inspired by a true story, “A Day and a Half” tells the tale of Artan (played by Manvelov), a man who takes his ex-wife Louise (Pöysti) hostage on a perilous road trip through Sweden with the police in tow. Police officer Lukas (played by Fares) is also along for the ride. Artan hopes the crazy summer trip will result in him being reunited with his daughter.
Shooting will commence in Sweden later this month.
Warner Bros. International TV Production in Sweden are producing the pic. As well as starring in and directing the film, Fares has also co-written the screenplay with Peter Smirnakos.
Johan Hedman...
- 5/20/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix Greenlights Swedish Film ‘A Day And A Half’ From ‘Chernobyl’ Star Fares Fares
Netflix has greenlit A Day and a Half, a Swedish action film directed by, written by and starring Chernobyl and Westworld star Fares Fares. Fares will play police officer Lukas, tracking down leads Artan (Alexej Manvelov) and Louise (Alma Pöysti), a divorced couple on an emotionally-charged road trip when Artan takes Louise hostage to reunite with his daughter. The journey takes them through rural Sweden during a hot summer, all while having police on their heels. Warner Bros. International TV Production is producing and Fares is also writing alongside Peter Smirnakos. Netflix Director of Film, Nordics, Claire Willats, called A Day and a Half “in essence an intimate story about loss, lies, betrayals, love, prejudice and family.” Earlier this week, Amazon Prime Video ordered its debut Nordic original TV series Toppen, which recently entered production.
Screenbound...
Netflix has greenlit A Day and a Half, a Swedish action film directed by, written by and starring Chernobyl and Westworld star Fares Fares. Fares will play police officer Lukas, tracking down leads Artan (Alexej Manvelov) and Louise (Alma Pöysti), a divorced couple on an emotionally-charged road trip when Artan takes Louise hostage to reunite with his daughter. The journey takes them through rural Sweden during a hot summer, all while having police on their heels. Warner Bros. International TV Production is producing and Fares is also writing alongside Peter Smirnakos. Netflix Director of Film, Nordics, Claire Willats, called A Day and a Half “in essence an intimate story about loss, lies, betrayals, love, prejudice and family.” Earlier this week, Amazon Prime Video ordered its debut Nordic original TV series Toppen, which recently entered production.
Screenbound...
- 5/20/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The “Bourne” movies revivified the espionage genre with their nimble, scrappy, down-and-dirty action. But they weren’t as widely imitated as one might have expected, which leaves “The Contractor” feeling like a relatively fresh chip off a not-so-old block. Chris Pine stars as a forcibly decommissioned U.S. Army careerist whom financial straits push him into a sketchy private militaristic security job. Needless to say, that goes south in a hurry.
Swede Tarik Saleh’s first American feature is more impersonally commercial than prior projects (including 2017 Sundance jury prize winner “The Nile Hilton Incident”), and more efficient than memorable as a medium-scaled adventure exercise. Still, being a solid cut above average is good enough, given so much formulaic mediocrity among thrillers cluttering the streaming market. Already released in several territories during March, the film is scheduled for launch to U.S. theaters, digital and on demand platforms April 1.
Things start out...
Swede Tarik Saleh’s first American feature is more impersonally commercial than prior projects (including 2017 Sundance jury prize winner “The Nile Hilton Incident”), and more efficient than memorable as a medium-scaled adventure exercise. Still, being a solid cut above average is good enough, given so much formulaic mediocrity among thrillers cluttering the streaming market. Already released in several territories during March, the film is scheduled for launch to U.S. theaters, digital and on demand platforms April 1.
Things start out...
- 3/28/2022
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
As STX looks to untangle itself from previous company Eros, and segue to its new finance partner Najafi Companies, the Robert Simonds studios has put its latest Chris Pine & Ben Foster thriller, The Contractor, in chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Showtime and Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, as Deadline first told you, acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Tarik Saleh-directed action movie, which will be released later this year. Similar to Queenpins which STX sold to Paramount+ and Showtime for $20M, the deal on The Contractor will see the pic released in a limited number of theaters by Paramount with a simultaneous PVOD release across platforms.
So what’s going on here?
A company spokesperson tells Deadline, “This filing, like our previous filing on Greenland 2 is surgical and strategic as we protect our rights while we work towards our closing for strategic alternatives for our company.” “Migration is the entity that now...
Showtime and Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, as Deadline first told you, acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Tarik Saleh-directed action movie, which will be released later this year. Similar to Queenpins which STX sold to Paramount+ and Showtime for $20M, the deal on The Contractor will see the pic released in a limited number of theaters by Paramount with a simultaneous PVOD release across platforms.
So what’s going on here?
A company spokesperson tells Deadline, “This filing, like our previous filing on Greenland 2 is surgical and strategic as we protect our rights while we work towards our closing for strategic alternatives for our company.” “Migration is the entity that now...
- 3/23/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Action movie “The Contractor” will become the first title under the new ViacomCBS and Paramount+ integration of Showtime content across the streaming platform.
Tarik Saleh directs “The Contractor,” which reunites “Hell or High Water” stars Chris Pine and Ben Foster as two former Special Forces operatives who turn to contract work after being involuntarily discharged from the Army.
James Harper (Pine) is desperate to provide for his family, and turns to a private underground military force, led by a mysterious coordinator (Kiefer Sutherland). When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself caught in a dangerous conspiracy and on the run for his life.
“We gave them our minds, our bodies, and our spirits,” Pine as James says in the trailer. “They chewed us up and spit us out.”
Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss, and Amira Casar also star in the J.P. Davis–penned movie.
Tarik Saleh directs “The Contractor,” which reunites “Hell or High Water” stars Chris Pine and Ben Foster as two former Special Forces operatives who turn to contract work after being involuntarily discharged from the Army.
James Harper (Pine) is desperate to provide for his family, and turns to a private underground military force, led by a mysterious coordinator (Kiefer Sutherland). When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself caught in a dangerous conspiracy and on the run for his life.
“We gave them our minds, our bodies, and our spirits,” Pine as James says in the trailer. “They chewed us up and spit us out.”
Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss, and Amira Casar also star in the J.P. Davis–penned movie.
- 2/17/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Showtime and Paramount Home Entertainment have acquired the U.S. rights to director Tarik Saleh’s thriller “The Contractor” — and released the first trailer for a film that reteams Chris Pine and Ben Foster from Taylor Sheridan’s “Hell or High Water.”
As with the recent acquisition of “Queenpins,” which was also sold by the financially troubled indie studio STXfilms, “The Contractor” will get a limited theatrical release from Paramount on April 1 along with a simultaneous release on premium video-on-demand platforms. The film will also stream on Showtime and Paramount+ later this year.
Pine stars as as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself caught in a...
As with the recent acquisition of “Queenpins,” which was also sold by the financially troubled indie studio STXfilms, “The Contractor” will get a limited theatrical release from Paramount on April 1 along with a simultaneous release on premium video-on-demand platforms. The film will also stream on Showtime and Paramount+ later this year.
Pine stars as as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself caught in a...
- 2/16/2022
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Showtime and Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment have acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Tarik Saleh-directed action movie The Contractor starring Hell or High Water stars Chris Pine and Ben Foster.
Following a similar collaboration on the comedy Queenpins, which STX sold to Paramount+ and Showtime for $20M as Deadline first reported, this deal will see The Contractor released in a limited number of theaters in the U.S. by Paramount with a simultaneous PVOD release across platforms. The film will arrive on Showtime and Paramount+ later in 2022. It was announced yesterday at the ViacomCBS Investor day that Paramount+ will be integrating Showtime content this summer with an in-app upgrade to the pay-tv channel’s programming.
Pine stars as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper in The Contractor, a guy who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut off from his pension. In debt, out of options and...
Following a similar collaboration on the comedy Queenpins, which STX sold to Paramount+ and Showtime for $20M as Deadline first reported, this deal will see The Contractor released in a limited number of theaters in the U.S. by Paramount with a simultaneous PVOD release across platforms. The film will arrive on Showtime and Paramount+ later in 2022. It was announced yesterday at the ViacomCBS Investor day that Paramount+ will be integrating Showtime content this summer with an in-app upgrade to the pay-tv channel’s programming.
Pine stars as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper in The Contractor, a guy who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut off from his pension. In debt, out of options and...
- 2/16/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Memento International has closed major sales on Ursula Meier’s Berlin contender “The Line,” and “Boy from Heaven” by Tarik Saleh, the Swedish-Egyptian helmer of “The Nile Hilton Incident.”
A religious and political thriller, “Boy From Heaven” is set in Cairo at a Koranic school following the collapse of a grand imam which marks the start of a ruthless battle for influence.
The movie is headlined by Tawfeek Barhom and Fares Fares, who previously starred in “The Nile Hilton Incident.” Saleh’s Stockholm-based outfit Atmo is producing the movie with Memento.
Memento International has sold the film to Benelux (Cineart), Spain (La Aventura), Italy (Movies Inspired), Greece (Cinobo), Hungary (Vertigo) and Middle East (Falcon). Other territories in negotiation. Memento Distribution will release in France.
The company has also sold “The Line,” Ursula Meier’s drama which is in main competition at the Berlin Film Festival, to a raft of territories,...
A religious and political thriller, “Boy From Heaven” is set in Cairo at a Koranic school following the collapse of a grand imam which marks the start of a ruthless battle for influence.
The movie is headlined by Tawfeek Barhom and Fares Fares, who previously starred in “The Nile Hilton Incident.” Saleh’s Stockholm-based outfit Atmo is producing the movie with Memento.
Memento International has sold the film to Benelux (Cineart), Spain (La Aventura), Italy (Movies Inspired), Greece (Cinobo), Hungary (Vertigo) and Middle East (Falcon). Other territories in negotiation. Memento Distribution will release in France.
The company has also sold “The Line,” Ursula Meier’s drama which is in main competition at the Berlin Film Festival, to a raft of territories,...
- 2/14/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Canneseries, the Cannes international series festival, will return to its spring dates in 2022 to run alongside MipTV. The 5th edition will take place April 1-6.
The pandemic caused the editions for 2020 and 2021 to be pushed to the fall. The fourth edition will run Oct. 8-13, alongside Mipcom.
“After two special seasons linked to sanitary conditions, [Canneseries] will find again its natural rhythm, with the opportunity to be held alongside MipTV one of the largest television markets in the world,” said the organizers.
“We are delighted to rediscover the effervescence and dynamism of the city of Cannes, which offers a wonderful setting for the series and the talents selected at the festival,” said Benoît Louvet, Canneseries’ managing director.
Canneseries also hosts an industry sidebar which is focused on series development and is complementary to MipTV’s focus on acquisitions and sales of programs.
Organizers didn’t clarify whether Canneseries will have a...
The pandemic caused the editions for 2020 and 2021 to be pushed to the fall. The fourth edition will run Oct. 8-13, alongside Mipcom.
“After two special seasons linked to sanitary conditions, [Canneseries] will find again its natural rhythm, with the opportunity to be held alongside MipTV one of the largest television markets in the world,” said the organizers.
“We are delighted to rediscover the effervescence and dynamism of the city of Cannes, which offers a wonderful setting for the series and the talents selected at the festival,” said Benoît Louvet, Canneseries’ managing director.
Canneseries also hosts an industry sidebar which is focused on series development and is complementary to MipTV’s focus on acquisitions and sales of programs.
Organizers didn’t clarify whether Canneseries will have a...
- 6/21/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
STXfilms said Thursday that it has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Violence of Action, the Tarik Saleh-directed action thriller starring Chris Pine that hails from Basily Iwanyk’s Thunder Road.
The deal follows STXinternational handling international rights to the film; it will distribute it in the UK and Ireland. 30West fully financed the pic, which shot in fall 2019 in the U.S., Germany and Romania. CAA Media Finance and 30West co-repped the U.S. rights. No release date has been set.
Currently in post-production, the Jp Davis-penned script follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how. Harper travels to Berlin with his elite team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat. Barely into his first assignment, he finds himself alone and hunted across Europe,...
The deal follows STXinternational handling international rights to the film; it will distribute it in the UK and Ireland. 30West fully financed the pic, which shot in fall 2019 in the U.S., Germany and Romania. CAA Media Finance and 30West co-repped the U.S. rights. No release date has been set.
Currently in post-production, the Jp Davis-penned script follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how. Harper travels to Berlin with his elite team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat. Barely into his first assignment, he finds himself alone and hunted across Europe,...
- 2/18/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
STXinternational to distribute directly in UK and Ireland.
STXfilms has picked up US rights to Violence Of Action, Tarik Saleh’s thriller starring Chris Pine that marks the director’s feature follow-up to The Nile Hilton Incident.
STXinternational previously acquired international rights to the Thunder Road Films and 30West production.
Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casar round out the key cast on the story about a man involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets who joins a paramilitary group in order to support his family.
When he travels to Berlin on a black ops...
STXfilms has picked up US rights to Violence Of Action, Tarik Saleh’s thriller starring Chris Pine that marks the director’s feature follow-up to The Nile Hilton Incident.
STXinternational previously acquired international rights to the Thunder Road Films and 30West production.
Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casar round out the key cast on the story about a man involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets who joins a paramilitary group in order to support his family.
When he travels to Berlin on a black ops...
- 2/18/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
STXfilms has acquired the U.S. rights to “Violence of Action,” a thriller starring Chris Pine and directed by “The Nile Hilton Incident” filmmaker Tarik Saleh.
“Violence of Action” stars Pine alongside Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casara.
The film tells the story of a man involuntarily discharged from the Marines who joins a paramilitary organization, only to find himself alone and hunted while on his very first mission in Poland. He must now fight long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Jp Davis wrote the screenplay.
Thunder Road Film’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are producing “Violence of Action,” with 30West fully financing the film. 30West’s Dan Friedkin, Micah Green and Dan Steinman are executive producing along with Chris Pine, Jonathan Fuhrman, Tom Lassally and Josh Bratman. Esther Hornstein of Thunder Road Films is executive producing.
“Violence of Action” stars Pine alongside Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casara.
The film tells the story of a man involuntarily discharged from the Marines who joins a paramilitary organization, only to find himself alone and hunted while on his very first mission in Poland. He must now fight long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Jp Davis wrote the screenplay.
Thunder Road Film’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are producing “Violence of Action,” with 30West fully financing the film. 30West’s Dan Friedkin, Micah Green and Dan Steinman are executive producing along with Chris Pine, Jonathan Fuhrman, Tom Lassally and Josh Bratman. Esther Hornstein of Thunder Road Films is executive producing.
- 2/18/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
“Violence of Action,” a crime thriller starring Chris Pine, has landed at STX Films.
The studio previously nabbed international rights to the movie and will now distribute in the U.S. as well.
Directed by Tarik Saleh, “Violence of Action” centers on James Harper (Pine), a man who joins a paramilitary organization to support his family after he gets involuntarily discharged from the Marines. He travels to Berlin with his team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat, but he suddenly finds himself alone and hunted across Europe. As he fights to stay alive long enough to get home, he seeks to uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him.
Adam Fogelson, chairman of STXfilms Motion Picture Group, called Pine’s performance “unforgettable.”
“We’re incredibly impressed by what we’ve seen so far of ‘Violence of Action,'” Fogelson said. “Chris gives the kind of...
The studio previously nabbed international rights to the movie and will now distribute in the U.S. as well.
Directed by Tarik Saleh, “Violence of Action” centers on James Harper (Pine), a man who joins a paramilitary organization to support his family after he gets involuntarily discharged from the Marines. He travels to Berlin with his team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat, but he suddenly finds himself alone and hunted across Europe. As he fights to stay alive long enough to get home, he seeks to uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him.
Adam Fogelson, chairman of STXfilms Motion Picture Group, called Pine’s performance “unforgettable.”
“We’re incredibly impressed by what we’ve seen so far of ‘Violence of Action,'” Fogelson said. “Chris gives the kind of...
- 2/18/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
STXfilms has picked up the U.S. rights to Violence of Action, Tarik Saleh’s action pic that stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casar.
STXinternational earlier acquired international rights to the film from Thunder Road and 30West and will directly distribute in the UK and Ireland. The action pic was shot on location in the U.S., Germany and Romania.
Violence of Action follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how....
STXinternational earlier acquired international rights to the film from Thunder Road and 30West and will directly distribute in the UK and Ireland. The action pic was shot on location in the U.S., Germany and Romania.
Violence of Action follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how....
- 2/18/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
STXfilms has picked up the U.S. rights to Violence of Action, Tarik Saleh’s action pic that stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan, Fares Fares, Nina Hoss and Amira Casar.
STXinternational earlier acquired international rights to the film from Thunder Road and 30West and will directly distribute in the UK and Ireland. The action pic was shot on location in the U.S., Germany and Romania.
Violence of Action follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how....
STXinternational earlier acquired international rights to the film from Thunder Road and 30West and will directly distribute in the UK and Ireland. The action pic was shot on location in the U.S., Germany and Romania.
Violence of Action follows James Harper (Pine) who, after being involuntarily discharged from the Green Berets, joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how....
- 2/18/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nordisk has moved up the film’s Danish release from a planned January 21 to November 26 instead.
TrustNordisk has closed a fresh round of deals on Danish thriller The Marco Effect, selling to France (Wild Bunch Distribution), Japan (Culture Entertainment), Switzerland (Impuls), Russia (Capella) and Greece & Cyprus (Rosebud/Odeon).
Ahead of the AFM, the film had also sold to Spain (Vertigo), Slovakia and Czech Republic (Aero Films), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film & Video), Hungary (Vertigo Media), South Korea (Contents Panda) and Taiwan (Deepjoy).
Nordisk has moved up the film’s Danish release from a planned early February to January 21 instead. With international blockbusters still on hold,...
TrustNordisk has closed a fresh round of deals on Danish thriller The Marco Effect, selling to France (Wild Bunch Distribution), Japan (Culture Entertainment), Switzerland (Impuls), Russia (Capella) and Greece & Cyprus (Rosebud/Odeon).
Ahead of the AFM, the film had also sold to Spain (Vertigo), Slovakia and Czech Republic (Aero Films), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film & Video), Hungary (Vertigo Media), South Korea (Contents Panda) and Taiwan (Deepjoy).
Nordisk has moved up the film’s Danish release from a planned early February to January 21 instead. With international blockbusters still on hold,...
- 11/26/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The film is part of the Department Q series of films, based on the bestselling crime novels of Jussi Adler-Olsen.
Ahead of the AFM, TrustNordisk has closed several deals on Danish thriller The Marco Effect, which is now in post-production.
Sales have been made to Spain (Vertigo), Slovakia and Czech Republic (Aero Films), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film & Video), Hungary (Vertigo Media), South Korea (Contents Panda) and Taiwan (Deepjoy).
The film was already shooting in the Czech Republic in March 2020 when the pandemic started; after a break, the team was able to successfully and safely finish the shoot in Denmark this summer.
Ahead of the AFM, TrustNordisk has closed several deals on Danish thriller The Marco Effect, which is now in post-production.
Sales have been made to Spain (Vertigo), Slovakia and Czech Republic (Aero Films), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film & Video), Hungary (Vertigo Media), South Korea (Contents Panda) and Taiwan (Deepjoy).
The film was already shooting in the Czech Republic in March 2020 when the pandemic started; after a break, the team was able to successfully and safely finish the shoot in Denmark this summer.
- 11/6/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Swedish series was among 10 series competing in the third edition of the festival.
Swedish drama Partisan has clinched the top best series prize at the third edition of TV festival Canneseries, which ran Oct 9 to 14 as a hybrid event online and physically in its host city of Cannes.
Produced by Warner Brothers for Nordic Entertainment Group’s streaming service Viaplay, the show unfolds against the backdrop of an idyllic gated community in Sweden. Outwardly, it seems to live off its successful organic farming operation but a newcomer to the community discovers all is not as it seems.
In a rare...
Swedish drama Partisan has clinched the top best series prize at the third edition of TV festival Canneseries, which ran Oct 9 to 14 as a hybrid event online and physically in its host city of Cannes.
Produced by Warner Brothers for Nordic Entertainment Group’s streaming service Viaplay, the show unfolds against the backdrop of an idyllic gated community in Sweden. Outwardly, it seems to live off its successful organic farming operation but a newcomer to the community discovers all is not as it seems.
In a rare...
- 10/15/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The Swedish series created by Amir Chamdin and Fares Fares, based upon an idea by Mauricio Molinari, won the 3rd edition of the festival’s competition, with Moloch and Red Light also claiming trophies. The 3rd edition of Cannes International Series Festival - Canneseries has awarded its principal prize to the Swedish production Partisan. Created by Amir Chamdin and Fares Fares (who also leads the cast) based upon an original idea by Mauricio Molinari, the series which also stars Johan Rheborg, Sofia Karemyr and Anna Björk recounts the misadventures of Johnny as he enters Jordnära, an idyllic gated community that runs a very successful organic farm, as their new truck driver. He gets to know Nicole and Maria, two foster children who are spending the summer there. He soon starts to suspect trafficking. The more Johnny's concern for the girls grows, the more focus they take from his main mission.
- 10/15/2020
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
A popular Swedish musician-turned-filmmaker, Amir Chamdin struck a chord with his slow-burning crime thriller series “Partisan” headlined by Fares Fares (“Chernobyl”). Before playing in competition at Canneseries, “Partisan” pulled the highest ratings for an original on Viaplay, the Nordics’ leading streaming service. “Partisan” follows Johnny (Fares Fares), a mysterious man who enters Jordnära, a seemingly idyllic gated community running a thriving organic farm, to work as a truck driver and soon suspects trafficking. The five-part series was produced by Warner Sweden and is being represented in international markets (outside of Scandinavia) by Federation Entertainment. Chamdin, who traveled to Canneseries in the South of France for the premiere of “Partisan,” spoke to Variety about the making of the series.
What’s the genesis of “Partisan”? How did you come up with this story?
I’m fond of many movies from the 1960’s and 1970’s and that inspired the look of it.
What’s the genesis of “Partisan”? How did you come up with this story?
I’m fond of many movies from the 1960’s and 1970’s and that inspired the look of it.
- 10/14/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Dominated by the charisma of Swedish-Lebanese lead Fares Fares, a “Westworld” co-star, “Partisan,” a Warner Bros.- production for Scandinavia’s Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent) walked off Wednesday evening with best series at the 3rd Canneseries TV festival.
Due to play on Nent’s SVOD service Viaplay, the slow burning and unsettling Nordic Noir sees Fares Fares’ character, Johnny, accept a job at an closed gate organic food farm which is some kind of front for far more sinister activities.
Co-created by Amir Chandin and Fares and sold by Federation Entertainment, “Partisan” was part of a 10-title Canneseries competition which painted this year a fairly disturbing portrait of contemporary world.
“Although all the shows at Canneseries were made before Covid-19, they are still often very dark and often treat weighty social issues,” Albin Levi, Canneseries artistic director, told Variety.
Cannes’ special interpretation prize and student award went to the ensemble cast of “Red Light,...
Due to play on Nent’s SVOD service Viaplay, the slow burning and unsettling Nordic Noir sees Fares Fares’ character, Johnny, accept a job at an closed gate organic food farm which is some kind of front for far more sinister activities.
Co-created by Amir Chandin and Fares and sold by Federation Entertainment, “Partisan” was part of a 10-title Canneseries competition which painted this year a fairly disturbing portrait of contemporary world.
“Although all the shows at Canneseries were made before Covid-19, they are still often very dark and often treat weighty social issues,” Albin Levi, Canneseries artistic director, told Variety.
Cannes’ special interpretation prize and student award went to the ensemble cast of “Red Light,...
- 10/14/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros’ Swedish drama Partisan has been named best series at the 2020 Canneseries, the screenings festival that has run alongside the virtual Mipcom.
Featuring Chernobyl and Westworld star Fares Fares, Partisan was made for Nordic Entertainment Group’s streaming service Viaplay.
Fares features as Johnny, a man who finds himself in Jordnära, a secluded Swedish village that is home to an idyllic community — at least on the surface.
The five-part series is directed by Amir Chandin (Hassel) and produced by Johanna Wennerberg for Warner Bros International Television Production Sverige with Fares as creative producer.
Other winners included Russian actress Polina Maksimova for her performance in cancer patient comedy-drama 257 Reasons to Live. The full winners are below.
Best series
Partisan
Best short form series
Broder
Best performance
Polina Maksimova for 257 Reasons to Live
Special Interpretation Prize
The cast of Red Light
Best Screenplay
Arnaud Malherbe and Marion Festraëts for Moloch
Best...
Featuring Chernobyl and Westworld star Fares Fares, Partisan was made for Nordic Entertainment Group’s streaming service Viaplay.
Fares features as Johnny, a man who finds himself in Jordnära, a secluded Swedish village that is home to an idyllic community — at least on the surface.
The five-part series is directed by Amir Chandin (Hassel) and produced by Johanna Wennerberg for Warner Bros International Television Production Sverige with Fares as creative producer.
Other winners included Russian actress Polina Maksimova for her performance in cancer patient comedy-drama 257 Reasons to Live. The full winners are below.
Best series
Partisan
Best short form series
Broder
Best performance
Polina Maksimova for 257 Reasons to Live
Special Interpretation Prize
The cast of Red Light
Best Screenplay
Arnaud Malherbe and Marion Festraëts for Moloch
Best...
- 10/14/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The big Cannes virtual market deal-making is underway. I understand German major Leonine has closed a multi-million dollar deal with Stx International for black ops thriller Violence Of Action, starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Gillian Jacobs.
Currently in post-production, the film follows James Reed (Pine), who joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family after being involuntarily discharged from the Marines. Reed travels to Poland with his elite team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat. Barely into his first assignment, he finds himself alone and hunted in Eastern Europe, where he must fight to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him.
Also starring are Eddie Marsan, Nina Hoss, Amira Casar, Fares Fares and J.D. Pardo.
Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident) is directing from a script by J.P. Davis. John Wick...
Currently in post-production, the film follows James Reed (Pine), who joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family after being involuntarily discharged from the Marines. Reed travels to Poland with his elite team on a black ops mission to investigate a mysterious threat. Barely into his first assignment, he finds himself alone and hunted in Eastern Europe, where he must fight to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him.
Also starring are Eddie Marsan, Nina Hoss, Amira Casar, Fares Fares and J.D. Pardo.
Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident) is directing from a script by J.P. Davis. John Wick...
- 6/22/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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