EXCLUSIVE: Acclaimed actor Willem Dafoe, who just lately starred in Oscar-nominated pic Poor Issues and may subsequent be seen in Tim Burton’s upcoming Venice opener Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, has simply wrapped filming tycoon household drama Birthday Occasion from Greek manufacturing home Heretic.
The mission, which has been saved beneath wraps till now, is directed by Miguel Angel Jimenéz primarily based on the novel of the identical identify by Panos Karnezis. Dafoe stars alongside aspect Emma Suarez, Joe Cole and Vic Carmen Sonne. Extra forged contains Christos Stergioglou, Carlos Cuevas, Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos, Fransesc Garrido, Maria Pau Pigem, Pelle Heikkilä and Elsa Lekkakou.
The story is about within the late Nineteen Seventies someplace within the Mediterranean the place Marcos Timoleon, an Aristotle Onassis-like tycoon, is throwing a lavish, extravagant birthday celebration for Sofia, his daughter and sole heiress, on his unique non-public island. The celebration is an ideal excuse for varied folks in his life to strategy him with their very own agendas. However Marcos, who’s used to ruthlessly controlling all the things and everybody round him at no matter value, can also be secretly plotting an enormous choice on his daughter’s behalf.
Sofia, nonetheless, has come to share some essential information of her personal. As company begin pouring in and night time falls, the celebration grows rowdier and extra decadent, whereas the inevitable conflict between Marcos and Sofia reaches a heartbreaking climax.
Birthday Occasion is produced by Heretic’s Giorgos Karnavas, who co-wrote the script together with Jimenéz and Nicos Panayotopoulos. Co-producers are Adria Mones for Fasten Movies, Erik, Glijnis and Leontine Petit for Lemming Movie and Kurban Kassam for Raucous Footage.
The mission is a Greek-Spanish-Dutch-UK co-production and wrapped principal pictures on August 17, after capturing in Corfu and Athens, Greece.
“It’s a narrative I’ve carried for nearly 15 years so this reality speaks about what it meant to me,” mentioned Karnavas of the movie. “It’s been a brilliant intense journey to get it made and I believe we–our stellar forged and crew – all lived unimaginable moments in the course of the making of this movie. I’m very pleased with the best way we walked this path with Miguel Angel and I actually hope all this vitality is within the materials.”
Jimenéz added: “I’m extremely proud and grateful to have labored with this distinctive forged and crew on this journey. Being surrounded by a number of languages, a number of methods of understanding life and appearing throughout filming, amounted to a tremendous expertise of engaged on a collective set. I attempted my greatest to create a home the place one can really feel at house even when they’re very far-off from it – a house the place you might be invited to take part and specific your emotions. A house that I wish to imagine is cinema.”
Birthday Occasion is funded by the Greek Movie Middle, ICEC, The Netherlands Movie Fund and the International Display screen Fund BFI and backers are Kalamata Movies, Eolo Movies, Ekome, ERT, Hopeless Romantic, Osmyx Movie Clinic and Entrance Stage.
Jimenéz’s credit embrace 2020’s Window to the Sea, which starred Suarez, Ori and Chaika in addition to documentaries Days of El Abanico and A God In Every Lentil.
Greek powerhouse Heretic’s previous credit embrace triple Oscar-nominee Triangle of Disappointment and BAFTA winner Tips on how to Have Intercourse. Newer titles embrace Rotterdam and Tribeca title Swimming Dwelling by Justin Anderson, Ralph Fiennes-starrer The Return by Uberto Pasolini, Pablo Larraín’s Venice competitors title Maria and Sizzling Milk from Rebecca Lenkiewicz, which is about to launch in early 2025.
