Project presented at EFM in Berlin
During European Film Market (EFM), which is a traditional part of Berlin International Film Festival, WestEnd Filmsdistributing company presented Gareth Jones, a political thriller jointly produced by Poland, Ukraine, and the UK, to the international community.
The film will be directed by Agnieszka Holland, head of European Film Academy, Academy Award and BAFTA nominee, winner of Silver Bear at Berlinale 2017 (Europe Europe, Spoor, In Darkness, House of Cards, The Wire). The role of Welsh journalist Gareth Jones was given to British actor James Norton (War and Peace, Grantchester, Happy Valley, McMafia). As for the female lead, American journalist Ada Brooks, it will be played by Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Mission: Impossible – Fallout).
“The script joins, in a very artistic and original way, a few issues from the 20th century, which seem particularly valid today. George Orwell’s famous novel, Animal Farm, links everything together: it reveals the mechanisms of totalitarian falsehood, and the terror that can be fought only by resistance to deception and violence,” says Agnieszka Holland, film director. “Our main character, Gareth Jones, is involved in this very kind of mission. He confronts brutal reality with his idealism, youthfulness and courage. Nobody wanted to shed light on Stalin’s atrocities, which Gareth exposed,” says Agnieszka Holland. “Today, we don’t lack corruptible conformists and egoists, we lack Orwells and Joneses. That is why we should bring them back to life”.
From the Ukrainian side, the film will feature Yakiv Tkachenko (Pryputni), Oleg Drach (Battle for Sevastopol, A Prayer for Hetman Mazepa), Volodymyr Fedoruk, Anna Shaydyuk, Anastasia Chala, and Alina Kovalska. At the set, they will be joined by Polish and British colleagues.
The shooting of a story based on real events about a well-known British investigative journalist Gareth Jones who went to Soviet Ukraine despite the deadly danger to reveal the whole truth about the tragedy of Ukrainian people and tell it to the world will start on February 26 in Poland. Starting from March 3, the work on the project will continue in Ukraine, and afterward, in Poland and Scotland.
FILM.UA Group will also provide a full package of services according to individual conditions for production, promotion, and distribution of the film on the territory of Ukraine. This is an example of FILM.UA Group package proposal for projects supported by Ukrainian State Film Agency.
The premiere of Gareth Jones political thriller jointly produced by Ukraine (Kinorob), Poland (Film Produkcja), and the UK (Crab Apple Film), is planned for 2019. The film is being created with the support of Ukrainian State Film Agency.
Follow the news of the project at its official Facebook page.
Synopsis: In 1933, Welsh reporter Gareth Jones is on the search for his next big story. The latest news brings him to Moscow where he meets Ada Brooks, a journalist. Ada opens his eyes to the “Soviet utopia” which has nothing to do with the reality. So Gareth, in spite of death threats, starts his investigation. Step by step, hiding from the USSR special services, he uncovers the truth about the tragedy of Ukrainian nation: the Famine, cruel censorship, plots, and mass reprisals. After some time, his discoveries will become the basis for Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Producers: Klaudia Smieja, Stanislaw Dziedzic, Egor Olesov, Angus Lamont, Andrea Chalupa
Cinematographer: Tomasz Naumiuk
Screenwriter: Andrea Chalupa
Cast: James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, Yakiv Tkachenko, Oleg Drach, Volodymyr Fedoruk, Anna Shaydyuk, Anastasia Chala, Alina Kovalska, and others
Costume designer: Oleksandra Stazko
Artistic director: Grzegorz Piontkowski
Composer: Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz
Ukrainian premiere: 2019
Genre: historical thriller
Produced by: Film Produkcja, Kinorob, Crab Apple Film
with the support of Ukrainian State Film Agency
Timing: 110 mins
