Le projet 'Epic'

NOVEMBER 2012:. I'm still preparing to direct one of the scripts I wrote with Pawel Pawlikowski... a comedy called EPIC, set in a fictitious Central Asian/Caucasian country called "Karastan" and dealing with (at least some of) the absurdities of making films, and fillm festivals. We will be shooting in Georgia some time in the coming months... the proposed Oct/Nov shoot was delayed after annoying political interferences. So now I am at home working on my novel CATHEDRAL whilst I wait for the situation to clarify!

Yes, as you saw from my website, the film was delayed at the last minute. Normally by now we would already be filming and the cast confirmed and “publishable”... But now that we have had to reschedule, I’m back in the situation I was in when last you wrote – i.e. I can’t confirm anything as we are still in pre-production.

So, I’m sorry, but please contact me again in mid January 2013. By then we’ll be just starting filming... or it will be clear by then that we are unable to make the film... It’s not even clear at the moment if we’re filming in Germany or not, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything for certain. It’s really annoying for us, believe me!

Anyway, best wishes to you

Ben

Hi ...,

Your English is just fine! Aber du kannst mir auf Deutsch schreiben, wenn du willst.

Bis Januar!

mit freundlichen Grüßen

Ben

You also may  write me in German, if you want.
Until January.
Best regards

DECEMBER 2012:. I'm still preparing to direct one of the scripts I wrote with Pawel Pawlikowski... a comedy called EPIC, set in a fictitious Central Asian/Caucasian country called "Karastan" and dealing with (at least some of) the absurdities of making films, and fillm festivals. We will be shooting in Georgia some time in the coming months... the proposed Oct/Nov shoot was delayed after annoying political interferences.

Hessen supports two films with million sum

With over one million euros the State of Hesse supports the film production of a thriller and a black comedy....
Both projects have a strong relation to the federal state.......
300,000 euros go to the doers of "Epic", a comedy with Matthew Macfadyen in the leading role.
HessenInvestFilm belongs to the economic & infrastructural bank of Hessen and promotes films and TV films.

2012 Epic Feature Film And Music Entertainment In production
Director Ben Hopkins, Writer Ben Hopkins
Starring Matthew Macfayden & Patrick Stewart.

He remains unflustered about his career. One of the projects he had lined up has just fallen through, but Macfadyen is philosophical about that. “I was going to make a film called Epic. It’s a very funny comedy about filmmaking in a fictional post-Soviet state. Some of the money came from a Russian film foundation.

“But a week before shooting was supposed to begin, they gave it a quick read, and all of a sudden they pulled the money. The script pokes fun at the post-Soviet world and tinpot dictators. So they might have been worried about the reaction of some real-life leaders…”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013: On the 15th of Jan, shooting starts on one of the scripts I wrote with Pawel Pawlikowski... a comedy called EPIC, set in a fictitious Central Asian/Caucasian country called "Karastan" and dealing with (at least some of) the absurdities of making films, and fillm festivals. I am directing, the crew is Georgian and German, the budget is tight, the weather cold, the prospects nevertheless good. The shoot finishes off in Frankfurt at the end of February.

Avec les mêmes acteurs ?

Yes, we begin filming on the 15th of January ... confirmed are MM and Myanna Buring

Société britannique de premier producteur en Géorgie entre.
Stars britanniques du film dont le tournage débutera en Janvier

Ben Hopkins - 2011 - a été accompagnée par Pawel Pawlikowski Festival du Film-BIAFF, une journée de repérages-je me souviens que fait dans l'ouest de la Géorgie. Pavel n'a pas eu le film en Géorgie (2008 - et en 2011 - après une visite). Il est bon que Ben Hopkins - le projet a finalement échoué .. Il semble être un film intéressant

Pavel était le producteur du film. Les deux auteurs sont au service (Ben et Pavel). Le projet a obtenu un soutien considérable en Allemagne. Je leur souhaite de réussir.

Encore une fois, félicitations !

Nous comprenons... Je viens de voir l'histoire sur laquelle Pavel a eu une idée sur le scénario et j'ai pensé qu'il était Pavel co - scénariste il serait dans le film... Bon projet et je suis sûr que ce sera un succès, et j'espère qu'il se dégage beaucoup d'intéressants projets européens.

The film has been cast by London-based casting agents Wildman Hall, who along with the production team have managed to secure an ‘A list international cast including Matthew Macfadyen as Emil Forester whose performance as Darcy opposite Keira Knightly in Pride and Prejudice is the stuff of cinematic legend. Opposite him plays the heroine of the latest Twilight – Breaking Dawn mega-franchise, Myanna Buring as love interest and heroine Tulpan. German actor Richard van Weyden takes centre stage playing himself and also the founder of the Karastani nation TANAT in the film within the film.

Other key creative elements on the film are executive producer Stephen Daldry, whose first four features, Billy Elliot, The Reader, The Hours, and Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close have all been Academy Award Nominated for best director as well as winning Oscars for Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet. Pawel Pawlikowski is the co-writer, Pawlikowski has won a number of British Academy Awards for his work on films like The Last Resort and My Summer of Love.

International sales are being handled by the Los Angeles-based world sales agency Shoreline Entertainment.