Award-Winning Filmmakers To Shoot Big Screen Feature in Indonesia

(PRWEB) July 9, 2004

Golden Globe Award Winner LeBrocquy-Fraser Productions (Osama) and Director U-Wei Bin HajiSaari (Kaki Bakar aka The Arsonist – un Certain Regard Cannes 1995) are collaborating on a film based on Joseph Conrad’s first novel, Almayer’s Folly.

Adapted for the big screen by U-Wei, the story is set in 1850′s Borneo (Kalimantan, Indonesia) and offers adventure, romance and drama as it depicts the colorful characters that lived and traded along the rivers of Borneo during that visually rich period.

Accompanied by the Bali Film Commission (BFC), the team completed an extensive week-long trip sponsored by Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Garuda Indonesia Airlines and Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel that encompassed parts of southern and eastern Kalimantan.

Unlike previous films adapted from Conrad novels, U-Wei feels strongly that Almayer’s Folly stay true to the locations in the original story. “For me, authentic locations are critical to the success of this film,” says the sirector, who returns next month to explore other Kalimantan locations.

A native of Pahang, Malaysia, U-Wei is the first Malaysian director invited to show his work at the prestigious Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes (’95).

Award winning American actor Harvey Keitel (The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Red Dragon) has signed on as lead character Almayer. “Everyone is passionate about this project,” says Julia Fraser (Partner, LeBrocquy-Fraser Productions). “We sent Harvey the script and within three days he was committed to the film.”

Reflecting the different ethnic cultures characterized in the script, U-Wei brings onboard strong regional talent from Malaysia (Eman Manan, Khalled Salleh) and Indonesia (Christine Hakim, El Manik). Producers also are in discussions with world-renowned actor Omar Sharif to play in the film and look to cast the key role of Almayer’s 20-year-old daughter Nina in Indonesia

The US$ 5 million film will bring together a well-crafted international ensemble of talent including; production designer Desmond Crowe (UK) (Band of Brothers) and director of photography Alain Choquart (France) (Boesman, Lena and Captain Conan).

Established in 2002, BFC is the first internationally sanctioned body of its kind in Indonesia working to present the advantages of filming in the country. According to BFC founder Deborah Gabinetti, “Almayer’s Folly has the potential to contribute millions of dollars to the local economies while providing a fantastic showcase for Kalimantan and an excellent opportunity to work with one of Southeast Asia’s best directors.”

Last month BFC met with Director Marc Esposito and Producer Pierre Javaux of the 2003 box office success ‘Le Coeur des Hommes’ (Frenchmen) to discuss their upcoming feature film. Starring French heartthrob Marc Lavoine, the film entitled ‘Toute la Beaute’ du Monde’ (All the Beauty of the World) will commence shooting on Bali and Lombok late 2004.

Award-Winning Filmmakers To Shoot Big Screen Feature in Indonesia