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

Exciting Oman -- Olympic Village, Award-Winning Luxury Hotels and Exotic Adventure Trails Among Others

(Vocus) October 17, 2008

Not just another remote exotic locale named by Vogue Magazine as the 2008 destination of the year, Oman seems to be holding her own in the way of attracting international public interest, not to mention tourist dollars.

First on the list is by being chosen to host the second Asian Beach Games in 2010 after Bali. The initial phase of construction for the Olympic village is successfully underway in a picturesque area near the coastal town of Mussanah, an hour’s drive from Muscat, Oman’s capital city.

By hosting the Asian Beach Games, Oman will also benefit from the legacy of world-class sporting facilities, one three-star hotel, and meeting and conference facilities that will eventually draw numerous future luxury developments.

Luxury travel lifestyle is already a big part of Omani tourism. Visitors to The Chedi, Muscat were so taken by the magnificent luxury resort that they ranked it tops in Condē Nast Traveller magazine’s Readers Travel Awards 2008 out of all the hotels in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Director-General of Tourism Promotion Mr Salim Al-Mamari is working intensively with their appointed ASEAN representative, Stellar Consulting Group, to further promote Oman in Asia. Currently countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are the key focus because travellers are more cosmopolitan, travel-savvy and constantly looking for new avenues of exploration.

According to Hazik Mohamed, MD of Stellar Consulting Group, “Oman makes a great candidate for a new destination among these travellers as the country features diverse real estate which home a wide-range of popular tourist attractions. Large hotels and tourist resorts draw in the crowds as well as wadis, deserts, beaches, and mountains are areas which make Oman unique to its neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Bahrain, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E).”

For instance, Jebel Shams is Oman’s tallest mountain or highest point at 3,000 metres, and is a popular destination for tourists who like to go mountain-crossing, for it is also known as the Grand Canyon of the Middle East and it offers spectacular sights.

Tourists may also enjoy more adventurous or eco-travel activities such as sand skiing in the desert, mountain-climbing, base-jumping, and caving or spelunking. The international reputation for diving in Oman is also growing tremendously as it is seen as one of the best undiscovered marine sanctuaries in the world.”

About Stellar Consulting Group (StellarCG)

StellarCG is a next generation destination marketing firm that focuses on connecting little-known tourist destinations regionally in Southeast Asia. Its practice draws on a wealth of global experience providing innovative strategies for the current climate of travel and tourism industry. With its strategic alliances, StellarCG is better positioned to formulate strategies that allow destinations to gain a competitive edge while attracting wealthier, more responsible segments of the international tourism market.

The firm helps a wide clientele in both the private and public sectors locally as well as internationally.

For more information, visit : http://www.stellarcg.com/oman

For press and media enquiries, hi-res images or interviews, please contact:

Ms Ana Ismail

Account Manager (PR)

Crocmedia Singapore

Direct: +65 6837 8018

Mobile: +65 9791 9847

Email: ana @ crocmedia.com

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Exciting Oman -- Olympic Village, Award-Winning Luxury Hotels and Exotic Adventure Trails Among Others