CZECH REPUBLIC
Mozart in Prague
The UK-Czech Republic co-production “Interlude in Prague” filmed in the Czech Republic from April 4th until May 13th.
The fictionalized plot is based on the true life events of Mozart’s visit to Prague in 1787 and centers around the creation of his opera “Don Giovanni”.
“Interlude in Prague”, defined as a Shakespeare in Love-style drama with a Dangerous Liaisons tragic end”, is produced by Huw Penallt Jones from Productive International and Hannah Leader along with the local production company Stillking Films.
“Interlude in Prague” was filmed at the Barrandov Studios and in historic locations all over the country. The production is expected to spend more than € 7 million in CR and employs a crew of more than 175 people.
Written by Brian Ashby and Helen Clare Cromarty and directed by John Stephenson, the cinematography for “Interlude in Prague” is by Michael Brewster and the production designer is Luciana Arrighi (Arrighi won an Oscar for “Howards End”, 1992).
The film stars James Purefoy, Aneurin Barnard and Samantha Barks.
FRANCIA
LA Maison des Scenarists
Next month, the Atlantic Pyrenees Film Commission will be present at the Cannes Festival, in partnership with the «Maison des Scénaristes» (www.maisondesscenaristes.org), facing the port. There, the public will be able to discover the wide range of landscapes available in Bearn and the Basque country while tasting our fine gastronomy and local wines.
LITHUANIA
Tourist Route
A new tourist route was launched in Vilnius, in April, mostly designed for British tourists who wish to visit the places where the BBC’s “War and Peace” series was filmed.
The State Department of Tourism has introduced three “War and Peace” English-language routes – on foot and by bicycle in Vilnius and by car all around the country. This is the first time a film has been used to promote tourism. The six-part historical series inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s novel was filmed almost entirely in Lithuania with the support of the local production company Baltic Film Services.
BELGIUM
Screen Brussels Fund
As of 1st January 2016, the Wallimage-Bruxellimage fund has been replaced by a 100% Brussels-based co-production fund.
The new screen.brussels fund is an economic fund which supports audiovisual productions in the Brussels- Capital Region.
The total annual budget for funding schemes is € 3 million. Belgian producers can apply to receive up to € 500,000 of refundable advances.
Eligibles genres are feature films, tv-drama, tv-series, web series, documentaries, animations and special formats (3D, 4D, VR…). Director is Mr Noël Magis.
SPAIN
Heid in Cantabria
From the 31th March, Cantabria (Spain) hosts the shooting of the British-Indian film `Heidi, queen of the mountains”, directed by Bhavna Talwar, with a cast of British actors, including Bill Nighy (`Love actually’ and `Pirates of the Caribbean’), Mark Williams (`Harry Potter’ and `101 Dalmatians’), Olivia Grant (Stardust) and Helen Baxendale (Friends). Filming was made possible thanks to the support of the Cantabria Film Commission (which depends on the Ministry of Culture of Cantabria). The crew chose Spain and the region of Cantabria after visiting 20 other countries.
The crew of over a hundred people lived in the charming town of Potes for 6 weeks. This is the first film in a trilogy, all of which will be shot in Cantabria, a small but beautiful region on the north coast of Spain, with a great variety of landscapes (mountains, beaches, woods…) that is equipped with the necessary infrastructure to host a production like this.
CROATIA
Danish FIlm in Istria
Filming began on 11 April on the third part of the Danish comedy “Three Heists and a Hamster” (Alle for Tre) in numerous locations in Istria.
The film, directed by Rasmus Heide, is produced by Fridthjof Film of Copenhagen, and the servicing will be carried out by the Croatian production house Spiritus Movens.
It is about two clumsy conartist brothers, who, at the probate proceedings for their father’s will, discover that he left his greatest treasure – an old-fashioned motorcycle and sidecar – to a sister they never knew existed. The brothers head to Italy, where their sister lives, to find her and steal her valuable inheritance. Filming ended on 30 April and took in the localities of Oprtalj, Motovun, Rovinj, Barban, Pula, Bale and Kukuljanovo – Rijeka’s industrial zone.
Approximately 200 extras were hired. The production costs for 18 days of filming in Croatia will be around € 440,000 and the producers will have the right to a reimbursement of 20% of the expenditure.
