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21-01-2013

Tax Rebate Brings Filmmakers Back to Czech Republic

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    Morgan Freeman in The Last Knights, dir. Kazuaki Kiriya Morgan Freeman in The Last Knights, dir. Kazuaki Kiriya

    PRAGUE: Five large international productions are moving forward with filming in the Czech Republic due to the continuation of the films incentives programme (FISP). The projects applied to the programme in 2012.

    Stillking Films (http://www.stillking.com/) started production on Crossing Lines in fall 2012. The French-Czech coproductionis a TV crime series about a special crime unit that hunts down criminals across Europe. Prague locations are standing in for Paris, Berlin, Vienna, parts of Italy, and the Netherlands, and in some episodes Prague also plays itself. The series stars William Fichtner and Donald Sutherland along with Germany's Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones), French actor-singer Marc Lavoine, Gabriella Pession (Wilfred), Genevieve O'Reilly (Episodes) and Richard Flood (Titanic: Blood and Steel). Shooting is scheduled through February 2013 with the Czech spend of approximately 10 m EUR (252 m CZK). Crossing Lines will air on TF1 in France and on Sony Pictures Television Networks' AXN channels across 81 countries.

    Czech Anglo Production (http://www.filmcommission.cz/directory/subject/s/67) has two projects supported by the FISP. The Musketeers, a series based on Alexandre Dumas' novel The Three Musketeers, will shoot in Prague and the surrounding area from late March until October 2013. Pre-production is now underway in Prague. Czech locations and sets will stand in for 18th century France and will figure in the first 10-part season of the show. Cast and crew are to be announced.

    Czech Anglo Production is also coproducing The Last Knights, aKorean/US project is produced by Korean Luka Production and US Route One Films (Rush Hour). Japan’s Kazuaki Kiriya directs from a screenplay by Michael Konyves. The action adventure film is set in an unspecified era and centers on a band of warriors who seek to avenge the loss of their master at the hands of a corrupt emperor.  The film features an international headed by Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman along with Ahn Sung-ki (Sector 7, Unbowed) and Park Si-yeon (The Scent). The 10-week shoot began in late autumn 2012 using historical Czech locations, with the Czech spend of approximately 4m EUR (100 m CZK).

    Two other international projects have received funding and are expected in the Czech Republic in 2013: The City of Lies with Tim Robins coproduced by Milk & Honey Films (http://www.milkandhoneyfilms.com) and 1864 from Sirena Film (www.sirenafilm.com).