05-04-2010

PRODUCTION: So I Say in preproduction

By Iulia Blaga

    Bogdan Dumitrescu Dreyer is in preproduction with So I Say starring Gerard Depardieu and Harvey Keitel, with shooting set for August 28 - October 9, 2010, in the Romanian city of Sighişoara.

    The story is takes place during WWII when a German soldier is found dead near a village. Either the local authorities find the guilty one, or they will be all shot by the Nazis the next morning. Unable to find the guilty party, they promise a hero's funeral for the village madmen if he will die at their place. Gerard Depardieu will play the madman, while Harvey Keitel plays the village priest. The cast already includes Romanian actors Dorel Vişan, Bogdan Iancu, Alexandru Bindea, Gabriel Spahiu, Adina Cartianu, and Mihai Constantin.

    The script, written by Piero de Bernardi (co-writer at Once Upon A Time In America) and Romanian Anuşavan Salamanian, is inspired by the novella The Death of Ipu bu Titus Popovici. An earlier Romanian film based on this novella, Then I Sentenced Them All to Death (1972) by Sergiu Nicolaescu, was written by the book's author.

    So I Say is produced by Giuliano Doman and Tandem Film Production (www.tandemfilm.com). Coproducers are Daniel Zuta and the German company Harbour Entertainment GmbH (www.zutafilm.de), and Catherine Dussart and the French company CDP Productions (cdpproductions.fr). The budget is 2,639,570 euro. The film is also supported by: the National Centre for Cinema (www.cncinema.abt.ro) and the local agencies United Media Services, The Media Partnership, Starcom MediaVest Group, BV McCann Erickson, Mediaedgecia and Mindshare Media.

    The DOP is Marius Panduru, the art director Paolo Rocco Innamorato, and the sound engineer Andre Rigout. The film will be distributed by Transilvania Film (www.transilvaniafilm.ro) in Romania and by Farbfilm-Veleih (www.farbfilm-verleih.de) in Germany. The Romanian premiere is tentatively set for September 2011. The film will in French, with Romanian and English subtitles. The Romanian title is Condamnat la viaţă.

    Born in Romania, and emigrated in Italy where he graduated film directing and scriptwriting at the University of Rome in 1987, Bogdan Dumitrescu was the first filmmaker who made a feature after the Romanian Revolution. His first film, A Cold Place In The Sun (1990) was distributed in France, Germany, Italy, and Romania. Dumitrescu made also Thalassa, Thalassa (1993), the Tiger Award at Rotterdam IFF, The Last Station (1998) and Never Enough (2004).

    Production information
    Tandem Film Production
    8 Domniţa Ancuţa street

    1st district

    010942 BucharestRomania

    Phone: +40.21.317.22.01

    Fax:+40.21.317.22.02

    www.tandemfilm.com

    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Harbour Entertainment GmbH
    Kleine Nelkenstr. 17

    60488 Frankfurt Germany

    Phone: +49 69/ 25. 37. 35

    Fax: +49 69/ 23. 90. 58

    http://www.zutafilm.de/contact.html

    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


    CDP Production
    25, rue Gambetta

    92100 Boulognetel:

    +33. 1. 46. 05. 00. 22

    fax: +33. 1. 46. 05. 02. 59

    http://cdpproductions.fr/cinema/110901This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Credits
    Director: Bogdan Dumitrescu Dreyer

    Script: Piero de Bernardi and Anuşavan Salamanian

    DOP: Marius Panduru

    Art director: Paolo Rocco Innamorato

    Sound engineer: Andre Rigout

    Cast: Gerard Depardieu

    Harvey Keitel

    Dorel Vişan

    Bogdan Iancu

    Alexandru Bindea

    Gabriel Spahiu

    Adina Cartianu

    Mihai Constantin