08/02/2013 - Ben Hopkins’ black comedy currently shooting in Georgia

London and Los Angeles based distributor and sales company Stealth Media Group is representing Ben Hopkins’ Epic at the European Film Market. The film is a black comedy drama about a confused, washed up Academy Award winning British director who gets invited by a nascent state to make a national Epic in an obscure Caucasus Republic. Currently shooting in Georgia, the production will move to German locations by the end of February. Matthew Macfadyen, MyAnna Buring and Noah Taylor star.

The film is a co-production between the UK’s Film and Music Entertainment, German’s Brandstorm Entertainment, Russia’s Metra Films and Georgia’s 20 Steps. Key financiers of the film are the British Film Institute (UK), HessenInvest Film Fund and CinePlus (both Germany), ARTE (France/Germany), German film distributor Piffl, the Georgian National Film Centre and Stealth Media who are also handling international sales on the film. Stephen Daldry (The Reader [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) executive produces and Pawel Pawlikowski (The Woman In The Fifth [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) co-wrote with Hopkins.

Hopkins (photo) said, “It’s a comedy about globalisation and nation-building, sex and art, money-laundering and love. In the case of Epic, reality is absurd, credibility is ridiculous, and authenticity is hilarious.  And all set in a fictitious country, that could be one of any number of post Soviet satellite states.”

Stealth CEO Michael Cowan said, “We have already begun pre-selling the film and it has already secured a significant German theatrical release.  We look forward to introducing the film to buyers in Berlin and to show them work in progress.”