21/06/2006

Swedish sales agent NonStop Sales has sold the remake rights for a German version of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh’s drama Interview, to German producers Andreas Lechner and Constantin Riedl from Berg Film.

The original Interview was produced by Gijs van de Westelaken and directed by the controversial van Gogh, who was murdered in Amsterdam in 2004. Made in 2003, Interview is the story of a middle-aged journalist (Pierre) who interviews the real-life Dutch star Katja Schuurman in her own loft. Pierre is annoyed at being given such a fluffy assignment, as he is normally a political correspondent, and initially has no questions for Katja, but soon they are coaxing their darkest secrets out of each other.

In the German remake, set to start shooting in January 2007 with a release date scheduled for the same year, German actress Yvonne Catterfeld will star.

Lechner’s previous credits include Schmetterlinge der nacht and Hot Dogs. But before the making of a German version, Interview will get a Hollywood version with Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller in the lead. The US remake is being produced by Dutch producer Gijs van de Westelaken with Bruce Weiss of New York-based Ironworks Productions.

Non-Stop Sales is handling worldwide sales of van Gogh’s Interview.