07/02/2007

Shooting began last weekend in the Belgian city of Bruges on the first feature film by Martin McDonagh, the 2006 Oscar winner for the short film Six Shooter.

For his feature debut, celebrated UK playwright McDonagh – most famous for his plays set in Ireland – has put together an ensemble European cast that features Irish stars Brendan Gleeson (who already appeared in Six Shooter) and Colin Farrell in the lead roles.

In Bruges is a dark comedy following the fates of hit men Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) who, after a difficult job in London, are ordered by their boss (Ralph Fiennes) to cool their heels in Bruges. Feeling very much out of place, the two find themselves drawn into increasingly dangerous entanglements with locals, tourists and a film shoot starring Jimmy (Jordan Prentice). Soon, their perspectives on life and death are violently skewed.

Rising French star Clémence Poesy plays a woman working on the movie who catches Ray’s eye to the displeasure of her ex-boyfriend, Eirik, played by Belgian actor Jeremie Renier (The Child [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne
film profile]).

The $12.5m film is being produced in the UK by Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin for Blueprint Pictures (Becoming Jane), with co-financing from Film4 and Scion Films. US company Focus Features (part of NBC Universal) has also provided co-financing and is handling international sales.

In a press announcement, Focus CEO James Schamus said about In Bruges: “Martin has written a screenplay that is both killingly funny and dramatically affecting, and this fine troupe of actors from all over the world will interact marvelously under his direction. We’re also very grateful for the extensive cooperation and support that Bruges is offering the production”.

The Bruges City Film Office has provided full support for the shoot, which will remain eight weeks in the Belgian city before moving to the UK.