07/03/2008

Icelandic filmmaker Dagur Kári has hired rising US star Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) and veteran Scottish actor Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity) for his first English-language film, The Good Heart, which starts principal photography in April in New York and Iceland.

Dano and Cox previously worked together in the 2001 Sundance hit L.I.E. by Michael Cuesta. In The Good Heart, Cox plays Jacques (57), a cynical and misanthropic bar owner who suffers from heart problems. While waiting in hospital for the test results of his fifth heart attack, he is introduced to Lucas (25), a young homeless man brought in after trying to commit suicide. Jacques takes Lucas under his wing.

The Good Heart is Kári’s third feature film after his successful Icelandic debut Noi Albinoi (2003) and his Danish film Dark Horse [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2005.

The project, which has been several years in development, is produced by Skuli Fr. Malmquist and Thor S. Sigurjonsson for Zik Zak Productions, and executive produced by Joni Sighvatsson, Robin O’Hara and Scott Macaulay. It is co-produced by Ex Nihilo (France), Forensic Films (US) and Nimbus Film (Denmark), with support from the Danish Film Institute, the Icelandic Film Centre, Eurimages and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

“We are very excited to have Paul and Brian on board, consummate professionals and terrific actors, who share a great chemistry that is invaluable to the project,” commented Malmquist. “During the last couple of weeks of rehearsals they have proved that they fit the roles of Lucas and Jacques perfectly. Furthermore, we hope to announce the name of a very talented European actress very shortly."

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