SINGAPORE – 16 MAY 2005
Italian film companies Cattleya and Rai Cinema and French company Babe today announced a co-production deal with Singapore production company Oak3 Films at the Singapore Pavilion at the Cannes Film Market to produce a feature film for the international market.
With a production budget of 8 million euros, The Missing Star, will be helmed by award-winning director, Gianni Amelio. Amelio, whose works include Le Chiavi di Casa (The House Keys), Cosi Ridevano (The Way We Laughed);Il Ladro di Bambini (The Stolen Children), has garnered numerous international awards including three European Film Awards.
The Missing Star is a film about eastern and western cultural differences and tells the story of an Italian worker, who goes to China in search of a steel mill in the hope of preventing a fatal industrial mishap. The Missing Star will feature an international cast, including multiple award-winning Italian actor Sergio Castellitto, who recently starred in Non Ti Muovere (Don’t Move), which he directed, as well as Marco Bellocchio’s Ora di Religione (The Religion Hour) and Bella Martha (Mostly Martha).
Apart from Cattleya, Rai Cinema, Babe and Oak3 Films, the project is co-produced by the Swiss company Carac Film and the Italian company Achab Film and is backed by an international slate of investors, including the Council of Europe’s Eurimages fund, US and international film distributor Lakeshore, Italian distributor 01 Distribution as well as the Media Development Authority of Singapore.
These partners will also undertake the distribution of the film in their respective domain markets in more than 11 markets including the USA, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.
“Singapore’s mix of cultures positions it to be an excellent partner for European filmmakers working in Asia. We look forward to this first opportunity for our company to collaborate with Oak3 and the Singapore Film Commission,” said Mr Marco Chimenz, Executive Vice President, Cattleya.
Ms. Zaihirat Banu, Oak3 Films’ Chief Executive Officer said, “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with our European and US partners in producing this film. The Asian backdrop of this film is a strong magnet for an ideal collaboration between Oak3 and our partners.”
Commenting on the co-production, Dr Christopher Chia, Chief Executive Officer of the MDA said, “With our blend of Asian heritages and cosmopolitan outlook, Singapore is an ideal partner for international co-productions. Our unique position as an East-West gateway, combined with reliable and skilled expertise, enables us to make sound creative contributions to these projects.”
Filming for The Missing Star will take place in Shanghai and throughout China and in Genoa, Italy, while post-production work will be done in Italy and Singapore. Production is expected to commence in June 2005 and should be completed by early 2006.
For more information, please contact:
Cattleya
Ms Viviana Ronzitti
Via di San Martino ai Monti, 22
00184 Rome, Italy
Tel: (39) 06 4819524
Oak3 Films Pte Ltd
Mr Julian Chua
7 Bukit Pasoh
Singapore 089821
Tel: (65) 6226 2338
Fax: (65) 6226 2339
Email: julian@oak3films.com
Media Development Authority
Ms Tan Poh Cheng
Assistant Director
Corporate and Marketing Communications
140 Hill Street #04-00 MICA Building
Singapore 179369
Tel: (65) 6837 9369
Fax: (65) 6336 4142
Email: Tan_Poh_Cheng@imda.gov.sg
Ms Yvonne Poh
Assistant Manager
Corporate &Marketing Communications
140 Hill Street #04-00 MICA Building
Singapore 179369
Tel: (65) 6837 9894
Fax: (65) 6336 4142
Email: Yvonne_POH@imda.gov.sg
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