Vinyan

[rai]

Hello all! Heard from Rufus today. He is indeed in Virginia being Alexander Hamilton. Said it was a relatively small but good part, and was in excellent company. Also said his next film would be shot in Thailand and would be something he's never done before. Sounds like a horror film from what I can gather. I searched and found this article and another blurb on a "gore" site.

YAY!

Rai

Production – Belgium
Sewell and Béart haunt in Vinyan
British actor Rufus Sewell has confirmed that he will star in Vinyan, the second feature by Fabrice du Welz .

A former theatre and television actor, Sewell, first came to public acclaim in Alex Proyas’ sombre and offbeat Dark City. More recent films in which he has starred include Neil Burger’s The Illusionist and Nancy Meyer’s The Holiday.

Sewell will head the bill alongside French actress Emmanuelle Béart, whose role was confirmed a few months ago, in a film about a couple who get lost in post-tsunami Thailand while searching for their missing child.

With its story of two people undertaking an increasingly crazy search in the midst of a jungle (see news), Vinyan - meaning "ghost" in Thai – promises to be just as disturbing as the director’s previous feature, The Ordeal.

Cinematography is by Belgian DoP Benoît Debie (see interview), winner of the Best Cinematography award at the Sundance Film Festival this year.

Vinyan is scheduled to start what is expected to be a logistically challenging 10-week shoot – alternating between the city and jungle – in mid-May.

Produced by France’s Michaël Gentile for The Film with the UK’s FilmFour and co-produced with the director through his production outfit, One Eyed, and Dominque Janne of K2 Productions, the film has been backed by the Communauté française and Wild Bunch who are handling the film’s French distribution and international sales.

With a projected €4m budget, the title is expected to find other co-producers, including Canal+ and ARTE, among others.

Anne Feuillère

cineuropa.org/newsdetail.aspx?lang=en&documentID=76328

[rai]

More from the same Cineuropa webpage. It sounds good!

Rai


July 7, 2006

Production – Belgium
Fabrice du Welz meets Asian ghosts
After his first feature, The Ordeal, presented in Critics’ Week 2004, Fabrice du Welz is currently preparing his next film, "Vinyan, which means "ghost" in Thai", explained the director at the Brussels European Film Festival where he is member of the jury.

The story is about an English couple in Thailand who are mourning the death of their son and then go deep into the jungle in search of the son who the mother thought she had seen on a videocassette. From the very realistic opening scenes based on the aftermath of the tsunami in Thailand, "we are plunged into the couple’s decline, these two increasingly alone and vulnerable characters who gradually become ghostlike figures".

"With this film" du Welz says, "even if I am walking a very fine line, I do everything I can to make it as striking as possible. Because it is about placing the audience in an empathetic relationship with this couple so that they see a reflection of themselves, that of a society incapable of facing up to the truth in order to accept the death of closest ones.

The film itself is a contrast between two worlds: the East and the West, comparing in particular the idea of death in our world, where it is a real taboo, to that in the East where it is seen as part of life. However, while I try to have stories that are as powerful as possible, ones that move and interest me, what matters most is the way I can present these in a film.”

Behind the camera, du Welz will once again work with Benoît Debie (see interview), the DoP of his short film Quand on est amoureux, c'est merveilleux (lit. “When We Are In Love, It Is Wonderful”) and The Ordeal, to try out new methods, "very long shots in the jungle" and realist photography "à la Debie": “Unlike The Ordeal, which uses a type of realism where each time the shift takes place through very brutal scenes, I wanted this film to be quite odourless, colourless, so that we couldn’t notice it…"

[GreenEyesToo]

Oooohhhh!

Sounds intriguing!

Not so keen to hear that his role in JA is small, though. Boy, is he going to be racking up those air miles!!

Thanks, Rai

Found another synopsis here:

www.backupfilms.com/Films/Vinyan.htm

A European couple make a desperate bid to find their lost child who dispeared after the Tsunami that hit Thailand. First journeying to the hazardous waters of the pirate patrolled Thai/Burmese coast, they eventually find themselves in the jungle where they must confront the ultimate danger ...
In Thai, Vinyan is a spirit, a lost soul that torments the living.

[maxx02]

this sounds really interesting. I like the idea of it. It sounds as if it has great potential.

I have added Calvaire to my netflix queue to see what this director is about.

[pattirose]

Woohoo - great news!

[ukelelehip]

YAY, sounds thrilling, what excellent, excellent news!!! Woohoo!!

Shooting in Thailand, it's alright for some!! ;D

[ree]

This all sounds very interesting!
Thank you rai for letting us know.

The jungle ......
I've read about excursions into
the jungle. Hope they will be prepared
and careful. (worried frown)

[ukelelehip]

Btw, I wonder if this has anything to do with that note I read on Ginny's guest book a while ago about the DP from Paris Je T'aime wanting to get in touch with Rufus for his feature film... since this is a Belgian production... (is it a Belgian production ?? are these even the same people ?? ok, taking a wild stab here and doing some random connect-the-dots)

[jemima]

this is EXCELLENT news indeed! thanks for sharing Rai. so fab that he keeps you up to date with stuff. ;D

[ukelelehip]

Ok, it's just sunk in that this is going to be a horror... I'm not good with horror flicks... will have to watch this with my eyes closed... damn!

[maxx02]

don't jump the gun on that one Uke. It "sounds" as if it could be a psychological thriller. I can't imagine what would be in "classic" horror for Rufus. There isn't usually much acting involved in them. But a psychological thriller, now that could be really spectacular.

You know Rai, you have to be more thorough in your questioning of Rufus from now on. ;D These things are important.

[ukelelehip]

Ooh, I hope you're right. I could go for a Deliverance style thing set in Thailand, that would be good.

[etherealtb]

Cool! This sounds interesting.

I'm a bit bummed to hear that Ruf's Alexander Hamilton will only be a small part. Damn! But I must remember, this series is called "John Adams" not "Alexander Hamilton". ;D

[sevensisters]

rai said:

Hello all! Heard from Rufus today. He is indeed in Virginia being Alexander Hamilton. Said it was a relatively small but good part, and was in excellent company. Also said his next film would be shot in Thailand and would be something he's never done before. Sounds like a horror film from what I can gather.

I didn't realize you knew Rufus, as well, Rai. Lucky you! Is there a story you could share with us about how you met him? Or have you already done so and I just missed it somehow?

As to Alexander Hamilton, I was hoping it would be be a larger part. That's a bit disappointing. And the new film is to be a horror type film, or maybe a disaster film, from the description? He does a little of every kind of role, lots of variety!

[rai]

Rufus used the word "terrifying", but I don't know if he meant the movie or the actual filming of it.

When you read the director's description, it does sound like more of a psychological thing. I watched the trailer of The Ordeal. I hope it's NOTHING like that.

Rai