Academy Award-winner Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks, the Harry Potter series), and renowned actors Daniel Brühl (Rush, Inglourious Basterds), and Mark Rylance (The Other Boleyn Girl) have been confirmed to star in Vincent Pérezs Alone in Berlin. X-Filmes Stefan Arndt and Uwe Schott (Cloud Atlas, Amour), Master Movie’s Marco Pacchioni (Bluesbreaker, Bye Bye Blondie) are producing together with James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) with a screenplay written by Achim von Borries (Good Bye Lenin!) and Pérez.
Based on a true story, Hans Falladas powerful and redemptive novel, written shortly after the Second World War describes a city paralyzed by fear. Otto and Anna Quangel are an ordinary couple living in a shabby apartment block in Berlin trying, like everyone else, to stay out of trouble under Nazi rule. But when their only child is killed fighting at the front, their loss propels them into an extraordinary act of resistance. They start to drop anonymous postcards all over the city attacking Hitler and his regime. If caught, it means certain execution. Soon their campaign comes to the attention of the Gestapo inspector, Escherich, and a murderous game of cat-and-mouse begins. But the game serves only to strengthen Otto and Annas sense of purpose, and slowly their drab lives and marriage are transformed as they unite in their quiet but profound rebellion
Joining the production team are cinematographer Stéphan Fontaine (Rust and Bone, A Prophet), editor Francois Gédigier (On The Road) and Production Designer Jean-Vincent Puzos (Amour).
Stefan Arndt commented, We are thrilled that Emma, Daniel, and Mark were immediately as fascinated as we are of this most suspenseful love story of all times. And its a true story, bestselling 60 years after its first publication.
Marco Pacchioni said, its been a long journey since I bought the rights to the novel with Vincent Pérez seven years ago, I am happy to see so many great actors, producers and distributors join us on our adventure to bring this extraordinary work to the big screen
Alison Thompson also commented: Its a delight and a privilege to be re-uniting once again with some of my old partners on the film version of this recently re-discovered 20th Century masterpiece. It couldnt be more worthy of a film adaption and were looking forward to bringing it to audiences around the globe.
Alone in Berlin will commence pre-production during the winter of 2014 in Germany.
(Photo Credit: FayesVision / JoseWENN.com)
