Asger Leth Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Josh Brolin Joins the 'Cartel'
Filed under: Drama », Casting »
In Milk, Josh Brolin got to play the man who wanted Sean Penn's Harvey Milk out of the way. Now, Brolin gets to be the acclaimed actor's replacement. Variety reports that Brolin has signed on to star in Asger Leth's Cartel -- the role that Penn vacated back in June when he decided to take a break from Hollywood and focus on his personal life.Inspired by the early '90s Italian film called La scorta, Cartel follows Ed Marker (Brolin) -- a man who "journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican cartels." This is a big jump from the original film, which focused on the struggles of four cops trying to keep a prosecutor safe while mob bosses were brought to justice. So much for a remake!
But what do you think of the switch? I think it goes without saying that Brolin's talents are certainly worthy, but how do you think the change in actors will affect the film? Considering the gritty beauty of Leth's Ghosts of Cite Soliel, I think Brolin's the perfect match. It's no stretch to imagine him sliding into Leth's visual style whilst battling drug-dealing baddies, although it would've been nice to see Penn take on a rough gig like that. Production begins this January in Mexico City.
Sean Penn Wants to Join a 'Cartel'
Filed under: Drama », Casting », Deals »
If there's a project to watch over the next few years, it's this one.Variety reports that Sean Penn is in talks to star in a new movie called Cartel. That's noteworthy on its own, but it's downright irresistible when you know who is directing it: Asger Leth -- the man behind the beautifully gritty and stunning documentary The Ghosts of Cite Soliel. This project isn't new, however. This is the La Scorta remake that Leth boarded all the way back in 2007 -- and it looks like things have changed a bit.
The film was originally intended to be a close remake, focusing on cops struggling to guard a prosecutor who is about to go up against the mob. However, it "evolved into an action vehicle for Penn." Now, the Peter Craig script will focus on "Ed Marker as he journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican cartels." It's a bit of a jump, but one that should work well for this duo -- Penn's Oscar winning acting chops merged with Leth's directorial eye -- one that should move smoothly from Haiti's slums to the gritty areas of Mexico. And hey, any diversions from a spot-on remake are a good thing.
If Penn officially signs on, production will start by summer. My fingers are crossed!
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Asger Leth to Direct Ancient Olympic Romance
Filed under: Drama », Romance », Deals », Scripts », War »
Armed with only a 16 mm and video camera, Asger Leth entered Cite Soliel in Haiti, which the UN has called "the most dangerous place on Earth," to film the story of two chimeres -- gang leaders who run areas of Cite Soliel. The result of this effort is The Ghosts of Cite Soliel -- a gorgeous and gripping documentary that seems more like a carefully crafted narrative feature than a revealing documentary. And now the Danish director is going mainstream.Variety reports that he has signed on to direct Columbia Pictures' upcoming film, Olympia. Penned by Saving Private Ryan scribe Robert Rodat, with a rewrite by director Gavin Hood (Wolverine), Olympia focuses on a love story "set against the backdrop of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece as war waged between Athens and Sparta."
Perhaps the similarities between Ghosts and Olympia is what brought the director to the project, but whatever the case -- I can't wait to see what Leth does with the story. The man has a great eye, and it'll be interesting to see what he does under normal circumstances, rather than exacerbated danger.
This is also the second feature Leth has signed on for. As Jessica shared last September, he's also attached to La Scorta, an Italian crime thriller.
Ghosts of Cité Soleil Trailer is Online
Filed under: Documentary », Drama », Independent », Trailer Trash », Cinematical Indie »
Last November, I alerted you to some news about Asger Leth's freshman documentary, the Ghosts of Cité Soleil -- a film that has been traveling around film festivals from Telluride to Toronto. At the time, the documentary was planned to be released some time between January and May of this year. While it's going a little beyond schedule, we finally have a limited release date in the U.S. of June 27th. To top that off, beyond the excellent, detailed website that houses everything from words and letters to a myriad of clips, a trailer has finally popped up.The doc follows the lives of two Chiméres (loosely translated as "ghosts") leaders and brothers, Bily and 2pac, during the tumultuous end of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's reign in Haiti. They not only led the gang, but also worked as Aristide's secret army. The new trailer gives a good overview of the volatility of the situation, from news clips and battles to interviews with the brothers, but it doesn't touch much upon the strong narrative. A lot of the drama centers on 2pac, who is not only embroiled in a love affair with Lele, a French relief worker, but also dreams of being a rapper, recording anti-Aristide songs during the day before guarding the President's house at night. Being in the exact right place at the right time, Leth and his co-director Milos Loncarevic recorded Bily and 2pac's lives as they spun out of control -- both within the political climate and in their personal relationship. The trailer is a bit tiny, but it's definitely worth the eye-time.
[via Twitch]
The Arrival of The Ghosts of Cité Soleil
Filed under: Documentary », Drama », Distribution »
At TIFF this year, I saw everything from killer blobs to a bald guy floating in space. However, what sticks out the most in my memory is not a carefully-woven fictional tale. It's a documentary. I'm not quite sure what attracted me to the Ghosts of Cité Soleil, but as soon as I saw the screencap in the film guide, I knew I had to see it. The morning of the screening, I bemoaned the lack of sleep I had from Midnight Madness screenings and hoped that I would be able to stay awake. When the film started, all my tiredness disappeared.
Ghosts captures a volatile time in Haiti, during the end of Aristide's power. It centers on the lives of Bily and 2Pac, leaders of the Chiméres, a gang in the slum of Cité Soleil. The twist in their story is that they work for then-President Aristide. Unlike many documentaries where the stories have to be strong to pull the viewer in, Ghosts packs a double punch -- the story is compelling, but it also unfolds like a carefully-written drama.
First-time director Asger Leth stumbled onto a story at its most volatile, and it unfolded before him. A recent article in Filmmaker Magazine noted that the film was to be released this year, but it appears that Leth has recently posted on a belfim.com message board stating that the film is to be released at the earliest in January 2007, and the latest, in May. If this seems up your alley, the film's website has a small clip and mailing list.
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