Yahoo Movies David Cronenberg’s Sci-Fi Movie ‘Crimes of the Future’ Begins Production in Greece
Cameras have begun rolling on David Cronenberg’s sci-fi thriller “Crimes of the Future” with Tanaya Beatty (“Yellowstone”) and Nadia Litz (“Big Muddy”) joining the cast alongside Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart.
Principal photography has begun on the movie in Athens, Greece, where shooting will run until September. Additional cast members include Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Don McKellar, Lihi Kornowski, Yorgos Karamichos and Yorgos Pirpassopoulos.
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“As we begin filming ‘Crimes of the Future,’ just two days into this new adventure with David Cronenberg, it feels like we’ve entered a story he collaborated on with Samuel Beckett and William Burroughs, if that were possible,” said Mortensen in a statement. “We are being pulled into a world that is not quite like this or any other, and yet is one that feels strangely familiar, immediate and quite credible. I can’t wait to see where we end up.”
The movie, which is produced by long-time Cronenberg collaborator Robert Lantos (“Barney’s Version,” “Eastern Promises”), reunites Mortensen with the Canadian auteur, who last collaborated together on Freudian period drama “A Dangerous Method” (2011) with Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley. Before that, Cronenberg directed Mortensen in “A History of Violence” (2005) and “Eastern Promises” (2007).
Cronenberg serves up a rare original screenplay with “Crimes of the Future” (his last one was “eXistenZ” in 1999), which adds to the anticipation that’s surrounded the project since early details leaked this spring.
According to promotional materials, the film takes a deep dive into the not-so-distant future where humankind is learning to adapt to its synthetic surroundings. This evolution moves humans beyond their natural state and into a metamorphosis known as “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome” that alters their biological makeup. While some embrace the limitless potential of “transhumanism,” others attempt to police it.
“I have unfinished business with the future,” Cronenberg declared in a statement back in April.
As previously announced, Neon is handling U.S. distribution for the film. New distribution pacts include: MK2/Mile End(Canada), Metropolitan (France), Weltkino (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), The Searchers (Benelux), Argonauts Productions (Greece), Front Row (Middle East), Capella (CIS/ the Baltic States), Moviecloud (Taiwan). British sales agent Rocket Science is handling international sales.
Panos Papahadzis is producer for Athens-based Argonauts Productions and Steve Solomos is co-producer. Executive producers include Joe Iacono, Thorsten Schumacher, Peter Touche, Christelle Conan, Aida Tannyan, Victor Loewy, and Victor Hadida. Bonnie Do and Laura Lanktree are Associate Producers.
The film also unites frequent Cronenberg collaborators, award-winning production designer Carol Spier and three-time Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore. Douglas Koch is cinematographer, with Mayou Trikerioti as costume designer, Dimitris Katsikis as art director and Stefanos Efthymiou as sound recordist.
“Crimes of the Future” is a Serendipity Point Films and Argonauts Productions co-production. The Canada-Greece tie-up is produced in association with Ingenious Media, Coficine,
Telefilm Canada, Bell Media, CBC, and the Harold Greenberg Fund, with the support of EKOME and the GFC.
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