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Epic: Video of filming/preparation and Interview with Matthew Macfadyen

The video is in Georgian but if you are patient or decide to skip to 2:21 you can see Matthew Macfadyen being interviewed for Epic.

(thanks to luce and the GNFC)

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Ripper Street: Second Series to begin filming in April

MyAnna Buring, who stars with Matthew Macfadyen in Ripper Street and will be starring with Matthew in the film Epic had told a Swedish newspaper the following.

She begins by saying Epic is filming in January 2013. [Translation by the imperfect google translation:]

And MyAnna Buring has been busy in 2013:

- In January I go to Georgia to record a comedy called "Epic" with a director named Ben Hopkins . Where do I play against Matthew Macfadyen again, we play in "Ripper Street" also and it will be fun to play a completely different role with him, she says.

Here MyAnna says that filming for series 2 of Ripper Street will be from April to August.

After waiting the new recordings of "Downton Abbey" and then MyAnna have also been told that even "Ripper Street" gets a second season:

- It will be in april we are recording the continuation of the series. So it takes me until August so it looks like it will be a pretty full 2013 too, she says.

 

source

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Epic: Matthew Macfadyen confirmed & filming begins in January

It's been a question of will Epic ever be filmed and will Matthew Macfadyen be a part of it.  Epic was originally supposed to begin in October 2012 but then was delayed for financial or political reasons.

Recently, we learned that German capital was being invested in Epic, with Matthew's name still attached.  Later, we found out that both Matthew and Patrick Stewart's name were associated with Epic but again, weren't sure that it was old information or new.

We, next, found the Scotsman Magazine article in which Matthew himself said the following:

One of the projects he had lined up has just fallen through, but Macfadyen is philosophical about that. “I was going to make a film called Epic. It’s a very funny comedy about filmmaking in a fictional post-Soviet state. Some of the money came from a Russian film foundation.

“But a week before shooting was supposed to begin, they gave it a quick read, and all of a sudden they pulled the money. The script pokes fun at the post-Soviet world and tinpot dictators. So they might have been worried about the reaction of some real-life leaders…”

There it was, we thought.  The project was dead.

Then, Ben Hopkins, the writer/director wrote the following on his website:

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013: On the 15th of Jan, shooting starts on one of the scripts I wrote with Pawel Pawlikowski... a comedy called EPIC, set in a fictitious Central Asian/Caucasian country called "Karastan" and dealing with (at least some of) the absurdities of making films, and fillm festivals. I am directing, the crew is Georgian and German, the budget is tight, the weather cold, the prospects nevertheless good. The shoot finishes off in Frankfurt at the end of February.

Exciting news, but still no direct confirmation that Matthew was still a part of Epic.

In the end, Ben Hopkins himself has answered our question.  He has told one of our forum members that filming begins on January 15th and Matthew Macfadyen and Myanna Buring are confirmed!

(A huge thank you to Matthew, Ben, Jane, Arco, Luce and Marina who have all been involved at various times in confirming that Matthew is a part of Epic)

 

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WELCOME TO KARASTAN (2014)

Genre: A Gentle Black comedy/Drama

Written: by Ben Hopkins and Pawel Pawlikowski

Synopsis: Indie Film Director Emil D Miller (Matthew Macfadyen) is down on his luck. Washed-up and mentally unstable. An illustrious start - Academy Award for best short, Hollywood acclaim - has fizzled out into a series of meetings with pretentious Advertising types. Jenny, his agent wants him to do some adverts. Maria, his cleaner, wants him to buy more toilet duck. He needs a change. 

So when he receives an invitation to the Embassy of the Autonomous Republic of Karastan, he decides to go. Besides, the champagne is free. Little does he know that this could be the start of something big. Something Epic.

At the party President Aleluyev invites him to a film festival in the newly formed Republic of Karastan to attend a retrospective of Emil’s films. Emil is a little surprised - especially as the festival takes place in one week. Still why what has he got to lose? Besides, it gives him a chance to spend more time with Chulpan (Chulpan Khamatova), the quick, clever and beautiful film representative.

So he leaves behind Wolfgang, the dog, and heads to Karastan. The retrospective goes well. He meets Christopher Lambert - famous, handsome and on a permanent bender. After a crazy few days during which Lambert propositions him, Chulpan flirts with him and Emil screens his sophisticated adult film to an audience of bemused children, at least Emil is having fun. And the President asks him to direct Tanat, the movie - a huge epic film telling the story of Karastani fourteenth century medieval hero and founder.

In spite of some doubts Emil agrees. He is being followed by a mysterious shadow, the local film - makers are hostile - why is a foreigner making their national epic? And there seems to be some insurrection in the country. But, like all film-makers, Emil is a genius at ignoring inconvenient reality. 

One press conference later, Emil has his lead actor - Christopher Lambert (as himself). The local press goes wild. Emil closes his eyes and wonders what on earth he has got himself into.

But surprisingly - Christopher Lambert is brilliant as Tanat. Emil spends happy days directing a cast of thousands in elaborate battle scenes. Meanwhile, he has fallen in love with Chulpan and she seems to reciprocate - they spend a romantic night together and Emil, for a film director, is almost happy. .

Until his lead actor is kidnapped, he discovers that Chulpan is not who she seems and President Aleluyev is overthrown in a military coup.

As bombs explode around him and Chulpan tells him she is actually working for the rebels, all of their lives are in danger. But all this is nothing compared to his real problem - how is he going to finish the film?

Matthew Macfadyen Role: Indie Film Director Emil D Miller

Status: Currently in post production. Filming began January 2013 in Georgia and ended in Germany and London in late March/early April.

External Links:

Darcylicious Links:

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Epic: Matthew Macfadyen's next project

Here's what Matthew Macfadyen has confirmed about his next project called Epic

  • It is a 'gentle black comedy'
  • Will be filmed in Georgia next month
  • His character will be a film director

What we've dug up.

Epic is a gentle black comedy about a confused, washed up British director who gets invited by a nascent state to make a national Epic in an obscure Caucasus Republic. The country led by an eccentric, enigmatic, if corrupt, benign dictator. It is a comedy and love story set against the backdrop of beautiful country fast falling into a state of disintegration.

It appears that the cast of this project has changed from older reports, at least we now know that Matthew Macfadyen is  the filmmaker/director.

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