Berlin

BLOOM announced today that Sebastian Koch (Bridge of Spies, The Lives of Others, A Good Day to Die Hard), Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long, Modiggliani) and Christopher Lambert (Hail, Caesar, Highlander) have joined the cast of Bel Canto, from Academy Award® Nominee Paul Weitz who will direct the project and has adapted the screenplay with Anthony Weintraub from Ann Patchett’s international best-seller of the same name.  Academy Award® Winning actress Julianne Moore will star alongside Academy Award® Nominee Ken Watanabe. BLOOM first introduced the project at the Toronto International Film Festival and will continue sales in Berlin. WME Global is selling the U.S. rights. Principal Photography will begin in New York on February 13.

Bel Canto will feature vocals by Grammy Award Winner and National Medal of Arts Recipient Renée Fleming, the world-renowned soprano who, in 2014, was the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Her film credits include Lord of the Rings, Tintin, Margaret, and Rise of the Guardians. Academy Award® nominee Caroline Baron and Anthony Weintraub will produce Bel Canto through their company A-Line Pictures, alongside Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano through their production shingle Depth of Field.  Lizzie Friedman, Karen Lauder and Greg Little will also be producing and financing through their company Priority Pictures. 

Bel Canto is a love story set against a backdrop of immortal music and mortal danger, which sees Roxane Coss (Moore), a famous American soprano, travel to a military dictatorship in South America to give a private concert at the birthday party of rich Japanese industrialist Katsumi Hosokawa (Watanabe). Just as a handsome gathering convenes the house is taken over by guerrillas, led by General Benjamin demanding the release of their imprisoned comrades. A three month long standoff ensues in which hostages and captors must overcome their differences and find their shared humanity in the face of impending disaster. 

Koch is represented by Agentur Schlag and Conway van Gelder Grant. Elsa Zylberstein is represented by Three Six Zero Group. Fleming is represented by Untitled Entertainment, and Christopher Lambert is represented by APA and McKeon/Myones Entertainment.

In Berlin, BLOOM will also be introducing: Dragged Across the Concrete which will star Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn; The Strangers 2; and Woody Harrelson’s Lost in London. Its diversified slate includes: Josh Trank’s Fonzo starring Tom Hardy; Scott Cooper’s Hostiles starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike; Martin Zandvliet’s The Outsider starring Jared Leto; Federico D’ Alessandro’s Tau starring Maika Monroe and Ed Skrein; Paul Weitz’s Bel Canto starring Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe; Danny Strong’s Rebel in the Rye starring Nicholas Hoult; George Clooney’s Suburbicon starring Matt Damon and Julianne Moore; and Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s Woodshock starring Kirsten Dunst.

About BLOOM

BLOOM is a sales, production and financing outfit. The company represents and curates a diversified slate of films ranging from commercial, talent-driven, wide release movies, to specialty films from proven and trusted filmmakers, all the while keeping an eye towards fresh and emerging talent.