– Producers William G. Santor, CEO of Productivity Media, and Nicholas Tabarrok, President of Darius Films have lined up a stellar cast featuring Ron Perlman (Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy), Academy-Award nominee Harvey Keitel (Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction), Elias Koteas (Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line, David Cronenberg’s Crash), Joel David Moore (James Cameron’s Avatar) and new discovery 10 year old Emma Ho (Code 8, Disney’ Jr’s “Pikwik Pack”), for their new action drama The Baker.
Directed by Jonathan Sobol who’s credits include The Padre starring Nick Nolte and Tim Roth, The Art of the Steal starring Kurt Russell and Matt Dillon and A Beginners Guide to Endings starring Scott Caan, J.K. Simmons and Harvey Keitel, The Baker is written by Paolo Mancini & Thomas Michael, the duo who wrote and starred in the festival favorite Hank and Mike featuring Joe Mantegna. Production is set to commence in the Cayman Islands as part of a sweeping multi-film production deal with the Islands’ Film Commission, the Cayman’s Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and Dart Enterprises.
The Baker is the story of a quiet, stoic man played by Perlman, living a monk-like existence in self-imposed exile. When his estranged son (Moore) is killed in a drug deal gone bad and he is left to look after a granddaughter (Ho) he never knew he had, he is forced back into a life he tried to put behind him. Keitel plays his decades-long nemesis and Koteas a henchman stuck between the two. The Baker appears harmless and prefers it that way, but when circumstances force him to take violent action, it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to ‘Pappi’ than meets the eye.
Alongside Tabarrok and Santor, The Baker is produced by regular longtime collaborators Jason Jallet (Blue Iguana) and Doug Murray (The Immaculate Room). John Hills and Andrew Chang-Sang, (who both EP’d Momentum Pictures’ Black Bear, Vertical Entertainment’s Four Good Days and Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace starrer Stockholm), serve as Executive Producers.
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide distribution rights for The Baker.
The Baker producer Santor said, “The stars have aligned and we are delighted to be working with such a superb ensemble cast. The range, talent and worldwide appeal of Ron, Joel, Elias and Harvey as well as Emma, a fabulous new actress, is perfect for this elevated, high-concept story. The Cayman Islands Government continues to be thorough and complete supporters and we are particularly happy to be in production on our second film on the Islands.”
Producer Tabarrok added, “I’ve had the great fortune of working with Harvey Keitel and Elias Koteas previously, and bringing them together on screen with the great Ron Perlman couldn’t be more exciting to me. Round that out with a talent like Joel David Moore and adding this incredible natural young phenom Emma Ho, makes this a world class cast!”
The Baker marks the second film produced under a three-picture production deal between Darius Films and Productivity Media all shooting in the Islands. The first film, Blue Iguana is currently in post production. The dark comedy stars Joel David Moore, Bob Saget, Jason Jones, Carly Chaikin, Mary Lynn Rajskub and punk-rock icon Iggy Pop and tells the tale of a wealthy patriarch whose death kicks off a chain of unfortunate events after his son’s plan to reconnect with his siblings hits a snag when he discovers they all want to kill him for his inheritance.
Ron Perlman is the classically-trained actor who has appeared in numerous films, plays and television productions during his prolific career. He is best known for the title role in Guillermo del Toro’s big-budget comic book movie, Hellboy and the sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Notable film credits include The City of Lost Children, Alien: Resurrection, The Last Supper and The Name of the Rose. On TV, he is known for playing the noble lion-man Vincent, opposite Linda Hamilton, in the fantasy series “Beauty and the Beast” and also appeared in FX’s hit series, “Sons of Anarchy.”
Emma Ho is the young Canadian-born actor who is best known for playing Lina in the feature film, Code 8. Her TV credits include the Netflix series “Slasher Solstice” and Disney’ Jr’s “Pikwik Pack.”
Actor Joel David Moore appears as Norm Spellman in James Cameron’s epic science-fiction juggernaut franchise, Avatar. Additional credits include 20th Century Fox’s Dodgeball and Grandma's Boy. He recently wrapped production on Blue Iguana alongside Bob Saget and Iggy Pop. He is also a partner in Balcony 9 Productions, a feature film development fund.
Elias Koteas gained worldwide appeal and notoriety with his portrayal of Vaughan, a self-appointed "mad scientist" in David Cronenberg’s acclaimed and controversial movie Crash. His additional film credits include Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt, and David Fincher’s Zodiac. Koteas starred in NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” as Alvin "Al" Olinsky, a longtime undercover detective in the Intelligence Unit and has also appeared in episodes of “The Sopranos” and “House.”
Harvey Keitel is the legendary actor who has worked alongside such Hollywood heavyweights as Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Robert De Niro on numerous projects. He has played memorable roles in such celebrated films as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ, Thelma & Louise, Reservoir Dogs, Bad Lieutenant, Pulp Fiction, Cop Land, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Irishman. Among his many accolades, Keitel received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his turn in Barry Levinson’s Bugsy opposite Warren Beatty, won a Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in Bad Lieutenant and won an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his starring role in Jane Campion’s The Piano.
The Cayman Islands entered into the multi-production deal with Productivity Media and Darius Films earlier this year and marked a major turning point in the territory’s emerging film industry. Stringent COVID-19 guidelines have helped the Cayman Islands become a COVID safe zone. Under the comprehensive production deal, the Cayman Islands Government has facilitated access to multiple locations across the islands, hotel support for visiting cast and crew as well as expedited work permits and essential administration to allow production to start on time. Strategic partner Dart Enterprises is also providing vital hospitality and logistical support
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ABOUT PRODUCTIVITY MEDIA
Led by CEO William G. Santor, Productivity Media develops, co-produces and finances high-quality original film and TV content. With fully-fledged development, production, sales and marketing, Productivity Media is a top destination for first class feature films. The company is behind such indie darlings as the recently released Black Bear, starring Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott & Sarah Gadon, Born to be Blue, starring Ethan Hawke, The Little Hours, with Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza & John C. Reilly as well as Stockholm, starring Hawke, Mark Strong & Noomi Rapace. Productivity Media’s next film, Rodrigo Garcia’s Four Good Days starring Mila Kunis & Glenn Close, is set for release on April 30th. Currently in post-production is; Percy vs Goliath, starring Christopher Walken & Christina Ricci; Unplugging, starring Eva Longoria & Matt Walsh; the psychological thriller The Immaculate Room starring Emile Hirsch, Kate Bosworth, Ashley Greene and M. Emmet Walsh; and Blue Iguana starring Joel David Moore, Bob Saget, Jason Jones, Carly Chaikin, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Iggy Pop.
ABOUT DARIUS FILMS INCORPORATED
Darius Films is a prolific film and television production company with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. Darius Films has produced over thirty feature films which have been sold around the world and received both commercial and critical success.
Company president Nicholas Tabarrok was honored by Variety Magazine as one the “Top Ten Producers to Watch” in 2008.
ABOUT RADIANT FILMS INTERNATIONAL
Founded by industry veteran Mimi Steinbauer, Radiant Films International is an international sales company that acquires and distributes quality feature films for the foreign and U.S. markets.
Radiant Films’ slate for EFM 2021 includes the comedy Unplugging starring Eva Longoria (Golden Globe nominee for “Desperate Housewives”), Matt Walsh (Emmy nominee for “Veep”), and Lea Thompson (Back to the Future trilogy), the dramatic thriller Delia's Gone starring Stephan James (TV's "Homecoming," If Beale Street Could Talk), Marissa Tomei (Spider-Man: Far From Home) and Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell; I, Tonya), and the timely drama Percy Vs. Goliath starring Academy-Award winner Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter, Seven Psychopaths), Christina Ricci (Black Snack Moan, Speed Racer), and Zach Braff (Garden State, “Scrubs”).
28.04.2021 | Editor's blog
Cat. : FILM