This seems to imply that they think Johnny might be involved in this project if it works with his schedule. Hmmmm I can't help but wonder if this is another way to get publicity for this project by using his name.

Can anyone translate please? Thanks

http://www.latercera.cl/medio/articulo/0,0...1854196,00.html

Johnny Depp y Javier Bardem protagonizarán película kasaja
La cinta es una coproducción de Estados Unidos y Kazajistán basada en la novela Waiting for the Barbarians de John Maxwell Coetzee.


03/02/2008 13:50

Kazajistán, ofendido hace un año por Borat y recompensado ahora con su primera nominación a los Óscar con Mongol, prepara el rodaje de una coproducción a la que han sido invitados actores de la talla de Johnny Depp y Javier Bardem.
Los actores estadounidense y español han aceptado protagonizar una película, coproducción de Estados Unidos y Kazajistán, que se rodará el año que viene en la estepa kazaja y cuya dirección ha sido ofrecida al director taiwanés Ang Lee.

Así lo anunció esta semana la cineasta kazaja Gulnará Sarsénova, que será productora de la futura cinta junto al norteamericano Michael Fitzgerald y al director francés Luc Besson quien además planea hacerse cargo de la distribución de la película.

El filme se basará en la novela Waiting for the Barbarians (Esperando a los bárbaros, 1980) del surafricano John Maxwell Coetzee, Premio Nobel de Literatura 2003 y dos veces Premio Booker, dijo Sarsénova en entrevista al periódico digital kazajo Caravan.

"Ya hemos adquirido los derechos para llevar a la pantalla esa novela, que ha fascinado a mi amigo y socio, Fitzgerald. Durante su visita a Kazajistán, él quedó maravillado y decidió rodar aquí la película", explicó.

Precisó que ella ha colaborado con Fitzgerald en el rodaje de la cinta In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead (En la niebla eléctrica con los muertos confederados), dirigida por el francés Bertrand Tavernier y basada en una novela negra de James Lee Burke.

El papel principal en In the Electric Mist, ahora en estado de postproducción, lo interpreta el actor estadounidense Tommy Lee Jones, quien asimismo será invitado al nuevo filme junto a otro famoso actor, Jack Nicholson, indicó Sarsénova.

"Planeamos que el papel principal, el del Coronel, lo interprete Johnny Depp. Michael ya habló con él, y Johnny en principio dio su consentimiento, aunque en definitiva todo dependerá de si encuentra tiempo entre las filmaciones", señaló la productora kazaja.

Añadió que "el segundo papel más importante, el del juez, se ofreció al magnífico actor español Javier Bardem, dos veces nominado al Óscar, quien asimismo ha aceptado la propuesta".

La productora precisó que los preparativos del rodaje comenzarán el próximo otoño, una vez que haya claridad con el director y elenco de la cinta y cuando el propio John Coetzee termine de elaborar el guión basado en su novela.

Según Sarsénova, en el rodaje de In the Electric Mist trabajó un equipo de 150 personas, pero para filmar Waiting for the Barbarians Fitzgerald se propone traer a ese país de Asia Central a solo una veintena de profesionales, y contratar al resto en el lugar.

La productora confirmó la intención del Gobierno kazajo de estrenar este año el primer festival internacional de cine de Kazajistán, al que serán invitados, entre otros, los actores Jack Nicholson, Tommy Lee Jones, Faye Dunaway, y los directores Peter Bogdanovich, Michael Moore y Luc Besson.

El festival probablemente se celebrará en junio próximo, aunque todavía queda por decidir si será en la nueva capital administrativa del país, Astaná, o en la vieja, AlmaAtá, señaló.

Kazajistán, hace poco desconocido por el mundo del cine, hace un año se sintió ofendido y ridiculizado por Borat, filme del actor y guionista británico Sasha Baron Cohen quien encarna al excéntrico periodista, por presentar aparentemente al país y a sus habitantes como racistas, salvajes, antisemitas, misóginos e incestuosos.

Sin embargo, el DVD de la película arrasó en Kazajistán, y sus autoridades reconsideraron su posición y renunciaron a querellarse con Borat, al comprender que se trataba de una farsa que, más que a ese país, ridiculizaba la realidad de Estados Unidos.

Y ahora, Kazajistán se estrenó como candidato a los Óscar con Mongol, filme que relata la juventud de Genghis Khan y que fue nominado en la categoría de mejor película extranjera.

Mongol, dirigida por el ruso Sergei Bodrov, se centra en la Mongolia del siglo XII en la que el niño Temudgin, de nueve años, se prepara para ser el guerrero Genghis Khan, quien antes de conquistar el mundo fue un esclavo.

Agencias

This is a machine translation with some corrections by me, especially where they talk about Johnny. I really hope this comes true as it sounds like a magnificent project. Note how much Borat appears to have upset and embarrassed Kazakhstan. They feel partly vindicated now since a film of theirs is up for a best foreign movie Oscar. Shame on SBC.

JOHNNY DEPP AND JAVIER BARDEM INVITED TO STAR IN A FILM THAT WILL BE SHOT IN KAZAKHSTAN
FEB 3, 2008
(11: 05 A.M.)

Moscow. - Kazakhstán, victimized for a year by “Borat” and now compensated with its first Oscar nomination for “Mongol”, has been preparing the running of a coproduction to which they have invited actors of the stature of Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem.

The American and Spanish actors have accepted to star in the film, coproduction of the United States and Kazakhstán, that will roll next year in the Kazakh steppes and whose direction has been offered to Oscar winning Taiwanese director Ang Lee.

The Kazakh film director Gulnará Sarsénova announced it this week. She will be producing of the film along with the North American Michael Fitzgerald and the French director Luc Besson, who also plans to distribute the film, revealed Efe.

The film will be based on the novel “Waiting for the Barbarians” (1980) of the South Africano John Maxwell Coetzee, Nobel prize winner for Literature in 2003 and twice Booker Prize, said Sarsénova in an interview with the digital Kazakh newspaper “Caravan”.

“ We have already acquired the rights to take to the screen that novel, that has fascinated to my friend and partner, Fitzgerald. During his visit to Kazakhstán, it was astonished and decided to roll the film here ", she explained.

He needed that she has collaborated with Fitzgerald in the running of the tape “In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead " (In the electrical fog with confederados deads), directed by the French Bertrand Tavernier and cradle in a black novel of James Lee Burke.

The main paper in “In the Electric Mist”, now in postproduction state , interprets the American actor Tommy Lee Jones, who also will be invited to the new one films next to another famous “ oscarizado” interpreter, Jack Nicholson, indicated Sarsénova.

“We planned that the main role, the one of the Colonel, would be acted by Johnny Depp. Michael already spoke with him, and Johnny in principle gave his consent, although really everything will depend if he finds time between shooting his other films ", indicated the Kazakh producer.

She added that “the second more important role, the one of the judge, was offered to the magnificent Spanish actor Javier Bardem, twice nominated for an Oscar, who also has accepted the proposal ".

The producer needed that the preparations of the running will begin the next autumn, once there is clarity with the director and elenco of the tape and when the own John Coetzee finishes elaborating the script based on his novel.

According to Sarsénova, in the running of “In the Electric Mist” a team of 150 people worked, but to film “ Waiting for the Barbarians” Fitzgerald sets out to bring to that country of single Central Asia to a twenty of professionals, and to contract the rest in situ.

The producer confirmed the intention of the Government kazajo to release this year the first international festival of cinema of Kazajistán, to that they will be invited, among others, the actors Jack Nicholson, Tommy Lee Jones, Faye Dunaway, and the directors Peter Bogdanovich, Michael Moore and Luc Besson.

The festival probably will be celebrated in next June, although still it is to decide if it will be in the new administrative capital of the country, Astaná, or in the old one, Soul, indicated.

Kazajistán, recently not known by the world of the cinema, a year ago felt like a victim and ridiculed by “Borat”, film of the actor and British scriptwriter Sasha Baron Cohen - who became the eccentric journalist, appearng to present the country and its inhabitants as racists, savages, anti-semites, misogynists and incestuous.

Without embargo, the DVD of the film devastated in Kazajistán, and their authorities reconsidered their position and resigned to complain themselves with “Borat”, when including/understanding that it was a farce that, more than to that country, ridiculed the reality of the United States.

Minister of Tourism and Deporte of Kazajistán, Temirján Dosmujanbétov, even admitted in last December that “Borat”, really, has shot to the interest by that republic center-Asian and the tourism.

And now, Kazajistán was released like candidate to the Oscar with “Mongol”, films that it relates the youth of Genghis Khan and who was name in the category of better foreign film.

“Mongol”, directed by the Russian Sergei Bodrov, is centered in Mongolia of the century XII in which the Temudgin boy, of nine years, prepares to be the Genghis soldier Khan, who before conquering the world was a slave.

I looked at a couple summaries of the novel and it sounds tough but very strong and dramatic, a story of humanity confronted by state-sponsored inhumanity with a love story included. Johnny's role would be the villain...or is he another victim of sorts. Here's what wikipedia has to say:

There's a more detailed review and analysis of the book here. It's this one that makes it sound compelling. It's detailed enough to be rife with spoilers if anyone cares.
http://turtleneck.net/summer01/tweedjacket/coetzee.htm

THanks for the translation FAN--you can get the gist of what the article is stating. I also researched the book and it does sound interesting---reminded me in some ways of People's Act of Love. Depending on their timeline that they need to film, I still think it's a "time will tell". If Shantaram gets going, I would imagine Johnny would want to see that through first. This does sound like an intriguing role..........

-Donna

Thanks Fan for the really great translations and the blub about the book.

I agree Donna, it sounds an awful lot like The People's Act of Love. Gee there are so many other projects out there that he's aligned with, call me goofy, but I'd like to see one of them happen first. The Ginger Man, Dark Shadows, Shantaram....The People's Act of Love....

Oh this definitely sounds interesting. Thanks a lot for sharing, Karen and for translating, Fan! :)

However, as Karen has pointed out, I'd also love to see some of the other projects in the room being made first. Especially Shantaram. The book's just too dear to me for the movie to be postponed that long. On the other hand I doubt that Johnny would skip making Shantaram for any other project. After all he wouldn't have participated in PE if it hadn't been for the strike...so I could be wrong, but I believe that Shantaram definitely is also on Johnny's priority list and that makes me hope. :) Still that doesn't mean of course, that I'm not looking forward to all the other projects being realised too sometime in the future. So all news on possible new movie projects are definitely appreciated. :)

The article implies that filming would take place next year. If it is true that Johnny said he'd do it if he could fit it in between other commitments, it would probably be after Shantaram. I'd love to see him work with the immensely talented Ang Lee as well as Bardem. I'm not as excited as others seem to be about Dark Shadows so if that gets pushed off, no problem! However, if he doesn't do The Ginger Man extremely soon, I'd prefer he just produce it and let someone younger star in it. I think he's already too old for it and any further delay would do dis-service to the story. It's too bad as he would have been perfect in it if only...

Just FYI, neither Johnny nor his production company hold any rights to The Ginger Man. They are held by JP Donleavy and his two business partners.


I think this article should be looked at very carefully and perhaps taken with a grain of salt until we know a bit more. Right now, they have said this:

Which is in essence very much a wait and see attitude. There's still nothing from any of the trade papers about this. In principle...hmmm

Johnny does seem to overextend himself at times doesn't he?*L* I'm just glad he has so many options and interesting characters that he's interested in playing.............

-Donna

Ditto! ;)

Definitely a wait and see. Ang Lee has been mentioned in conjunction with Johnny, but that's working on the project "Caliber," a re-imaging of King Authur's story as a western. It just popped up again recently. If i dig around again, I can probably find you the whole reference.

Crud, I knew I should have dug up the quote first. As there's no edit function on this board (at least not for users), I'm reduced to replying to my own post.

Caliber is associated with John Woo, not Ang Lee. However, I'd still be very doubtful about the above movie proposal as it's not shown up in any english-speaking trade paper, nor anything associated with Johnny or Infinitum Nihil. Johnny's schedule is going to be mighty crowded with Public Enemies, Shantaram, and possibly a starring spot in Caliber (he's still be listed as a possible actor for the project). Since Caliber was actually first talked about at ComicCon last year, I'm more likely to believe it might happen than the movie announcements that pop up out of nowhere. There's a spanish one that came up last week that mentioned both Johnny and Javier Bardem, but an entirely different plot. That makes me think one or both are bogus.
(Oh the net, where misinformation spreads at the speed of light)

Here is the background info on Caliber that's here on JDR:

http://johnnydeppreads.com/index.php?showtopic=2664