‘Everest’ gives soaring start to Venice film festival
Print Edition
The Venice film festival kicked off yesterday with a world premiere for “Everest,” a US$65-million 3D drama based on a real-life disaster on the Himalayan peak.
Director Baltasar Kormakur’s two-hour film recounts the events of May 10-11, 1996, when eight climbers died near the summit after being caught in ferocious blizzard conditions.
In particular it focuses on the internal dynamics and characters of two groups led by New Zealander Rob Hall, played by Australian actor Jason Clarke, and American Scott Fischer, played in surfer-dude style by Jake Gyllenhaal.
Portrayed as equally talented but temperamentally contrasting, the two men were among those who died over the course of two days in which no fewer than 34 people were attempting to reach the summit in brutal conditions, ultimately resulting in a series of life-and-death decisions having to be made under almost unimaginable duress.
The British-produced, US-financed film includes sections shots in the Italian Dolomites, Kormakur’s native Iceland and at Everest base camp in Nepal.
Also due to be shown for the first time yesterday was streaming giant Netflix’s debut foray into feature films, “Beasts of No Nations.”
The Carkey Fukunaga-directed drama about child soldiers in Africa is among 21 works competing for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion.
“Everest” is one of two major productions being given a first screening during the festival.
Johnny Depp is due in town later for the premiere of Scott Cooper’s “Black Mass,” in which the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star plays Irish-American mobster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger.
Zhao Liang’s documentary “Behemoth,” the only Chinese language film in the main competition, shows giant mines gouging the Chinese steppe. Facing the ashes and noises caused by heavy mining, herdsmen have no choice but to leave as the meadow areas dwindle.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
