La Boheme begins production in Cape Town

The team behind u-Carmen eKhayelitsha, a modern remake of Georges Bizets classic 1875 opera Carmen, shot entirely in Xhosa are now going to do similar thing with Giacomo Puccini's classic 1896 opera, La Boheme.

The creative groups most recent film, a re-imagining of another operatic work, Benjamin Britten's 1957 piece, Noye's Fludde, made its World Premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema section at last years Toronto International Film Festival.

Director Mark Dornford-May (who made his feature film debut with U-Carmen) directed what was originally titled Unogumbe, but retained the title of Brittens original opera, which is a medieval retelling of the Noahs Ark story.

In a gender switch, the film, Noyes Fludde (like just about all their films), stars Pauline Malefane, who will also star in the upcoming La Boheme adaptation, which will be titled Breathe - Umphefumlo.

Dornford-May plans to complete the La Boheme film adaptation (Breathe - Umphefumlo) in Khayelitsha Township, near Cape Town (where u-Carmen was also shot) this year, for a 2015 bow.

The film is being produced under the relatively newly-formed F&ME/Isango banner. F&ME chairman is 3-time Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winning director Stephen Daldry, who will also executive produce the project.

With this new partnership between F&ME and Isango, a slate of similar South Africa-set film adaptations of known works of opera are expected, in addition to Breathe - Umphefumlo, which is being made with the support of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in partnership with Isango Advantage, the UK's F&ME and Germany's Propeller Film.

Dornford May and Vlokkie Gordon of Advantage Entertainment will produce.

http://blogs.indiewire.com

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