PANTALEON Films, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PANTAFLIX AG, announces the successful start of shooting its largest and first international feature film production. RESISTANCE is a heroic story and relates the life and work of the world-famous pantomime Marcel Marceau, who saved the lives of thousands of Jewish orphans during the Second World War.
The film by author and director Jonathan Jakubowicz (HANDS OF STONE, SECUESTRO EXPRESS) centres on Marcel Marceau, played by Jesse Eisenberg. Marceau, son of Jewish parents, was born under the name Marcel Mangel. During the Holocaust, he learned the art of pantomime to help children escape in silence and survive. The story is based on true events that would shape the life of the legendary Marcel Marceau years before his world career as the greatest pantomime of all time.
Hollywood actors Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Ed Harris (Westworld, The Truman Show) are joined by Matthias Schweighöfer as the infamous head of the Lyon Gestapo, Klaus Barbie. The renowned French actress Clémence Poésy (IN BRUGES, HARRY-POTTER franchise) takes on the female lead. The further cast is high-class as well joining Édgar Ramírez, Félix Moati, Bella Ramsey, Géza Röhrig und Karl Markovics.
Dan Maag, Managing Director of PANTALEON Films GmbH and producer of RESISTANCE, comments: “RESISTANCE is a moving and important tribute to a courageous person who proved in the darkest hours of our history that every individual can and must take responsibility. Our outstanding cast attests not least to the quality of this project.”
Jonathan Jakubowicz is enthusiastic about the stars' line-up: “Ed Harris was already a legend when I started thinking of becoming a filmmaker. Édgar Ramírez is one of the best of his generation. I’ve also been a fan of Clémence Poésy since I first saw her in In Bruges. Bella Ramsey is one of the most talented artists I’ve ever met. And Son of Saul and The Counterfeiters are my two favourite WWII movies. I cannot explain how inspiring it is for me as the grandson of a Holocaust Survivor to have the privilege of telling the story of these forgotten heroes, and what they accomplished in the most challenging circumstances imaginable, with some of the best actors in the world.”
The shooting has already begun. In addition to various locations in the Czech Republic, the filming scheduled for late September until mid-November 2018 will also take place in Bavaria (Nuremberg, Kronach and Munich).
Nicolas Paalzow, CPO of PANTAFLIX AG, says: “The film underlines our commitment to telling stories for a global audience. RESISTANCE is just the beginning. We are planning further international productions for 2019.”
RESISTANCE is being produced by PANTALEON Films GmbH in collaboration with Epicentral Studios, Rocket Science, Vertical Media, Neptune Features, Riverstone, Ingenious Media and Bliss Media. Resistance Film US is acting as a co-producer.
Warner Bros. Pictures Germany is to release the film in German Cinemas in 2019. As part of the special programme International Co-Productions, RESISTANCE is granted funding of EUR two million by the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFF).