Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Jim Sturgess, Michael Winterbottom Enter "Promised Land"


Michael Winterbottom ("Nine Songs") is next set to direct the $5 million indie "Promised Land" for Revolution Studios reports Variety.

Accodring to Variety: Brit filmmaker Michael Winterbottom is diving into the Arab-Israeli conflict by choosing "Promised Land" as his next feature.

The story follows the events that lead up to the 1948 partition of Palestine and the subsequent creation of the state of Israel. The picture is bound to raise eyebrows on both sides of the divide with its depiction of Jewish militant groups launching terror attacks against British forces and Arabs during their campaign for statehood.

Jim Sturgess ("Across the Universe," "21") will star as a British officer hunting down the extremist Jewish factions. Andrew Eaton will produce

Julian Schnabel is in production on "Miral," starring Hiam Abbas and Freida Pinto, for Pathe. Pic is about real-life Palestinian nurse Hind Husseini, who created the Dar Al-Tifi orphanage in Jerusalem in 1948.

Winterbottom, too, has displayed a fascination with politics in the Middle East and Muslim world.

"A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie, told the story of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was executed by Islamic fundamentalist in Pakistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

Although he is sure to ruffle a few feathers while making this film, Winterbottom is experienced enough to handle this type of material. Making “A Mighty Heart” couldn’t have been an easy task, considering the gruesome circumstances under which Pearl was killed.

Winterbottom's latest picture, "The Killer Inside Me," receives its world premiere at Sundance. The film stars Casey Affleck and Jessica Alba, is about a Texan deputy sheriff who embarks on a killing spree.

Filming on "Promised Land" kicks off in the summer.

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