Sir Benjamin
Slade and Matthew John’s new period drama feature adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's
HEDDA GABLER has been acquired for worldwide sales rights by UK independent
motion picture sales agency Aspect Film. Currently in post-production, the film
marks young British filmmaker Matthew John’s directorial debut and features an
array of emerging British talent.
Penned for the big screen by Matthew John, HEDDA GABLER is based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's play published in 1890 and premiered in Germany in 1891. It went on to become regarded as a classic of realism, 19th Century theater and world drama. Some critics consider the character of Hedda one of the great dramatic roles in theater.
John's 2014 adaptation, centers on Hedda; beautiful daughter of the late General Gabler, returns from her honeymoon with scholar husband Jorgen to confront the boredom and banality of married life. Although she has little more than amused contempt for her husband, she is pregnant by him and is revolted by the thought of carrying his child and the changes that motherhood will impose upon her future. When the re-appearance of an old flame of hers threatens both Jorgen's career prospects and her own amour propre, Hedda contrives to bring about Lovborg's destruction but, in the process, also brings about her own.
Aspect Film’s Managing Director, Hugh Edwards commented, “Matthew John has tackled an Ibsen classic with aplomb. To do so as a debutant director and achieve what he has deserves credit. John has pushed the envelope and it will be interesting to see the reaction from both Ibsen purists and newcomers to the Hedda Gabler story alike”
New Hedda Gabler movie is set to become the most lavish version ever filmed for big or small screen to date
1. Hedda was shot at its lavish, historic location in Somerset, UK. Maunsel House; owned by Sir Benjamin Slade (Lord Slade of Maunsel House).
2. Already, there is growing interest from distributors in Europe and Australia, and a major UK broadcaster.
3. Taking full advantage of the opportunities film adaptation presents, this production will be more daring and explicit than any other previous film or television version. The move is likely to be a controversial one with Ibsen fans. Characters referred to, which never appear in the stage play, will be created for the first time and make their dramatic debut.
“I know it’s a big risk, and I know there will be many Ibsen purists who will criticise us heavily over this,” said Matthew John. “But I believe we’re only doing what Ibsen himself would have done had he been adapting the stage play into a film script.”
The famous wild party where Hedda’s former lover, Ejlert Løvberg falls off the waggon and loses his precious manuscript is only reported by other characters in the play, but not shown. Some previous television and film adaptations have shown it. Matthew John’s Hedda not only turns this into a complete scene in itself, but also creates for the first time a proper role for Mademoiselle Diana, the red-headed prostitute with whom Løvberg is involved. Her debut appearance is being created by actress Grace Gray.
This is also the first motion picture production of Hedda Gabler to be shot using high-definition and the latest technical advances, which add to the strong production values. The costumes, which are more intricate than in any previous filmed production, have been especially designed and created for the film and there is a generous helping of many more acting extras than previous adaptations. The rich Victorian interiors of Maunsel House in Somerset provide a location more sumptuous and exotic than in any other previous film or television productions.
The cast of up-and-coming young British actors is headed by Hedda star Rita Ramnani. Speaking about her role, often regarded as the female Hamlet, in a recent BBC interview, Rita said she believes the character of Hedda will resonate strongly with today’s audiences.
The Hedda production is also to feature in a forthcoming documentary, Fires We’re Starting, by the British Film Alliance which looks at how filmmakers in Britain today, in these exceptionally difficult times, overcome the challenges and bring their projects into being.
Penned for the big screen by Matthew John, HEDDA GABLER is based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's play published in 1890 and premiered in Germany in 1891. It went on to become regarded as a classic of realism, 19th Century theater and world drama. Some critics consider the character of Hedda one of the great dramatic roles in theater.
John's 2014 adaptation, centers on Hedda; beautiful daughter of the late General Gabler, returns from her honeymoon with scholar husband Jorgen to confront the boredom and banality of married life. Although she has little more than amused contempt for her husband, she is pregnant by him and is revolted by the thought of carrying his child and the changes that motherhood will impose upon her future. When the re-appearance of an old flame of hers threatens both Jorgen's career prospects and her own amour propre, Hedda contrives to bring about Lovborg's destruction but, in the process, also brings about her own.
Aspect Film’s Managing Director, Hugh Edwards commented, “Matthew John has tackled an Ibsen classic with aplomb. To do so as a debutant director and achieve what he has deserves credit. John has pushed the envelope and it will be interesting to see the reaction from both Ibsen purists and newcomers to the Hedda Gabler story alike”
New Hedda Gabler movie is set to become the most lavish version ever filmed for big or small screen to date
1. Hedda was shot at its lavish, historic location in Somerset, UK. Maunsel House; owned by Sir Benjamin Slade (Lord Slade of Maunsel House).
2. Already, there is growing interest from distributors in Europe and Australia, and a major UK broadcaster.
3. Taking full advantage of the opportunities film adaptation presents, this production will be more daring and explicit than any other previous film or television version. The move is likely to be a controversial one with Ibsen fans. Characters referred to, which never appear in the stage play, will be created for the first time and make their dramatic debut.
“I know it’s a big risk, and I know there will be many Ibsen purists who will criticise us heavily over this,” said Matthew John. “But I believe we’re only doing what Ibsen himself would have done had he been adapting the stage play into a film script.”
The famous wild party where Hedda’s former lover, Ejlert Løvberg falls off the waggon and loses his precious manuscript is only reported by other characters in the play, but not shown. Some previous television and film adaptations have shown it. Matthew John’s Hedda not only turns this into a complete scene in itself, but also creates for the first time a proper role for Mademoiselle Diana, the red-headed prostitute with whom Løvberg is involved. Her debut appearance is being created by actress Grace Gray.
This is also the first motion picture production of Hedda Gabler to be shot using high-definition and the latest technical advances, which add to the strong production values. The costumes, which are more intricate than in any previous filmed production, have been especially designed and created for the film and there is a generous helping of many more acting extras than previous adaptations. The rich Victorian interiors of Maunsel House in Somerset provide a location more sumptuous and exotic than in any other previous film or television productions.
The cast of up-and-coming young British actors is headed by Hedda star Rita Ramnani. Speaking about her role, often regarded as the female Hamlet, in a recent BBC interview, Rita said she believes the character of Hedda will resonate strongly with today’s audiences.
The Hedda production is also to feature in a forthcoming documentary, Fires We’re Starting, by the British Film Alliance which looks at how filmmakers in Britain today, in these exceptionally difficult times, overcome the challenges and bring their projects into being.
