An array of big name talent has joined Elle Fanning in “Rosebush Pruning” from “Motel Destino” and “Firebrand” director Karim Aïnouz for Mubi, The Match Factory and Fremantle company The Apartment.
Callum Turner (“Masters of the Air,” “The Boys in the Boat”), Riley Keough (“Daisy Jones & The Six,” “Zola”), Jamie Bell (“All of Us Strangers, Rocketman”), Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus,” “Euphoria”), Tracy Letts (“Lady Bird,” “Ford vs Ferrari”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In,” “MotherFatherSon”) and Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl,” the forthcoming “The Naked Gun”) are set to start in the film, which was first announced last year and is now shooting in Spain. Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor were originally attached to the project in lead roles alongside Fanning, but have been replaced by Keough and Turner, respectively.
Aïnouz is directing from a script written by Efthimis Filippou (“Kinds of Kindness,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “The Lobster”) and adapted from Marco Bellocchio’s 1965 debut feature “Fists in the Pocket,” a dark satire of family and social values now considered a landmark piece of Italian cinema.
“I’m so excited to bring this audacious and delicious script to life, which challenges our notions of the traditional family and the patriarchy, with this brilliant ensemble of actors who I have long admired,” said Aïnouz.
Viola Fügen and Michael Weber are producing for The Match Factory, who are also handling worldwide sales for the film. The adaptation rights were acquired from Kavac Film, with Simone Gattoni of Kavac Film producing. Annamaria Morelli produces for The Apartment. Andreas Wentz and Juan Cano “Nono” from Surfilm are co-producing in Spain and Rachel Dargavel for Crybaby is co-producing in the U.K.
Mubi — for which “Rosebush Pruning” marks the company’s biggest step into production — is financing production along with The Apartment, Metafilms, Anna Films and In Bloom. German Federal Film Board, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and Medienboard and the BFI also funded the film.
Further creatives involved in “Rosebush Pruning” include hair and make up designer Barbara Kreuzer (“Land of Mine,” “I’m Your Man”), Oscar-nominated costume designer Bina Daigeler (“Tár,” “Mother Mary”), production designer Rodrigo Martirena (“Invisible Life,” “Verdict”). Frequent Aïnouz collaborator Hélène Louvart (“Invisible Life,” “Firebrand”) will serve as director of photographer.
Callum Turner is represented by Curtis Brown Group, WME, Johnson and Shapiro and Shelter PR. Riley Keough is represented by CAA, Hansen Jacobson Teller, and The Lede Company. Jamie Bell is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment, CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Lukas Gage is represented by WME, 2AM and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman. Elena Anaya is represented by Kuranda Management and Independent Talent. Pamela Anderson is represented by CAA, and Hansen Jacobson. Elle Fanning is represented by UTA, TFC Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox. Aїnouz is represented by Lark, CAA and Andre des Rochers.
Source Agencies
