EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Content’s sales and finance division AC Independent and France’s Goodfellas are joining forces to handle global sales on Burhan Qurbani’s upcoming feature No Beast. So Fierce.
The drama is described as a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s play Richard III, with a present-day female Arabic gangster boss in a role inspired by the scheming, power-hungry king.
Shooting is underway with Germany-based Syrian actress Kenda Hmeidan, whose credits include the refugee boat drama mini-series Liberame : Nach dem Sturm, in the lead role.
Further cast members include Verena Altenberger, Hiam Abbass, Mona Zarreh Hoshyari Khah, Mehdi Nebbou, Meriam Abbas and Banafshe Hourmazdi.
No Beast. So Fierce will be the fifth feature of German-born Qurbani, who is the son of political refugees from Afghanistan, and follows his Berlinale 2020 Golden Bear contender Berlin Alexanderplatz.
His other credits include 20xBrandenburg (2010), and We Are Young, We Are Strong (2014).
The German-Polish-French co-production is produced by Sommerhaus Filmproduktion (Germany), Madants (Poland), and Getaway Films (France) with ZDF and ARTE. Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach, Sophie Cocco, Leif Alexis produce on behalf of Sommerhaus, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Beata Rzeźniczek and Bogna Szewczyk-Skupień produce on behalf of Madants, and Noemie Devide and Eva Dottelonde produce on behalf of Getaway Films.
The film is supported by the German federal film fund (DFFF), the Federal Governmental Commissioner for Culture and Media (BKM), Eurimages – European Cinema Support Fund, German Federal Film Council (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB), the Polish Film Institute and Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.
Qurbani is represented by Agentur Homebase and ICM Partners.
