Dublin ‘Must be the Place’ as Sorrentino Shoot Starts

Cameras start rolling today, Monday August 16th on the set of ‘This Must Be the Place’. The feature marks Italian director Paolo Sorrentino's English feature debut and will shoot on location in Dublin for the next three weeks. The film stars Oscar-winners Sean Penn (Milk, Mystic River), Frances McDormand (Fargo), and musician David Byrne, alongside Irish talent Simon Delaney (Zonad, Happy Ever Afters), Olwen Fouere (Space Truckers) and newcomer Eve Hewson.

Paolo Sorrentino, director of the Palme d’Or nominated feature ‘Il Divo’ will helm the story of wealthy former rock-star Cheyenne, played by Penn, who lives quietly in Dublin with his wife, played by McDormand. When his father, a holocaust survivor, dies in New York Cheyenne embarks on a journey across America to track down his father’s nemesis. Sorrentino penned the script with co-writer Umberto Contarello (La Partita Lenta, Luce dei Miei Occhi).

‘This Must be the Place’ is an Irish-Italian co-production between Irish production company Element Pictures and Indigo Film and Italy’s Lucky Red. The film will have a 10 week shoot in total, moving from Dublin to U.S locations including Michigan, New Mexico and New York. It has a budget of over €20 million, with funding provided by the Irish Film Board, Eurimage, Medusa, Indigo Film, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and ARP Selection France.

Ed Guiney (The Guard) and Andrew Lowe (Zonad) are co-producing for the Irish based Element Pictures. Furthermore, Element Pictures Distribution has secured the Irish rights to the film for its 2011 release. Shooting on 35mm, the film’s director of photography is award winning cinematographer Luca Bigazzi (Il Divo, Così ridevano). Editing will take place in Italy with Cristiana Travaglioli in the edit suite.

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