‘Byzantium’, an adaptation of ‘The Vampire Stories’, a play written by Moira Buffini is the latest film to be directed by Irish director Neil Jordan (Breakfast on Pluto, Ondine) and is currently shooting in the Hastings, South England, before moving to Ireland’s Ardmore Studios next week.
The anticipated film stars Irish actress Saoirse Ronan (Hanna, The Lovely Bones) as Eleanor, Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, Clash of The Titans) as Eleanor’s mother, Clara, and follows the mother and daughter vampire duo that make a deadly pact.
With shooting now underway in the UK, the confirmation of key crew for the project has added extra buzz - with some top Irish names joining the production team. Shooting on Alexa, Director of Photography is ‘Shame’ and ‘Hunger’ cinematographer Sean Bobbit. British Art Director Simon Elliott also joins the crew with top credits including ‘The Iron Lady’ and ‘Nanny McPhee’ under his belt.
Irish crew also involved includes Special effects supervisor is Kevin Byrne of TeamFx (Ondine, The Wind That Shakes the Barley) with Costume Design by IFTA winning and Oscar nominated designer Consolata Boyle (The Iron Lady, The Queen). Lorraine Glynn (Albert Nobbs, Marie Antoinette) is Chief Hair and Make-up is by Lynn Johnson (Shadow Dancer, P.S. I Love You). The film will be edited by Tony Lawson and Production Manager for ‘Byzantium’ is Patrick O’Donoghue (The Escapist, Breakfast on Pluto)
Sam Reilly (Control, Franklyn), Daniel Mays (Atonement, Vera Drake) and Caleb Landry Jones (X-men; First Class, No Country for Old Men) co-star.
’Byzantium’ is a co-production between American company Demarest Films, Number9 Films in the UK and Irish company Parallel Films. Executive producers for the film are Sam Englebert (Paris Je T’aime, Edmond) and William D. Johnson (Rite Of Passage) of Demarest Films. Stephen Wooley (Made in Dagenham, Perrier’s Bounty) and Elizabeth Karlsen (Perrier’s Bounty, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People) from Number9 films in the UK and Alan Moloney (Albert Nobbs, Treasure Island) of Parallel Films in Dublin will produce. And finally, Oscar nominated Irish producer Redmond Morris (Neverland, The Reader) will co-produce.
‘Byzantium’ has received funding from the Irish Film Board and UK Film Council. The overall budget for the film is estimated at €8million.
