“Havana Darkness” is a joint production of Bulgarian-based Open Frames and new York's Golden Ceiba Productions. Directed by Guillermo Ivan, the film stands out as the first ever English language thriller to be shot in Cuba.
Magi Halvadjian and Loris Curci produce together with Ivan and associate Zair Montes, with principal photography starting March 28 in New York City.
The crew will then move to Havana later in April.
“We are telling a very scary story here, loosely based on the discovery of a manuscript that is said to have been written by Ernest Hemingway, during his stay in the Caribbean Island,” says director Guillermo Ivan.
Havana Darkness lines up an international crew and may just be breaking ground for many film-makers to come.
“We are making history here”, concludes Halvadjian.
The project saw life a few months ago in the offices of Open Frames, a subsidiary of Global Group, the largest independent production company in Bulgaria, best known for helming the local versions of shows such as X Factor, Your Face Sounds Familiar and Bulgaria’s Got Talent. The group is now exploring new territories and currently producing low budget films and TV series meant for international audiences.
Nightworld, directed by Patricio Valladares (Hidden in the Woods), and starring Jason London and Robert Englund, is the first film produced by Open Frames.
A drama that ventures into horror, Nightworld is scheduled to make its official debut at the Cannes film market this coming May.
“I had never played a blind man before”, jokes Englund “It was challenging, fun and my character had some great lines... Nightworld is one of the scariest scripts I have read in a long time. The story is haunting and original, and opens up to possible sequels...”
Jason London, of Dazed and Confused fame, states that "American film makers could learn a thing or three from shooting films in Bulgaria. Top drawer artistry, passion and talent have not been forgotten there...".
Open Frames is also working on a TV series “Samodivi“.
“It’s about beautiful witches who are the essence of pure evil,” explains CEO and creator Magi Halvadjian, who went out to hire showrunner Robert Parigi, of „Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D“ and director David Boyd (The Walking Dead, Dark Skies).
IMDB:
Havana Darkness: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5468130/?ref_=rvi_tt
Nightworld: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5157052/?ref_=rvi_tt
