Lucker
10-23-2009, 03:05 PM
Could President Saakashvili add an Oscar to his list of International honours and growing reputation ?
With his film star looks and near faultless English , Mikhail the Brave could have played himself but Andy Garcia should be a first rate stand in .
I wonder if Moscow has plans to give the film the red carpet treatment or will they choke on their Borsch ?
TBILISI, Georgia — Tens of thousands of cheering people filled the streets in front of Georgia’s parliament, but they came to make a movie, not stage one of the capital’s frequent mass demonstrations.
Tuesday night’s crowd gathered for a scene in a new Hollywood film about the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, with the working title “Georgia,” in which movie star Andy Garcia plays Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
The filmmakers have said they aren’t making propaganda, but the movie seems certain to figure in the ongoing struggle between Russia and Georgia over how their short war is remembered.
Garcia, mimicking the gestures of the sometimes emotional Georgian president, spoke to the crowd during a re-creation of a real demonstration that took place Aug. 12, 2008, toward the end of active fighting.
Mock demonstrators carried banners reading “Russian Troops Get Out of Georgia,” while actors playing the presidents of Poland and the Baltic States appeared on a stage in support of Garcia as Saakashvili.
The Russian media have questioned whether director Renny Harlin’s film will take the Georgian side in portraying the conflict.
A recent Russian film used the fictional story of a nerdy American scientist and a blonde Russian photojournalist to offer the Kremlin’s version of the war.
Harlin, best known for “Die Hard 2” and “Cliffhanger,” has said the tale of a journalist and cameraman caught up in the fighting is an impartial indictment of war.
Harlin said on Tuesday that the movie will have a universal appeal.
“I am from a small country myself — I am from Finland originally — so I know what kind of things small countries can sometimes go through,” he said. “These kind of wars are fought around the world from Africa to Asia to South America. Georgia is just one example. I think it is a great opportunity to tell the universal story that touches a lot of people around the world.”
Harlin said Garcia, who stared in “The Godfather: Part III” and “The Untouchables,” was his first choice for the role of Saakashvili.
“It was my dream from the beginning,” Harlin said. “When I started on this film a few months ago, I said Andy Garcia has to play the president and when I gave him a script and he heard about it, he said he absolutely thought it was a great role for him.”
Producer George Lasku described Garcia as enthusiastic about the film.
“He is of Cuban origin and his country and his people went pretty much through the same pain for the last 50 or so years,” Lasku said. “He was very enthusiastic. He found the president to be a very interesting character to portray and he is thrilled to be here.”
Several people in the crowd outside parliament Tuesday said they hoped the film would rally international support behind Georgia.
With his film star looks and near faultless English , Mikhail the Brave could have played himself but Andy Garcia should be a first rate stand in .
I wonder if Moscow has plans to give the film the red carpet treatment or will they choke on their Borsch ?
TBILISI, Georgia — Tens of thousands of cheering people filled the streets in front of Georgia’s parliament, but they came to make a movie, not stage one of the capital’s frequent mass demonstrations.
Tuesday night’s crowd gathered for a scene in a new Hollywood film about the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, with the working title “Georgia,” in which movie star Andy Garcia plays Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
The filmmakers have said they aren’t making propaganda, but the movie seems certain to figure in the ongoing struggle between Russia and Georgia over how their short war is remembered.
Garcia, mimicking the gestures of the sometimes emotional Georgian president, spoke to the crowd during a re-creation of a real demonstration that took place Aug. 12, 2008, toward the end of active fighting.
Mock demonstrators carried banners reading “Russian Troops Get Out of Georgia,” while actors playing the presidents of Poland and the Baltic States appeared on a stage in support of Garcia as Saakashvili.
The Russian media have questioned whether director Renny Harlin’s film will take the Georgian side in portraying the conflict.
A recent Russian film used the fictional story of a nerdy American scientist and a blonde Russian photojournalist to offer the Kremlin’s version of the war.
Harlin, best known for “Die Hard 2” and “Cliffhanger,” has said the tale of a journalist and cameraman caught up in the fighting is an impartial indictment of war.
Harlin said on Tuesday that the movie will have a universal appeal.
“I am from a small country myself — I am from Finland originally — so I know what kind of things small countries can sometimes go through,” he said. “These kind of wars are fought around the world from Africa to Asia to South America. Georgia is just one example. I think it is a great opportunity to tell the universal story that touches a lot of people around the world.”
Harlin said Garcia, who stared in “The Godfather: Part III” and “The Untouchables,” was his first choice for the role of Saakashvili.
“It was my dream from the beginning,” Harlin said. “When I started on this film a few months ago, I said Andy Garcia has to play the president and when I gave him a script and he heard about it, he said he absolutely thought it was a great role for him.”
Producer George Lasku described Garcia as enthusiastic about the film.
“He is of Cuban origin and his country and his people went pretty much through the same pain for the last 50 or so years,” Lasku said. “He was very enthusiastic. He found the president to be a very interesting character to portray and he is thrilled to be here.”
Several people in the crowd outside parliament Tuesday said they hoped the film would rally international support behind Georgia.