The Oil and the Pussycat: Fly’s English Debut Sinks to the Bottom
Danish director Per Fly makes his English language debut with Backstabbing for Beginners, a Us/Canadian/Danish co-production based on the memoirs of Michael Soussan and featuring a handsome, if sometimes ill-fitting international cast attempting to convey something more important than what transpires here. Before diving in, it might help to have a comprehensive, or at least working knowledge of certain historical instances involving the corruption of government, the United Nations, and the Oil-for-Food program in Iraq, which blossomed in the late 1990s following the defeat of Saddam Hussein in…...
Danish director Per Fly makes his English language debut with Backstabbing for Beginners, a Us/Canadian/Danish co-production based on the memoirs of Michael Soussan and featuring a handsome, if sometimes ill-fitting international cast attempting to convey something more important than what transpires here. Before diving in, it might help to have a comprehensive, or at least working knowledge of certain historical instances involving the corruption of government, the United Nations, and the Oil-for-Food program in Iraq, which blossomed in the late 1990s following the defeat of Saddam Hussein in…...
- 4/26/2018
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Backstabbing for Beginners is ostensibly a thriller about the corruption and intrigue surrounding the Saddam Hussein-era "Oil for Food" program sponsored by the United Nations. But the most thrilling aspect of director Per Fly's film is watching the interactions between co-stars Theo James and Ben Kingsley. Even as James sucks all the energy out of the room with his inert performance, Kingsley creates oxygen with his dynamic, wildly entertaining turn. Hearing the veteran performer find endlessly different ways to spew F-bombs makes you wonder why he's never been in a Quentin Tarantino movie.
Based on the memoir by Michael Soussan,...
Based on the memoir by Michael Soussan,...
- 4/26/2018
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A24 and DirecTV have scooped up distribution rights to Backstabbing for Beginners, starring Theo James and Ben Kingsley.
The political thriller, based on a true story, is an adaptation of the best-selling 2008 memoir by Michael Soussan about an idealistic young United Nations worker who gets embroiled in corruption, fraud and corporate malfeasance when he starts working on a covert mission in Iraq.
The film, now in postproduction, also stars Jacqueline Bisset. It was directed by Danish helmer Per Fly, with a script by Per Fly and Daniel Pyne.
Lars Knudsen, Daniel Bekerman, Malene Blenkov and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen produced...
The political thriller, based on a true story, is an adaptation of the best-selling 2008 memoir by Michael Soussan about an idealistic young United Nations worker who gets embroiled in corruption, fraud and corporate malfeasance when he starts working on a covert mission in Iraq.
The film, now in postproduction, also stars Jacqueline Bisset. It was directed by Danish helmer Per Fly, with a script by Per Fly and Daniel Pyne.
Lars Knudsen, Daniel Bekerman, Malene Blenkov and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen produced...
- 6/7/2017
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Divergent‘s Theo James is in early talks to join the cast of Per Fly’s Backstabbing For Beginners. The project is a political thriller inspired by international relations veteran Michael Soussan's memoir Backstabbing For Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy. If a deal gets done, James will star opposite the previously announced Ben Kingsley. Josh Hutcherson had originally been set to play that role. Parts & Labor, Creative Alliance, and Scythia…...
- 1/21/2016
- Deadline
"Divergent" hunk Theo James is in early talks to join Ben Kingsley in the political thriller "Backstabbing For Beginners" at Parts & Labor, Creative Alliance, and Scythia Films. James is taking over a role once earmarked for Josh Hutcherson, and filming is slated to begin shortly.
Per Fly ("Monica Z") helms and Daniel Pyne ("The Manchurian Candidate") pens this adaptation of Michael Soussan's memoir about a young idealist who lands his dream job as a program coordinator for the Un's Oil for Food program.
Thrown into an fraught post-war Iraq where others are circling the country's oil reserves like sharks, he seeks answers from his seasoned diplomat boss (Kingsley) and soon suspects a conspiracy at the highest level whilst at the same time falling in love with a Kurdish woman.
Source: Deadline...
Per Fly ("Monica Z") helms and Daniel Pyne ("The Manchurian Candidate") pens this adaptation of Michael Soussan's memoir about a young idealist who lands his dream job as a program coordinator for the Un's Oil for Food program.
Thrown into an fraught post-war Iraq where others are circling the country's oil reserves like sharks, he seeks answers from his seasoned diplomat boss (Kingsley) and soon suspects a conspiracy at the highest level whilst at the same time falling in love with a Kurdish woman.
Source: Deadline...
- 1/21/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Sir Ben Kingsley ("Iron Man 3") and Josh Hutcherson ("The Hunger Games") are set to star in the Danish–Canadian political thriller co-production "Backstabbing for Beginners" for Creative Alliance, Scythia Films and Parts & Labor.
Per Fly ("The Inheritance") will helm the project which is inspired by Michael Soussan's critically-acclaimed memoir, Hutcherson plays a young idealist who lands his dream job as a program coordinator for the U.N.'s Oil for Food program.
He is thrown into an already fraught post-war Iraq where government agents and power-hungry countries are circling Iraq's oil reserves like sharks. He seeks answers from his seasoned diplomat boss (Kingsley), but the more he learns the more he suspects a conspiracy at the highest level.
Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Malene Blenkov, Daniel Bekerman and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen will produce. Shooting begins in January.
Source: Creative Alliance...
Per Fly ("The Inheritance") will helm the project which is inspired by Michael Soussan's critically-acclaimed memoir, Hutcherson plays a young idealist who lands his dream job as a program coordinator for the U.N.'s Oil for Food program.
He is thrown into an already fraught post-war Iraq where government agents and power-hungry countries are circling Iraq's oil reserves like sharks. He seeks answers from his seasoned diplomat boss (Kingsley), but the more he learns the more he suspects a conspiracy at the highest level.
Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Malene Blenkov, Daniel Bekerman and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen will produce. Shooting begins in January.
Source: Creative Alliance...
- 10/26/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Balancing decorated experience with a promising up-and-comer, production company Parts & Labor have formally announced that Sir Ben Kingsley and The Hunger Games’ Josh Hutcherson have signed on to topline Backstabbing for Beginners, which is to be directed by Danish filmmaker Per Fly Plejdrup.
Billed as a political thriller, the Canadian-Danish project will lift inspiration from Michael Soussan’s memoir, Backstabbing for Beginners: My Crash Course in International Diplomacy, a timely and acclaimed dissection of political themes and the general global issues facing a post-Iraq United States. Assuming the role of Michael is Hutcherson, a wide-eyed idealist whose prayers are answered upon landing the job as program coordinator for the Un’s much-touted Oil for Food program.
But as Michael soon discovers, the tentacles of corruption permeate just about every facet of the Un’s strategy, and with power-mongering countries keeping close tabs on Iraq and its coveted oil reserves,...
Billed as a political thriller, the Canadian-Danish project will lift inspiration from Michael Soussan’s memoir, Backstabbing for Beginners: My Crash Course in International Diplomacy, a timely and acclaimed dissection of political themes and the general global issues facing a post-Iraq United States. Assuming the role of Michael is Hutcherson, a wide-eyed idealist whose prayers are answered upon landing the job as program coordinator for the Un’s much-touted Oil for Food program.
But as Michael soon discovers, the tentacles of corruption permeate just about every facet of the Un’s strategy, and with power-mongering countries keeping close tabs on Iraq and its coveted oil reserves,...
- 10/26/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Ben Kingsley and Josh Hutcherson will star in the political thriller for Parts & Labor, Creative Alliance and Scythia Films.
Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and her team will commence talks with buyers in Santa Monica next week and eOne has licensed Canadian rights.
Per Fly is set to start shooting the Danish-Canadian thriller in January from a screenplay he wrote with Daniel Pyne inspired by Michael Soussan’s memoir Backstabbing For Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy.
The story centres on an idealistic man who exposes a conspiracy while working for a Un oil for food programme in Iraq.
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy produce alongside Malene Blenkov and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen and Daniel Bekerman.
Kingsley and Hutcherson serve as executive producers alongside Gregory Shockro of Houndstooth, Fortitude’s Rob Barnum, Poa Strömberg from Eyeworks, Jacob Jørgensen from Jj Fim, Lars Tregart and Jeff Kalligheri from Waterstone.
Patrick Ryborn from Eyeworks...
Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and her team will commence talks with buyers in Santa Monica next week and eOne has licensed Canadian rights.
Per Fly is set to start shooting the Danish-Canadian thriller in January from a screenplay he wrote with Daniel Pyne inspired by Michael Soussan’s memoir Backstabbing For Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy.
The story centres on an idealistic man who exposes a conspiracy while working for a Un oil for food programme in Iraq.
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy produce alongside Malene Blenkov and Nikolaj Vibe Michelsen and Daniel Bekerman.
Kingsley and Hutcherson serve as executive producers alongside Gregory Shockro of Houndstooth, Fortitude’s Rob Barnum, Poa Strömberg from Eyeworks, Jacob Jørgensen from Jj Fim, Lars Tregart and Jeff Kalligheri from Waterstone.
Patrick Ryborn from Eyeworks...
- 10/26/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Oscar winner Ben Kingsley and Josh Hutcherson of “The Hunger Games” are set to star in the political thriller “Backstabbing for Beginners” for Parts & Labor, Creative Alliance and Scythia Films, it was announced Monday. Per Fly (“The Inheritance”) will direct from a script he co-wrote with Daniel Pyne (“The Manchurian Candidate”). Inspired by Michael Soussan’s critically acclaimed memoir, “Backstabbing for Beginners: My Crash Course in International Diplomacy,” the film tells the story of Michael (Hutcherson), a young idealist who lands his dream job as a program coordinator for the U.N.’s Oil for Food program. He is thrown into an already fraught.
- 10/26/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
From Danish helmer Per Fly, Backstabbing For Beginners is a political thriller inspired by international relations veteran Michael Soussan’s memoir Backstabbing For Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy. Josh Hutcherson and Ben Kingsley have boarded the project that’s produced by Parts & Labor, Creative Alliance, and Scythia Films. Fortitude International is starting pre-sales at the American Film Market next week. Set up as an official Danish/Canadian…...
- 10/26/2015
- Deadline
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