lifestyle THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 MUSIC & MOVIES

In this April 24, 2014 photo, film director Bob Yari, left, with ablack cap works with actors Joely Richardson, top left, Giovanni Ribisi, top second left, and Adrian Sparks, top third left, while shooting the movie ‘Papa’ in the bay of Havana, Cuba. (Right) Cuban supporting actors wait for their scene during the shooting the movie “Papa” in Havana, Cuba. — AP photos Hemingway picture a rare Hollywood moment in Cuba ebels allied with a young Fidel Castro where he fished,” director Bob Yari said. “It’s all ing from a list one day, an open-water shoot burst into the street outside Havana’s here, so trying to duplicate it somewhere else was delayed.Cuba’s scarce and creaky Internet RGovernment Palace as soldiers loyal to was not very appealing.”Shooting began in service forced the crew to return to the yester- strongman Fulgencio Batista rain gunfire from March and wrapped over the weekend on the year practice of slipping the day’s call sheets above. Steps away, Ernest Hemingway and a joint Canadian-Cuban-American production, under hotel room doors, rather than sending young journalist friend dive for cover behind a with the island’s governmental film institute them by email. parked car. An international film crew in recent known as ICAIC providing location support, Much of the equipment had to be brought weeks has been re-enacting this and other his- period costumes and local actors. in from overseas to guarantee high production toric scenes in the streets of Havana for “Papa,” values. But the payoff was the opportunity to a biopic about the budding friendship Father figure shoot in a city that has in many ways remained between Hemingway and the reporter in the “Papa” came to Cuba under a US Treasury frozen in the 1950s, with classic American turbulent Cuba of the 1950s. Department license exempting it from most automobiles from the era readily available to embargo restrictions. The film’s makers said provide a historic backdrop. there was a cap on how much they could “It’s been chaotic. Every day there’s a new spend, but would not say how much or release drama,” said English actor Joely Richardson overall budget figures. For licensing purposes (“Nip/Tuck,” “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”), the movie qualified as a documentary, since it who plays Hemingway’s fourth wife, Mary. “It’s depicts a firsthand account of real events that been so nutty. But you know what? It’s up took place here. So it’s unlikely just any there with my best experiences. It’s been fan- Hollywood blockbuster would get the same tastic.” Petitclerc went on to a long career as a permission in the future. journalist and writer of books, TV shows and Though the title derives from the Nobel Cuban supporting actors wait for their scene during the shooting of the movie “Papa” in movies, including the screenplay for “Islands in Prize-winning novelist’s nickname, the movie Havana, Cuba. the Stream,” based on the Hemingway novel of is based on an autobiographical script by is a prank by one of his pals. permission to shoot inside Hemingway’s for- the same name. He died in 2006. Denne Bart Petitclerc, who is played by “Good letter, kid,” says Hemingway. “You like mer estate, Finca Vigia, today considered such Giovanni Ribisi (“Avatar,” “Saving Private Ryan”). to fish?”Before long, Ed is on a boat with his a shrine that tourists aren’t even allowed Gap between two cultures Actor Giovanni Ribisi while shooting the Hemingway is portrayed by theater and screen idol, and the two strike up a friendship that inside and must peer in through the windows. Hemingway lived in Cuba from 1939 to movie “Papa” in Havana, Cuba. veteran Adrian Sparks. would last until Hemingway’s 1961 suicide. Sparks who has played Hemingway on stage 1960 and wrote much of “The Old Man and the Petitclerc was abandoned by his father as a since 2005, confessed to something of a spiri- Sea” and other works here, and islanders claim Years in the making, producers say it is the young boy, fell in love with Hemingway’s writ- Magical experience tual connection to the writer and said it was a him as much as Americans do. The two coun- first full-length feature film with a Hollywood ing and later came to see him as a father fig- The film crew got access to some of magical experience portraying him in the land tries’ mutual affection for Hemingway is director and actors to be shot in the country ure. While working for the Miami Herald in the Havana’s most iconic locales, including the for- he loved. among the few things they agree on. Cuba since the 1959 revolution. Due to decades of ill 1950s, Petitclerc wrote a letter to Hemingway mer Government Palace, which long ago was “To be playing a section of the film where and the US have cooperated multiple times to will between the two countries and professing his admiration. He didn’t intend to turned into a museum celebrating Castro’s rev- he’s struggling with writer’s block, I’m stand- preserve his writings and belongings - so it’s Washington’s 52-year-long embargo, other send it, but his girlfriend found it and dropped olution. At the majestic Grand Theater, which ing on exactly the square foot of ground that not surprising the first Hollywood feature to movies ostensibly set here, such as “The it in the mail. is closed for restoration, a sumptuous salon he stood on, with his typewriter in front of me, shoot in Cuba is about him. Godfather Part II” and 1990’s “Havana,” were On a recent Saturday, a reading room at the was tricked out to look like the bar of the playing the scene. It wasn’t acting, it was chan- “Hemingway was probably the most promi- filmed in stand-in locations like the Dominican University of Havana library stood in for the Ambos Mundos hotel where Hemingway fre- neling,” Sparks said. “It was just allowing him to nent American to make Cuba his home, and I Republic. Herald newsroom. Cuban extras milled about quently stayed. In this scene, Ed is tipped off come through.” There have also been some think the people of Cuba to this day cherish “It was an absolute passion to actually in slim ties and saddle shoes, long skirts and by notorious mobster Santo Trafficante (James only-in-Cuba moments of frustration. In a him and love him,” said Yari (“Crash,” “The make it in Cuba where everything that is in the horn-rimmed glasses. Vintage typewriters Remar; “Django Unchained,” “Dexter”) that FBI country with a history of high-seas defections, Illusionist”). “And hopefully this film will script happened, where the finca (farm) is clacked away. The scene retells the moment director J. Edgar Hoover has it out for something as simple as getting on a boat become an addition to that component of where (Hemingway) lived, where his boat was, when Petitclerc, known as “Ed” in the movie, Hemingway. requires official approval. bridging this gap between two cultures and all the spots from the Morro castle to Cojimar fields a fateful phone call that at first he thinks Producers even secured unprecedented So when cast members’ names were miss- two peoples that have drifted apart.” — AP ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ renewed, with ‘X-Files’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ vet as Showrunner tarz has announced a third sea- son of David S Goyer’s drama S“Da Vinci’s Demons,” and announced that “X-Files” and “Breaking Bad” veteran John Shiban will take over as the showrunner. Shiban will also serve as an executive producer. During his stint on the cele- brated Fox series, he wrote or co- Actor/musicians wrote more than twenty episodes and Sam Palladio and served as executive producer. He Jonathan Jackson joined AMC’s “Breaking Bad” as a con- of the cast of sulting producer in its second season, ‘Nashville’ perform writing several episodes of the at Best Buy Theater acclaimed series. “Breaking Bad” was in New York created by fellow “X-Files” vet Vince City. —AFP Gilligan. Shiban also served as executive with John Shiban joining the ranks as have been invaluable and will contin- producer and showrunner of AMC’s executive producer and showrunner,” ue to be for what we have ahead,” said “Hell on Wheels.” Goyer (The “Dark said Carmi Zlotnik, managing director Goyer. “I’ve been a fan of John’s work Universal’s ‘Mummy’ reboot Knight” trilogy) will continue to serve of Starz. “David S. Goyer’s vision of da for some time and I’m excited to add as executive producer on “Da Vinci’s Vinci’s journey continues to entertain his voice to the mix.” “I’m thrilled to be Demons,” which follows the “untold” fans, taking them deeper into the joining the amazing creative team loses ‘Mama’ director Muschetti story of genius artist and inventor world of ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ where behind ‘Da Vinci’s Demons,’” said Leonardo da Vinci during his early there is still much more story to tell.” Shiban. “Starz and Adjacent have giv- ama” director Andy Muschetti has exited Mummy.” When Len Wiseman was previously attached to years in Renaissance Florence. “I’m very proud of this modern en us an amazing playground to play Universal’s reboot of “The Mummy” due to direct “The Mummy,” he indicated that Kurtzman and “We’re excited to continue take on the endlessly fascinating in - I can’t wait to dig further into the ‘Mcreative differences, TheWrap has learned. Orci were envisioning a darker, scarier take on the Leonardo da Vinci’s adventures with a Leonardo da Vinci - everyone from the untold history of Leonardo da Vinci.” Jon Spaihts wrote the current draft of the script, which “Mummy” mythology that would still appeal to all audi- third season of ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ writers, directors, cast and all the crew — Reuters reimagined “The Mummy” franchise in modern day with ences. Apparently, the project has changed direction, as Muschetti wanted to deliver a darker take rather than the four-quadrant, more family-friendly action-adven- ture blockbuster that Universal now has in mind. After his Jessica Chastain-led horror movie “Mama” Women directors and writers lose became a surprise hit, grossing $147 million worldwide for Universal, the studio quickly attached Muschetti to direct an adaptation of Josh Malerman’s novel “Bird Box,” ground in Indie film as numbers decline which is being produced by Scott Stuber’s Bluegrass omen filmmakers have largely been frozen out of the ematographers dropped three, to 10 percent. A dive into the Films. Muschetti was forced to leave “Bird Box” when the studio world, and their numbers are now falling in the numbers finds that things are a bit better for women documen- opportunity to direct “The Mummy” presented itself - a Windependent film realm as well. The Center for the tarians, though again, only producers and executive producers major job for an up-and-coming filmmaker. Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State U. saw their share of the jobs increase. Now that Muschetti is no longer aboard “The analyzed the lineups of 23 different prestigious film festivals Women were producers on 39 percent of documentaries Andy Mummy,” the door remains open for him to return to that took place between May 2013 and 2014, with alarming and 30 percent of narrative films, while they directed 28 per- Muschetti “Bird Box,” though Universal is also considering him for findings. cent of docs and just 18 percent of narratives. They wrote 23 several other high-profile projects. Universal has been Overall, the percentage of women working in key positions percent of docs and just 21 percent of features. Only 20 percent mining its catalogue of classic monsters and “The (i.e., producers, executive producers, cinematographers and edited docs (down seven percent) and 12 percent shot them new characters not seen in previous iterations and a Mummy” plays an important role in the studio’s ambi- editors) on movies held at 26 percent, the same as 2011-2012. (down five percent); 19 percent edited features (down from 23 protagonist imbued with a human personality. tious master plan, as the original trilogy grossed $1.25 However, women comprised just 23 percent of directors, down percent) and just seven percent were cinematographers. As Sean Daniel is producing the planned tentpole with billion worldwide. Universal released “The Wolfman” in from 29 percent in 2011-12, and 22 percent of writers, down low as these numbers look, they are massive compared to the from 24 percent in 11-12. Things looked a bit better on the pro- number of women working for studios: Just one of the big Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who recently parted 2010 and has “Dracula Untold” scheduled for release in ducing side; women producers inched up two points to 33 per- summer films coming out this year will be directed by a ways regarding feature projects, though their split is October. Muschetti is repped by WME and attorney cent and exec producers also rose a deuce to 27 percent. woman, and only six percent of the highest grossing films unrelated to Muschetti’s amicable exit from “The George T. Hayum. — Reuters Editors were down a full five points, to 20 percent, while cin- released last year were helmed by a woman. — Reuters