James Nelson Joyce and Emily Fearn will lead the heist of Thomas Napper’s darkly comedic period The man who stole Portugalalso starring Richard E. Grant and Dominic West.
Principal photography on the film, written by Richard Galazka, is now underway, and Beta Cinema is set to release the project to international buyers in Cannes.
The man who stole Portugal Inspired by Murray Teague Bloom’s true crime book about Alves dos Reis, who carried out one of the largest frauds in history against the Bank of Portugal in 1925.
This city is ours and A thousand strokes It will star Nelson Joyce as Reese, a self-made outsider with a genius for turning a closed door into an opportunity. “Rhys is determined to give his wife Maria (Fern) and their family the life they deserve,” the story synopsis reads. “With one hustle after another, he begins to invent his way to the top. From forged credentials to official contracts, his journey takes him through the colonial hinterland all the way to the boards of the Bank of Portugal – until his biggest con becomes one of the greatest cones in history.”
grant (Saltburn) and Western (The crown) will play the roles of Sir William and Carlos respectively. They were joined by Joel Fry (game of thrones(as Jose, Herbert Nordrum)The worst person in the world(as Carrel, Kim Bodnia)F1) Like Adolf and Nia Towell (Power rings) as fi.
The production will be filmed in the United Kingdom, Portugal and South Africa as the story moves from the glamor and political turmoil of 1920s Lisbon to colonial Angola and the elite printing houses of London.
Napper said Reese’s adventure feels particularly relevant to modern audiences. “[He] The director continued: “It’s great because he’s not looking to destroy the system, he wants a way to get there. He wants security, respect and a future for his family. This seems very vital now, when so many people feel like the odds are stacked against them.”
Napper added: “What makes the story so interesting is watching an outsider learn how to open those doors, trick after trick, for a while making the system work for him. It’s outrageous and funny, but it also speaks to something very contemporary: who gets access, who gets left out, and what people will do to cross that line.”
Michael Elliott produces The man who stole Portugal for EMU Films, with Wali Allah and Jim Mooney as executive producers. Terry Smith is executive producing and also financing via Moviedrome.
