Oscar winners Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia collaborate on Modern “Hamlet” with Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn and WME Independent; The duo gives an exclusive interview on their timely adaptation – Cannes Market Hot Pack

They continued: “We want to continue with what we started Until we meet again, In a narrative that is fully rooted and authentic to our experience, but also drives action, suspense, genre and poetry. We both feel like Shakespeare on the outside, but both South Asians are also deeply attached to these stories, on themes like family, honor and duty. So our goal is to lead Village Putting life into our society. We want to open this timeless story to a wider audience, with a variety of actors, a contemporary London setting and rap energy in classic verse, a genre we’ve both worked on extensively.

Caria is of Irish, Indian, Ugandan and Welsh descent, but was born in Ipswich, studied in Leeds and lived in London for most of her adult life. Ahmed was born in Wembley, London to a British Pakistani family who moved to the UK in the 1970s.

Deborah Mackintosh and Alex Walton, independent co-presidents of WME, described the project as a “version Village Unlike what you have seen before. It will be visceral, modern and will touch on topical issues “.

We’ve tapped both actor Ahmed and director Karia to delve into their intriguing reinterpretations that will use Shakespeare’s original language in a contemporary context.

Adapting has long been a passion project. crawling night Stella Ahmed and Macbeth Screenwriter Leslie, who knew each other in college when they worked together on the products. Julius Caesar. The project has been running for at least 10 years, Ahmed told us.

There was talk a few years ago that you could create a project on Netflix, but in the end it didn’t materialize. Karia came after her last collaboration with Ahmed Until we meet again, Academy Award on Racism, Identity and Nationalism. This experience provided the creators with a blueprint for their version of Hamlet.

“This is a film about many current issues of our time,” Ahmed told us. “It’s about race, greed, capitalism, corruption and privilege, but it’s also a great thriller. It has elements of psychological horror and action. The script is fast and kinetic and moves from one visually rich environment to another.

London wallpapers range from sumptuous Indian weddings to rows of homeless tents that have become a feature of cities like London, Paris and Los Angeles.

Ahmed continued: “We will see different parts of London, from elite nightlife and supercars to ornate Hindu temples and dilapidated funeral homes, from housing estates to lush heights. London is a city of confrontation, ownership and deprivation.

Filming is expected to begin after the summer. “Everyone is equally focused on telling this story” Evening A star has been added. “It looks urgent, new and stands in the way.”

Caria initially had some reservations about Shakespeare’s overcoming. At school he was made to think that Bard was some kind of elite reserve. But after discussing the project with Leslie and Ahmed, the growing director soon approached this version with an innate, unique, multi-layered layer.

“It will be the opposite version of the poem. We want to be true to the verse, but to create a world, tone and broadcast that allows people to enter it. “We want to tear down walls for the generations who felt a barrier to entry when they played Shakespeare,” she told us.

Karia added: “What we admired was a very unique, visceral first-person film about human weakness and common sense. It’s an atmospheric thriller, both in size and in intimacy. “

The topic of mental health was crucial to Caria’s debut at Sundance 2020 vibrationBen Vishow in the lead role and stuff like that Village The topic of mental health is also considered both in the lead role and in Ophelia.

Ahmed is represented by WME and by attorneys Tara Cole and Danny Pasman. Caria represents AAC. Clark is represented by Kurt Brown, UTA and Mosaic. Alwyn is represented by CAA, Independent Talent and Management 360.