News and Events
Beowulf and Grendel, directed by the Icelandic born Sturla Gunnarsson
In New York, July 7 - 13
The Union Station Media and Truly Indie announce theRelease of
STURLA GUNNARSSON’S LONG AWAITED SAGA
BEOWULF & GRENDEL
OPENS IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THIS SUMMER
NY-July 7- 13
for information on showtimes please call Quad Cinema at 212-255-2243
For information about showtimes please contact the Quad Cinema 34 W 13th Street (212) 255-2243
It is an ancient blood-soaked tale of heroes and monsters that speaks to our deepest, most primal emotions. A legend where vengeance, loyalty and mercy powerfully entwine. It is the saga of Beowulf & Grendel.
Union Station Media and Truly Indie are pleased to announce that Sturla Gunnarsson’s eagerly anticipated Beowulf & Grendel will open in U.S. cities around the country starting on June 16th in Seattle, and continuing to San Francisco on June 30th, New York on July 7th, Chicago on July 14th, Los Angeles on July 28th, and Boston on August 11th.
Set against the dramatic background of a wind-whipped, ocean-battered Icelandic landscape, the film tells the bloody tale of the warrior Beowulf's battle with Grendel, a great and murderous troll.
The seminal 9th-Century Anglo Saxon poem, Beowulf, has been thoroughly updated by screenwriter Andrew Rai Berzins, using contemporary English, inflected with a wry sense of humor. Beowulf & Grendel nonetheless retains the full heraldic glory and mythical epic qualities that have inspired so many readers.
In this telling, the battle-scarred Norse hero Beowulf (Gerard Butler) leads a troop of warriors across the sea to help an old friend, King Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgård), whose kingdom is being ravaged by the marauding troll, Grendel (Ingvar Sigurdsson).
However, Beowulf's attempts to fight the troll are thwarted when Grendel refuses to engage him in battle. Despite his seemingly savage nature, the troll is adhering to a strict code of retribution: his quarrel is not with Beowulf but with the Hrothgar. When Beowulf meets Selma (Sarah Polley), a mysterious and sensual witch, his understanding of revenge is further complicated and he begins to waver in his commitment to kill on behalf of king Hrothgar.
Paired with the inimitable Skarsgård as the ailing and deceitful king, Butler powerfully portrays the conflicted Beowulf as he endures the slow erosion of his military code of conduct. More than a straightforward story of blood, mead and sweat, Beowulf & Grendel powerfully entwines themes of vengeance, loyalty and mercy. The film strips away the mask of the hero myth, leaving a raw and tangled tale that rings true today.
Scottish born actor Gerard Butler recently starred as the title character in Phantom of the Opera and as the enigmatic stranger in Dear Frankie. His numerous credits include Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, starring opposite Angeline Jolie, Michael Crichton’s Timeline and Wes Craven’s Dracula 2000. He recently completed filming 300, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, in which Butler stars as King Leonidas who led the Spartan army against the advancing Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae, and is currently starring with Pierce Brosnan in Butterfly on a Wheel.
Swedish film star Stellan Skarsgård has appeared in innumerable films directed by masters of world cinema including Lars Von Trier, Roman Polanski, Phillip Kaufman, Gus Van Sant and Steven Spielberg.
Sarah Polley began acting at the age of four. As a child, she appeared in Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Her breakthrough to adult roles was her portrayal of Nicole in Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter. Following her starring role in the film Guinevere (1999) the entertainment media crowned her the "It Girl" of 1999. Polley has appeared in numerous independent films such as Michael Winterbottom’s The Claim, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Weight of Water, David Cronenberg’s Existenz, and Isabel Coixet’s My Life Without Me. Later, she completed The I Inside and Dawn of The Dead. Most recently she filmed Wim Wenders Don’t Come Knocking, which premiered at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and Isabel Coixet’s The Secret Life of Words.
Icelandic born, Canadian raised director Sturla Gunnarsson’s films have received international acclaim and won Genie, Gemini and Emmy Awards, and an Oscar© nomination. Feature films include the comedy, Rare Birds, starring William Hurt and Molly Parker, and the adaptation of Rohinton Mistry’s Booker nominated novel, Such A Long Journey, starring Roshan Seth and Om Puri. His documentaries include the cinema verite classic, Final Offer and the post-apartheid love story, Gerrie & Louise.
Beowulf & Grendel is a Canada-Iceland-UK co-production. The film runs 104 minutes and is rated R. For photos and material please go to: www.beowulfandgrendel.com, Enter the site, Click the PRESS link, Username is Beowulf, Password is Grendel, Go to gallery, Click on whatever photo you want. When it opens, right click (or on a Mac, Apple click) and it will download in high res. Or contact Springer Associates PR.
For all interview, feature and review requests, please contact Gary Springer or Darcy Drollinger gary@springerassociatespr.com, darcy@springerassociatespr.com, Springer Associates PR 212-354-4660
