Emerald Pictures has entered into a partnership with Swedish production company Camp David to represent its roster of directors in the U.S.
The alliance expands the global reach of L.A.-headquartered Emerald Pictures which gains access to Stockholm-based Camp David’s filmmakers who include co-founders Robert Jitzmark and Sebastian Reed. This marks the first time that Reed and Jitzmark have been repped as Camp David directors together at the same U.S. company. Each had earlier in their careers been individually handled in the American advertising market–including Reed by Believe Media.
Mara Milićević, Emerald Pictures’ co-founder and managing director, said, “Emerald has always been imagined as a global company since the very beginning, and this partnership (with Camp David) represents not only a continuation, but an expansion of that vision. To see our family of filmmakers grow in this way is incredibly fulfilling and exciting.”
Emerald co-founder John Duffin feels his shop is simpatico with Camp David. “Over the past twenty years, Camp David has earned the reputation of being on the cutting edge of filmmaking, with a tremendous ability to nurture talent, which to me is so important. They share our love of immersive storytelling, and a dedication to the art of film craft.”
Camp David’s Reed observed that his company’s success “over time is due in no small part to our belief in respect, trust and openness during the collaborative process. We realized quickly after meeting Emerald that we were like-minded there. They never want to stop learning, being challenged, or push boundaries within filmmaking, and we can’t wait to start creating with them.”
Kristina Wibom, co-owner and executive producer at Camp David, shared, “Whilst this partnership expands both companies’ international footprint, we are also super excited that Mara and John’s boutique approach to representing directors will always mean championing artistic integrity above all. This was something we looked far and wide for before the happy discovery of Emerald Pictures, who clearly have their finger on the pulse within the dynamic and influential U.S. market.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More