Haut Et Court will release “The Captive,” a new historical movie about the early life of Miguel de Cervantes, in French cinemas. The author of “Don Quixote” ‘s time in jail in North Africa is depicted in the film as a story.
Oscar-winning director Alejandro Amenábar is in charge of a $15 million project, working again with Haut Et Court after their collaboration on “While at War” in 2019.
The film takes place in Algiers in 1575, when Cervantes was 28 years old. It tells the story of the future writer as Ottoman pirates capture him and wait for Spain to send ransom money. When facing the possibility of death, Cervantes feels comforted by sharing stories with other prisoners. He forms a surprising friendship with Hasan, the leader of Algiers.
Spanish actor Julio Peña, famous for his roles in “Berlin” and “Through My Window,” plays a young Cervantes. Italian star Alessandro Borghi, known for “The Eight Mountains” and “Supersex,” will also play a main part.
Filming finished last year in Spain, with scenes filmed in Valencia, Alicante, and Seville. The movie is now in the last steps of finishing.
Haut Et Court said that after watching some early footage, Alejandro’s new take on Cervantes’ youth really brings the story to life and connects well with today’s world.
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The film involves several production companies: Mod Producciones, Himenóptero, Misent Producciones from Spain, and Propaganda Italia from Italy. Big companies like Netflix, RTVE, RAI Cinema, and the European film fund Eurimages have supported the project. While Film Constellation handles foreign sales, Walt Disney Studios will release the film in Spain.
Amenábar has hired leading film experts for the project. These include cinematographer Alex Catalán, known for “Loving Pablo,” production designer Juan Pedro de Gaspar from “The Queen of Spain,” and costume designer Nicoletta Taranta, who worked on “Rose Island.” The director will also write the film’s music.
