This week principal photography of Public Works (o.t. Publieke Werken) started. For the shoot of Public Works a unique film set of the Prins Hendrikkade and the Victoria Hotel is constructed.
Director Joram Lürsen: ‘The set that is constructed right now on the back lot of the enormous studio in Hungary is the most impressive stage setting I ever worked in. It started with a pole in the ground and in one month there has been built a whole Amsterdam quay side. Last week I was standing on the built house of main character Vedder. It’s so impressive. When you imagine that there will be constructed a whole hotel around the house, than you realize the stage set will be huge. With the quality cast and the beautiful costumes, the late nineteenth century will be relived in the Budapest studio’s. I’m looking forward to the shooting period.’
Public Works is based on the award winning bestseller Publieke Werken, written by Thomas Rosenboom – that won the 2000 Libris Literature Award. 450.000 copies of the book were sold in the Netherlands and the book is translated and distributed in Germany, Slowaky, Denmark and Hungary.
The film is produced by Topkapi Films, in cooperation with September Film Distribution, VPRO and publisher Querido. Co-producers of the film are Menuet (Belgium), I’m FILM and Mythberg Films (Hungary). Public Works is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, NPO, CoBO Fund and the Ministry of OC&W (Telescoop), the Matching Fund, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive, the Abraham Tuschinski Fund, the Flemish Audiovisual Fund, Favourite (Belgian tax shelter) and the Hungarian tax rebate. The film is developed with the support of the MEDIA programme of the European Union.
September Film Distribution will release the film in Dutch theatres.