First Look Studios is releasing TRANSSIBERIAN in theaters on July 18, 2008. Directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist), the film is a nerve-frying Hitchcockian thriller starring Emily Mortimer, Woody Harrelson and Ben Kingsley.


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Transsiberian is a thriller set on the legendary train that links the Far East and Europe, stretching from China to Russia.

Following a stay in Peking, Roy and Jessie, decide to give their relationship one last go and have another adventure together, travelling on the Transsiberian from China to Moscow through exotic, wild, and snow-laden places.

On the train, Roy and Jessie discover that the Transsiberian is no longer the luxurious train it once was before the fall of the USSR.. The famous train's former glamour has disappeared, leaving cold steel carriages and taciturn fellow passengers, reputed to include drug traffickers. They take refuge in the company of a fellow western couple, Carlos and Abbey, and everything is going well until the four decide to get off the train at one of the stops.

When Roy misses the train and gets separated from the rest of the group, Jessie gets off to wait for him and Carlos and Abbey offer to wait as well. However, it soon becomes clear that Carlos and Abbey may not be the sweet and caring couple they initially seemed to be and the story unfolds into a series of thrilling twists and turns. Unwittingly, Roy and Jessie get caught up in the dark world of smuggling and betrayal, and they know that while the train is in motion, there is no getting off…

The Transsiberian experience was the dream of a young American couple that quickly turns into a nightmare. Seven days is far too long to hide, especially on a train.


CAST

Woody Harrelson Roy
Emily Mortimer Jessie
Kate Mara Abby
Eduardo Noriega Carlos
with
Thomas Kretschmann Myassa
and
Ben Kingsley Grinko

CREW

Director Brad Anderson
Producer Julio Fernández
Executive Producer Carlos Fernández
Co-Executive Producer Antonia Nava
Director of Photography Xavier Giménez
Line Producer Jet Christiaanse
Line Producer Teresa Gefaell
Script Brad Anderson
Will Conroy
Art Director Iñigo Navarro
Set Designer Alain Bainée
Editing Jaume Martí
Costume Designer Thomas Oláh

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BIOGRAPHIES

BRAD ANDERSON / Director/Screenwriter

The Darien Gap, Brad Anderson’s first feature, screened in competition at the ‘96 Sundance Film Festival. Because of this film he was honored by Variety in ‘97 as one of the “Ten Leading New Independent Directors to Watch.” In 1998 his film Next Stop Wonderland, featuring Hope Davis and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, was picked up at Sundance by Miramax. It won the Grand Prix and Audience awards at the Deauville Film Festival, as well as the Excellence in Filmmaking Award by the National Board of Review.

In 2001 he had the unusual experience of having two of his films simultaneously hit theaters, both to overwhelming critical praise: the romantic comedy Happy Accidents (IFC Films), which stars Marisa Tomei and Vincent D’Onofrio; and the psychological thriller Session 9 (USA Films), which stars David Caruso, Josh Lucas and Peter Mullan.

In 2005 he made The Machinist (Paramount), which was produced and shot in Spain. It stars Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh and premiered at Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival. It won the 2006 Silver Melies as part of the European Fantastic Film Festival.

His newest film: the Hitchcockian thriller Transsiberian, which he co-wrote and directed, premiered at Sundance and Berlin, 2008. It was shot in Lithuania, Spain, and China and stars Emily Mortimer, Woody Harrelson, Ben Kingsley and Eduardo Noriega.

Projects in development include: an adaptation of J.G..Ballard’s novel Concrete Island; and a musical called Non Stop to Brazil.

His television credits include episodes of Homicide; The Wire; The Shield; Surface; Sounds Like, an hour long film which he wrote and directed for Showtime’s “Masters of Horror”; as well as an episode of this season’s NBC horror anthology “Fear Itself”.

WILL CONROY / Screenwriter

In addition to co-writing "Transsiberian", Will Conroy has written "Widow's Walk", also for director Brad Anderson, "Five Minutes, Mr. Welles", for Vincent D'Onofrio, who directed and starred in the film, "Mac Dog Williams" (with National Book Award nominee Chris Offutt, for D'onofrio and Brooklyn Hazlehurst Productions), and other original, feature-length thrillers and comedies including "Echo" (with National Book Award nominee Thom Jones), "Catalina Trust", which Conroy also directed in 1999, "Largest Living Things", "Opposite Field", and an adaptation of his father Frank Conroy's classic memoir, "Stop-Time". Most recently Conroy has adapted Robert Wilson's thriller, "The Blind Man of Seville", for Filmax International in Spain. He can be reached through Neil Olson at Donadio & Olson in New York.

WOODY HARRELSON / Roy
Woody Harrelson’s rare mix of intensity and charisma consistently surprises and delights audiences and critics alike for his work in both mainstream and independent projects.

Further illustrating his diverse appeal, Harrelson recently starred in the New Line comedy SEMI PRO opposite Will Ferrell and Andre Benjamin. At the same time, Harrelson could be seen alongside Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones in the Coen Brothers’ film, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN which won a SAG Award for best ensemble cast. Harrleson recently finished filming on Columbia Pictures’ SEVEN POUNDS with Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, set for release in December 2008.

Also set for release in 2008 are Zak Penn’s ensemble comedy THE GRAND, Stuart Townsand’s BATTLE IN SEATTLE with Charlize Theron, Andre Benjamin and Ray Liotta and Brad Anderson’s TRANSSIBERIAN where he starred opposite Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley in a film which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Harrleson’s critically-acclaimed portrayal of controversial magazine publisher Larry Flynt in Milos Forman's THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT garnered him Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Nominations as Best Actor. Other highlights from Harrleson’s film career include AFTER THE SUNSET, PLAY IT TO THE BONE, THE THIN RED LINE, THE HI-LO COUNTY, ED TV, WAG THE DOG, WELCOME TO SARAJEVO, KINGPIN, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, INDECENT PROPOSAL, WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP, THE BIG WHITE, A SCANNER DARKLY, NORTH COUNTRY, THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFINANCE, OHIO and A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION.

Harrelson first endeared himself to millions of viewers as a member of the ensemble cast of NBC's long-running hit comedy, CHEERS. For his work as the affable bartender Woody Boyd, he won an Emmy in 1988 and was nominated four additional times during his eight-year run on the show. In 1999, he gained another Emmy nomination when he reprised the role in a guest appearance on the spin-off series FRASIER. He later made a return to television with a recurring guest role on the hit NBC series, WILL AND GRACE.

Balancing his film and television work, in 1999 Harrelson directed his own play, FURTHEST FROM THE SUN at the Theatre de la Juene Lune in Minneapolis. He followed next with the Roundabout's Broadway revival of THE RAINMAKER; Sam Shepherd’s THE LATE HENRY MOSS, and John Kolvenbach's ON AN AVERAGE DAY opposite Kyle MacLachlan at London’s West End. Harrelson directed the Toronto premiere of Kenneth Lonergan's THIS IS OUR YOUTH at the Berkeley Street Theatre. In the winter of 2005 Harrelson returned to London's West End, starring in Tennessee Williams' NIGHT OF THE IGUANA at the Lyric Theatre.

A committed environmentalist, Harrelson joined his activism with his film efforts in Ron Mann's GO FURTHER, a road documentary following Woody and friends on their bicycle journey down the Pacific Coast Highway from Seattle to Santa Barbara.

Along with being a father to his three beautiful daughters, closest to his heart is www.voiceyourself.com, a website Harrelson co-created with his wife Laura Louie which promotes and inspires individual action to create global momentum towards simple organic living and to restore balance and harmony to our planet.

EMILY MORTIMER / Jessie
Emily Mortimer’s many film credits include her break-out role in the critically-acclaimed “Lovely & Amazing,” a comical, bittersweet tale of four hapless, but resilient, women and the lessons they learn in keeping up with the hectic demands of their individual neuroses. The film brought Mortimer great critical acclaim and a 2003 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Mortimer most recently starred in a diverse range of films including the widely acclaimed, touching comedy “Lars and the Real Girl,” starring opposite Ryan Gosling and Patricia Clarkson; and in David Mamet’s “Redbelt,” set in the west-side Los Angeles first world. Her other recent film credits include Woody Allen’s “Match Point,” which she received glowing reviews starring alongside Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Matthew Goode; and the hit comedy “The Pink Panther,” playing Nicole, Inspector Clouseau’s hapless secretary, alongside Steve Martin.

Mortimer’s other film credits include starring in Shona Auerbach’s “Dear Frankie,” earning a London Film Critics Award nomination as an impoverished single mother who has moved to a seaside Scottish town with her deaf child; acclaimed filmmaker David Mackenzie’s first film, “Young Adam,” starring Ewan McGregor, for which Mortimer earned a nomination as Best British Actress at the 2004 Empire Awards and a nomination for Best British Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2004 London Film Critics Circle Awards; leading the ensemble cast in Stephen Fry’s directorial debut, “Bright Young Things”; Kenneth Branagh’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost”; Shekhar Kapur’s award-winning “Elizabeth”; “The Ghost and the Darkness” with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer; and Wes Craven’s “Scream 3.” She also voiced the character of young Sophie in Walt Disney Studios’ English language version of “Howl’s Moving Castle,” directed by the renowned Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.

Over the last year, she has worked continuously on a wide range of upcoming projects including: currently shooting Martin Scorsese’s mystery drama with a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, and Max von Sydow; and “The Pink Panther 2,” reprising her role opposite Steve Martin.

In addition to her several film projects, Mortimer has also starred in a range of television projects for the BBC and played the recurring role of Phoebe, as Alec Baldwin character’s love interest, during the 2007 season of the hit NBC series “30 Rock.”

Mortimer’s theatre credits include making her off-Broadway debut at the Atlantic Theater (February, 2008 – April, 2008) in the World Premiere run of acclaimed playwright Jez Butterworth’s “Parlour Song.” Directed by Neil Pepe, the play looks at what happens when two ordinary people discover they hate what they have become. The story revolves around Dale (Chris Bauer), a demolitions expert, who comes to believe that his wife (Mortimer) is stealing from him. The play also starred Jonathan Cake.

Prior to “Parlour Song,” her other theatre credits include productions of “The Merchant of Venice” for the Lyceum Theatre and “The Lights” for the Royal Court. While studying English at Oxford University, Mortimer had starring roles in numerous stage productions including: Ophelia in “Hamlet” at Oxford Shakespeare Festival, Gertrude in “Hamlet” and Lady Nijo/Winn in “Top Girls” at the Edinburgh Festival, Miss Burstner/Leni in “The Trial” at the Oxford Playhouse, and Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Old Fire Station, Oxford. She also devised, directed and acted in a production of “Don Juan,” which was a Drama Cupper’s Winner.

Mortimer was born in London, England. She is the daughter of famed writer Sir John Mortimer and Penelope Glossop. Mortimer attended the highly respected St. Paul’s Girls School in Barnes, London. She then studied English and Russian at Oxford University from 1990 - 1994. She married actor Alessandro Nivola in 2002, and their first child was born in 2003.

KATE MARA / Abby


Kate Mara continues to emerge as one of the brightest young actresses in Hollywood.

Audiences will next see her star in Transsiberian alongside Sir Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer and Woody Harrelson. The film, which is directed by Brad Anderson, premiered at the 2008 Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals.

Most recently Kate completed shooting Open Road in which she stars alongside Justin Timberlake, Jeff Bridges and Mary Steenburgen and Stone of Destiny in which she stars opposite Billy Boyd for director Charles Martin Smith.

Last year Kate starred opposite Mark Wahlberg in the Paramount Pictures film Shooter. Prior to that she starred with Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox and Ian McShane in the Warner Bros. film We Are Marshall and she portrayed Heath Ledger's daughter in Ang Lee’s Academy Award winning drama Brokeback Mountain.

Kate began acting at the age of 14. She first appeared in Sydney Pollack’s romantic drama Random Hearts. She went on to co-star in Gary Winick’s coming-of-age film Tadpole, for which the director and the film earned Sundance Film festival honors and she co-starred in the independent feature The Californians.

On television, Kate co-starred in a five-episode arc on the Fox Television Emmy Award winning series 24.

An accomplished singer, she made her professional debut at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Landscape of the Body, with Lili Taylor.


Eduardo Noriega / Carlos

Early in his home town of Santander, Spain, Eduardo Noriega began studies in music and piano. In 1990, while still at school, Noriega appeared in his first play, Lorca's Yerma. In 1992, he moved to Madrid, Spain to begin drama studies at the Royal Spanish School of Drama. Shortly after, Noriega began working for his friends, including amateur directors Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil in their first short films. In 1994, he appeared in his first feature film, Armendáriz’s Kronen Stories.

Noriega has won several awards for his acting work including Best Actor in 1994’s AICA Contest and Best Actor in the Alcalá de Henares Festival for Luna, directed by Alejandro Amenábar; a Goya nomination for best leading actor for 1998’s Abre los Ojos; Best Actor in A. De Campóo for Allanmiento de morada; Best Actor in the 1999 Menorca Festival for La Fuente Amarilla; and in 2001, Noriega was named the European Revelation actor for Le Studio in Cannes. In 2005, Noriega was nominated for another Goya for best leading actor for his work in El Lobo.

Ben Kingsley / Grinko

After earning an Academy Award, two Golden Globes and two BAFTA Awards for his riveting portrayal of Indian social leader Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Ben Kingsley continues to bring unequaled detail and nuance to each role. In 1984, Kingsley was awarded the Padma Sri by Indira Gandhi and the government of India. Kingsley went on to earn three additional Oscar nominations for Bugsy (1991), Sexy Beast (2000) and House of Sand and Fog (2003), his roles have been as diverse as his talents, from a sturdy vice president in Dave to the scheming Fagin in Oliver Twist. Since being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year’s Eve Honors List 2001, Kingsley has continued to earn honors as a truly international star.

Two films recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival give further perspective to his work: The Wackness, in which he plays a drug-addled psychiatrist opposite Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby and Mary-Kate Olsen; and the crime thriller Transsiberian, as a mysterious traveler opposite Woody Harrelson, Eduardo Noriega and Thomas Kretschmann. He is the star of the sexually charged Elegy which will premiered at the Berlin Film Festival.

Kingsley verifies his comedic chops opposite Mike Meyers, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake in Paramount’s The Love Guru, slated for Summer 2008. Two other completed films include Man on the Run, a thriller set against the dangerous backdrop of 1980s Ireland, and the more lighthearted crime comedy War, Inc. Currently in production is Martin Scorsese’s 1950s drama Shutter Island, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Michelle Williams.

Steeped in British theatre, Kingsley marked the beginning of his professional acting career with his acceptance by the Royal Shakespeare Company in l967. From roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Brutus in Julius Caesar and the title roles in Othello and Hamlet, among others, his more recent and diverse stage roles include those in The Country Wife, The Cherry Orchard, A Betrothal and Waiting for Godot.

Kingsley’s film career began in l972 with the thriller Fear Is the Key, but his first major role came a decade later in the epic Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. He followed this Oscar-winning performance with such early films as Betrayal, Turtle Diary, Harem, Pascali’s Island, Without A Clue (as Dr. Watson to Michael Caine’s Sherlock Holmes) and The Children opposite Kim Novak. During the ‘90s Kingsley distinguished himself through such roles as Mayer Lansky in Bugsy, Sneakers, Searching For Bobby Fischer and Dave. In 1994 he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his memorable supporting role as Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg’s seven-time Oscar winner Schindler’s List.

During the past decade, Ben Kingsley has remained a coveted and ubiquitous talent. Beginning with such films as Rules of Engagement, What Planet Are You From? and an Oscar-nominated role as a brutal gangster in Sexy Beast, he received his most recent Oscar nomination in 2004 for his performance as a proud Iranian emigrant in the highly acclaimed House of Sand and Fog. Among his films in the last several years are Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist, the crime drama Lucky Number Slevin, John Dahl’s You Kill Me and the Roman empire saga The Last Legion.


ABOUT FIRST LOOK STUDIOS

First Look Studios is a leading independent studio which includes its theatrical, home video and television operations. The studio’s CEO is Trevor Short and Dean Wilson is COO. The company is owned and operated by First Look Holdings, LLC.

FILMAX GROUP

As one of Spain top film producers, Julio Fernández heads the Filmax Group, one of the country’s major audiovisual companies. With headquarters in Barcelona, the company holds an ideal position to fully respond to the opportunities and needs of the European and International entertainment markets.

In recent years, Julio Fernández has made enormous developments in production as head of Castelao Productions. These developments were made possible by consistently producing film works that have not only been very well received by the viewing audience, but have also enjoyed excellent critical acclaim.

FILMAX GROUP - FEATURE FILM SELECTION
Some internationally acclaimed Filmax titles:
• The Hairy Tooth Fairy (2006) –animation- by Juan Pablo Buscarini.
• KM31 (2006) by Rigoberto Castañeda.
• Fragile by Jaume Balagueró (2005), starring Calista Flockhart and Richard Roxburg.
• Tapas (2005) by José Corbacho and Juan Cruz.
• The Machinist (2004) by Brad Anderson.
• Darkness by Jaume Balagueró (2002), a box-office smash in the USA.

Recently Completed Titles:
• Transsiberian (2008) by Brad Anderson (The Machinist). Features an exciting international cast including Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Eduardo Noriega and Sir Ben Kingsley (2008).
• Donkey Xote (2007), animation, by Josep Pozo.
• Nocturna (2007), animation, by Victor Maldonado and Adrián García.
• REC (2007), by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza.
• The Last of the Just (2007) by Manuel Carballo.

In Post-production:
• The Sultans of The South (2008) by Alejandro Lozano.
• Cobardes (2008) by Juan Cruz & Jose Corbacho.
• Love, Pain & Vice versa (2008) by Alfonso Pineda Ulloa.

In Production:
• Diary of a sex-addicted woman, by Christian Molina.

In Development:
• The Hairy Tooth Fairy II, animation, by Andrés Schaer.
• Paintball, by Daniel Benmayor (“Claustrophobia”, Fantastic Factory).
• Circus, by Paco Plaza (“Claustrophobia”, Fantastic Factory).

UNIVERSUM FILM

A brief introduction: Universum Film as Distributor, Buyer of all-rights deals and Co-Producer.

The Munich based company has been in the home entertainment business since 1979 and is one of the market leaders in Germany at present. In 2002, Universum Film founded its theatrical entertainment department and has since then evolved into an important independent film distributor in the German market. Universum Film is a subsidiary of the RTL Media & Marketing Group, which is part of the Bertelsmann Group.

In 2008 Universum Film will release exciting mainstream films such as the fascinating BBC nature documentary “Earth” on February 7th. Another highlight in the 1st half of 2008 will be “Hardcover” on March 27th, a German comedy written and directed by Christian Zübert. The “Dragonhunters” will commence their exciting quest on April 24th in an adventurous European 3D animated production.

Since 2005, Universum Film has been active in the co-production of feature films. The thriller “Open Water 2” was Universum Film’s first successful co-production. Universum Film is currently involved in Brad Anderson’s latest thriller “Transsiberian”, starring Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Sir Ben Kingsley and Eduardo Noriega. Other upcoming projects include family entertainment titles such as “Prinzessin Lillifee”, “Der Mondbär” and “Niko & The Way to the Stars”.




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