EXCLUSIVE: Oscar Isaac , Evangeline Lilly , Elliott Gould and Billy Zane will voice the Gidi Dar-directed animated movie Legend of Destruction . The Ushpizin ‘s filmmaker’s latest project has been nine years in the making incorporating a unique visual style with 1,500 original still paintings by David Polonsky and Michael Faust, the artists behind Waltz with Bashir (Oscar nominated, and winner of the Golden Globe, 2008) and The Congress . The paintings are edited together to produce an innovative cinematic language, in creating a full-fledged experience of an epic action war film.
Related Story ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’: New Trailer Has Paul Rudd Facing A Grim Ending The pic is set in 66 AD, Judea, under Roman rule; a virtual powder keg waiting to explode. Its society is polarized, and there is rampant social injustice and corruption. When the Jews revolt against the Roman Empire, the situation quickly deteriorates into a brutal civil war and the Roman war beast is unleashed to crush the rebellion.
The film ends in 70 AD with the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and the beginning of the 2000-year exile of the Jewish People – a key moment in both Judaism and Christianity. “This story is at the core of Jewish existence, it is one of the darkest moments of my people, yet few know it. I felt compelled to tell it”, says Dar.
Legend of Destruction is told from the perspective of Ben Batich (Isaac), a good hearted naïve young man who becomes a hardened zealot, a follower of the charismatic Robin Hood-like rebel leader Bar Giora (Zane). “It is a story that has great historical sweep, but also is very intimate, it is about a personal relation between the lead character and God” says Isaac. Lilly voices Queen Berenice, the cunning last Jewish queen, who was trying to save the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at all cost.
“This film is sweeping, it’s tragic, it’s really brutal and sad, but it’s true” says the actress. Elliott Gould, who voices Rabbi Ben Zakkai, one of the greatest sages in Jewish history, felt “very honored to have a chance to portray this great teacher and moderate man, who saved the Jewish faith”. The pic is produced by Amir Harel of Lama Films ( Tel Aviv on Fire ), LOD productions, Yaki Dunietz, and Gidi Dar.
Isaac, through his production company Mad Gene Media, and Lilly are executive producing. WME and UTA are jointly representing the sales of the film. “I couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea that it was going to be told using just still images” recalls Oscar Isaac, “I started watching it and suddenly, within minutes, I was completely transported, and swept up into an epic story…I felt like I was watching Gladiator .
” “ Legend of Destruction is Vincent meets the Passion of the Christ . It is a harrowing historic tale told through vividly living and stunning still paintings. It is riveting.
” adds Lilly. “Movement in cinema is an illusion,” says Dar, “there are 24 still frames per second. In Legend of Destruction , we tried to push the limits of this illusion a few steps ahead.
” Isaac is worried that the film is “terrifyingly relevant. ” Zane notes that “this movie is about a polarized society, in which everybody has an angle, and together all characters are dancing to hell, unless they find some common ground. ” “We are all scared about how divided we are”, agrees Lilly, “we are all scared how little we seem to agree on, and yet we don’t see people reaching across the aisle and compromising”.
Legend of Destruction was nominated for 7 Israeli Academy Awards and won 4. .
From: deadline
URL: https://deadline.com/2023/02/evangeline-lilly-oscar-isaac-legend-of-destruction-animated-movie-1235252526/
