Actors head off into Wide Blue Yonder

Filming on Norwegian/British co-production begins.

by Amber Wilkinson

British actors Brian Cox and James Fox headed off to Norway this week to begin filming on Wide Blue Yonder.

The black comedy, which co-stars Lauren Bacall, also features leading Norwegian actors Sverre Anker Ousdal (Insomnia), Hege Schoyen, Kaare Conradi and Ingrid Bolsoe Berdal.

The film is about an old rogue sailor named Wally (Cox), who breaks all the rules to fulfil an old friend's dying wish - to be buried at sea. Wally has only 48 hours to fulfil his promise: somehow to raise the cash, steal the body, find a boat and perform the burial. Wally needs a plan, but he’s not a planner. He turns for help to May (Lauren Bacall) and George (James Fox), fellow residents at the retirement home where they all live. However, Wally has a powerful adversary, Froken Reimark (Schøyen), the home’s administrator. She has other, darker plans for the likes of Wally…and for his deceased friend.

Splitting Heirs director Robert Young directs from a screenplay written by Hugh Janes, adapted from his successful stage play. Producers of this British Norwegian co-production are John Cairns for Parkland Films, Stephen Cranny at Collective Films and Terje Gaustad at Vanquish Alliance.

The film will continue shooting until mid August on location in Haugesund, Norway.

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