‘A Beautiful Curse” Reunites Writer/Director Martin Garde Abildgaard, Les Producers’ Rikke Katborg & Francois Chilot, and Union Editor Marco Perez
By Egotist / /
“A Beautiful Curse,” the feature debut of writer/director Martin Garde Abildgaard, will have its World Premiere at this year’s Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, held virtually March 20-30. Filmed in 2019, the story is startlingly prescient: a lovestruck photographer (Mark Strepan) visits an island whose inhabitants, including the object of his affection (Olivia Vinall), are hit with a mysterious sleeping phenomenon. Equal parts suspense, fantasy, and romance, “A Beautiful Curse” is imbued with a quiet hope regarding the eternal quest for human connectivity and understanding. View the trailer here:
Abildgaard described his film as, “A modern-day fairytale. A love story. A tribute to life. I hope the audiences will dive into this timeless story and be inspired to see the world, and people around them, in a different perspective.”
“Our production approach was guided by a dogma of minimal impact by using what was available on the island where we filmed, and this was really made possible by the generous welcome we received,” said Producer Rikke Katborg. “With our small crew and the openness of the small local community, Martin’s story came to life in a way that feels incredibly intimate and artful, but also strikes a universal chord.”
The project marks the reunion of an international team, including producer Katborg, noted production company Les Producers in association with Circus Alphaville, Creative Alliance, editor Marco Perez and Union Editorial, all of whom previously collaborated on Abildgaard’s award-winning short, “Lovebirds.”
The project was filmed over 25 days with a brief break when the island, a place Abildgaard had been visiting since childhood, was overtaken by an ice storm. While weather was a significant factor, it also served the contrast between stillness and active imagination, the vitality of life and a mysterious slumber.
Key Credits
Production Company: Les Producers
In Association With Circus Alphaville & Creative Alliance
Written and Directed by: Martin Garde Abildgaard
Produced by: Rikke Katborg
Executive Producer: Francois Chilot
Executive Producers:
Jonas Arnby
Christoffer Boe
Morten Hoffmann Larsen
Marco Perez
Michael Raimondi
Director of Photography: Philippe Kress
Editorial Company: Union Editorial
Editor: Marco Perez
Post Producers:
Gitte Wahl Folmann
Aksel Leth
Color Grading And Finish: Kamerapost Cph
Colourist: Lasse Selvli
Composer: Dennis Lee
Cast:
Mark Strepan
Olivia Vinall
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Iben Hjejle
Ulrik Wivel
Henrik Priergaard
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