Hanway Films has announced that filming has begun on Minamata, director Andrew Levitas’ upcoming thriller which stars Johnny Depp as celebrated war photographer W. Eugene Smith. To mark the start of production, here’s the first image of Depp in character, followed by the official synopsis
Minamata is based on the book by Aileen Mioko Smith and W. Eugene Smith and adapted by David K. Kessler (A Hard Day’s Day). The redemptive thriller, a real-life David versus Goliath story, pitts Smith against a powerful corporation responsible for poisoning the people of Minamata – Japan in 1971. Minamata is an extremely moving story of how one man’s powerful photograph impacted the world to take action.
With the glory days of World War II far behind him Smith (Johnny Depp) has become a recluse, disconnected from society and his career. But an old friend and a commission from “Life Magazine” editor convinces him to journey back to Japan to expose a big story: the devastating annihilation of a coastal community, victims of corporate greed and complicit local police and government. Armed with only his trusted camera, Smith must gain the trust of this struggling community and find the images that will bring the story to the World.
The victims’ case against the corporation responsible for this environmental disaster represents one of the biggest payouts of all time, with present day sufferers of Minamata disease still in court today seeking compensation. Production has spent time in Minamata meeting some of the victims and their families and the film is being made with their support.
In addition to Depp, the film also stars Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest), Minami (Vision), Hiroyuki Sanada (Avengers: Endgame), Tadanobu Asano (Thor), Ryo Kase (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill).
“I am thrilled to be working with such a talented and dedicated team on the story behind one of the most devastating and relatively unknown catastrophes of the past 100 years,” said director Levitas. “Told through the eyes of the extraordinary W. Eugene Smith, widely regarded as one of the most passionate, ground-breaking and uncompromising photojournalists of the 20th century. In his bid to bring the world’s attention to atrocities including the bloodiest conflict in human history, World War II and the horrors of Minamata he put his own life at risk to bring the truth out in his work and capture some of the most poignant images ever taken. Every one of the cast and crew is determined to make the people of Minamata’s voices heard as we begin shooting this film.”
Image Credit: Larry Horricks
