Mel Gibson

(20 Sep 2002) SHOTLIST
1. ws c/uvarious establishment shots of Cinecitta', Rome's movie studios
2. ls- mel gibson (a stunt man) bouncing into press conference
3. cu- camera man filming
4. c/a producer scratching his head at activity
5. ls Gibson enters to applause
6. ls Gibson with dwarf, trying to speak Italian for journalists
7. ws press room
8. SOT MEL GIBSON: on if the film he is about to make is more spiritual or historical, and if
he is a believer.
9. ca on looker
10. SOT MEL GIBSON about distribution--that no rights sold yet because no one wants to
11. touch a project in two dead languages. at the end a journalists says maybe
he is not insane, but a genius
12. ws press room, table
13. SOT MEL GIBSON, about co-star, Don Duong from ''we were soldiers''
14. ms autographs
15. SOT MEL GIBSON one-on-one, about the film content, and why wanted to do the project
16. c/a journalists
17. SOT MEL GIBSON, one-on-one, about casting
18. cu logo, CINECITTA' italian movie studios.
GIBSON SPEAKS OUT ABOUT DON DUONG
MEL GIBSON set out to impress Italian journalists today with an acrobatic entry into a pre-production press conference for his new film 'The Passion'.
Held at Cinecitta', Rome's movie studios, the actor was accompanied by a disruptive dwarf, who teased the Hollywood star for his lack of knowledge of the Italian language, kept calling his mobile phone during the presser and interrupted questions from the Italian journalists.
''The Passion'', which will begin production in Italy on November 10th, tells the story about the last 12 hours in Christ's life. Gibson will direct the movie with the role of the protagonist going to Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line').
The rather ambitious project will be shot in two 'dead languages', Latin and Arabic, without the aid of subtitles.
This factor has probably contributed to why Gibson has no American distribution as yet. The film is entirely financed by his own company, Icon Films.
Gibson called the project, ten years in development, ''good for the soul but not for the wallet''.
The production is set to be shot in historic locations like Matera, the site of PierPaolo Pasolini's historic film ''The gospel according to Matthew'', and other locations in southern Italy like the Basilicata region.
In addition to not using the English language, Gibson selected not to bring an American cast with him, although at today's presser, he did mention that most roles will go to Italians.
Although he has scouted in Tunisia, Jerusalem, Bulgaria and Romania, he said he is currently ''begging'' the acclaimed Italian stars Monica Bellucci as well as Sergio Rubini, to no avail as yet.
Rubini has most recently been seen in ''La Forza del Passatto'' at the Venice film festival. Present at the presser and on the confirmed cast list is Rosalinda Celementano, who will play the role of the devil.
Gibson also took a moment to comment about Vietnamese co-star Don Duong from ''We were soldiers'', who has been branded a "national traitor" by state-run media who criticised the film as distorting the truth. The Vietnamese government is considering enforcing a five year acting ban and hefty fine for his portrayal of senior Vietnamese military officer. Lt. Colonel Nguyen Huu An in the movie.
Gibson commented that he wasn't aware of the situation and was ''sorry'', adding that the actor ''could come and work with him''.
At the conclusion of the press conference, Gibson talked to journalists about his project one on one. The director is happy to work in Italy, having taken his first metro ride in 25 years. He is also finishing up the final
or explode''.

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