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Welcome to Morcan Books & Films, the blog devoted to providing a unique perspective and intelligent commentary on books and films. It includes commentary on our own books and films – i.e. novels and screenplays co-written by the Morcans, and feature films produced by, or in development with, Morcan Motion Pictures.
Lance & James
Invited guests mingled enthusiastically with cast and crew of the Australian-produced, New Zealand-helmed movie Anno 2020 at its world premiere in Sydney on Sunday.
The red-carpet event, which drew a near-capacity audience of more than 300, was a milestone for New Zealand-born James Morcan who made his directorial debut helming Anno 2020 and who adapted the screenplay from his published novel. The Sydney-based writer-director is also an actor and has a memorable acting role in the film.
Anno 2020 director James Morcan with Australian child actress Audrey Nitschke share the red carpet at the film’s world premiere.
“I was thrilled by the audience response to the movie,” said Morcan. “Keeping in mind it was shot during the strict COVID lockdowns in 2020, many people resonated with the film. It sparked a real mix of emotions – happy and sad – and it gave those who thought they knew what 2020 was all about something to ponder.”
The premiere was heralded a stellar success by the film’s lead producer, Gil Ben-Moshe, of MoneyShot Productions, Sydney.
“Guests were treated to food and drinks before the screening of the 2.5 hour movie, which was followed by a Q and A session involving the audience, cast and crew,” said Ben-Moshe.
Guests arrive for the World Premiere screening of Anno 2020 at The Ritz Cinema in Sydney.
“There was a real buzz in the cinema, and the enthusiastic applause at the end of the film showed that most resonated with its message. It clearly stirred up mixed emotions, reminding everyone present what they had experienced in the tumultuous year that was 2020.
“Film industry representatives in attendance were surprised to learn that the movie was shot in 17 cities on four continents on a micro budget of US$6,000.
“Three days later the positive messages and emails from attendees are still pouring in. It’s a gratifying reminder that the evening was a great success.”
Filmmakers (from left) lead producer Gil Ben-Moshe, guest producer-director Marc Radomsky, director-producer James Morcan and producer Oren Ben-Moshe on the red carpet at the Anno 2020 world premiere.
Billed as a global kaleidoscope of interconnected characters seeking redemption, forgiveness, and answers amidst the chaos of 2020, Anno 2020 boasts an award-winning ensemble of international actors.
Cast members include leading Australians Erin Connor (Occupation: Rainfall, Dino King 3D) and Greg Poppleton (Last Days of the Space Age, Backtrack and Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), American veterans Kevin Scott Allen (Alias, Prison Break and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Sheila Ball (A Prince and Pauper Christmas, Assault On VA-33 and By Deception), and Chinese American Crystal J. Huang (Dark Feathers), as well as Jessica Castello (Oildale), and Australian child actress Audrey Nitschke (Wolf Like Me).
Next up for Anno 2020 is a Melbourne screening on May 6, and a Brisbane screening on June 4. The longer-term target includes online distribution on major streaming platforms.
Major Instagram influencers on the red carpet at Anno 2020’s world premiere are (from left): producer Oren Ben-Moshe, Dorota Kluz, Dilek Saticieli, Gil Ben-Moshe, Vesna Angelevski, Anthanasia Sklavenitis, Mikey Gelo, Zoe Abela, Bhavinder Sanghera and Leo Sklavenitis.
As the countdown continues for the world premiere of the Australian-produced mystery-drama Anno 2020 – at a red-carpet event in Sydney on April 7 – attention turns to the film’s New Zealand-born author-director James Morcan.
James Morcan (right) with Anno 2020 producer Gil Ben-Moshe in Downtown Sydney.
The Sydney-based 45-year-old made his directorial debut helming this movie and has the distinction of not only writing the Anno 2020 script but adapting it from his published novel of the same name. He is also a screen actor, and he goes against type to play the part of an anti-Semite in an unforgettable scene opposite Jewish actor Gil Ben-Moshe, who is also the film’s lead producer.
Morcan describes Anno 2020 as a mammoth, all-consuming, creative book-to-film project he has been working on around the clock since the Covid-19 lockdowns began in early 2020. He was set to direct another feature film in Sydney when he was pulled from it when the pandemic intervened, resulting in the cancellation of the production. Undeterred, he turned his attention to Anno 2020.
“The storyline (of Anno 2020) is my attempt to make sense of, or mentally process, our strangely altered reality and everything humanity collectively endured in 2020. For the last three years I’ve devoted my life to it, from writing the novel and then the screenplay adaptation to directing the filming and finally guiding it thru post-production.”
Morcan says it’s no exaggeration to say, for him, the film was an absolute beast to direct, but he insists it was always rewarding as the quality was evident throughout the production.
“I lived every scene in my mind over the duration, visualizing how to bring to life this epic, heartfelt story in the most dramatic yet believable way. The result is a film best described as a global kaleidoscope of interconnected characters seeking redemption, forgiveness, and answers amidst the chaos of 2020.
“If I could summarize Anno 2020 in one word, I would say: substance. It has substance in spades and that’s what I always aim for as a storyteller. Early viewer feedback we are receiving confirms that this story makes people laugh, cry, think on a philosophical level and reflect on their own lives in new ways.”
Morcan believes it will feel extremely genuine to cinemagoers, and he primarily attributes that to some of the filmmaking techniques he and his colleagues pioneered during the film’s making.
“Keeping in mind the movie was shot during the strict lockdowns in 17 cities on four continents, we faced unique challenges. Our actors, in the main, were isolated and separated from each other as opposed to being together on set.
“Besides directing all the many Australian scenes on location, remote filming tech allowed me to direct cast members and crews in the various global locations that I couldn’t travel to due to Covid restrictions. This allowed my crew and I to film live all over the world without travelling to every single location.”
Anno 2020 boasts an award-winning ensemble of international actors. They include leading Australians Greg Poppleton (Backtrack, The Chronicles of Narnia) and Erin Connor (Occupation: Rainfall, Dino King 3D), as well as US veterans Kevin Scott Allen (Star Trek, Alias, Prison Break) and Chinese American Crystal J. Huang (Dark Feathers).
“The actors were pushed to their limits as the rare performance style we employed is emotionally raw, semi-improvisational and mostly shot via close-ups courtesy of Zoom technology.
“This was not only reflective of the way many people were forced to communicate during the pandemic, but also it created a never-before-seen way to view characters interacting in movies – showing two close-ups at once. That’s something that’s never seen in regular movies apart from brief split-screen footage.
“Our video-linked conversations provide a real intimacy and dramatically contrast with the panoramic shots in the rest of the film.”
Morcan says those panoramic shots he refers to were all filmed using high-quality cinema cameras.
“Strategically recreating Zoom-style chats proved to be an asset. Our actors infused their own real-life experiences, be they traumatic or joyful, in cinema vérité fashion. That ‘real life’ injection helped evolve their characters into something even more truthful, giving this overall piece of entertainment shades of docu-drama or at least ultra-realism.
“Audiences will definitely feel these honest truths, proving the old adage what comes from the heart, goes to the heart.”
Morcan says one of the groundbreaking methods employed while shooting was to encourage ad-libbed interactions where the actors improvised much of the dialogue around preconceived situations.
“These improvised sequences facilitated a sense of immense spontaneity and realism similar to what auteur directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorcese did in the likes of those 1970’s classics Apocalypse Now and Taxi Driver, and more recently in Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. That approach led to very genuine interactions between actors in character.”
Anno 2020’s lead producer Gil Ben-Moshe, of MoneyShot Productions, says he believes the movie will launch Morcan’s career as a director.
“James proved to every actor involved that he understands story and what it takes to direct an ensemble that boasts Hollywood credits. I’m truly excited for him and look forward to working with him on many future projects.”
Ben-Moshe says collaborating with Morcan on Anno 2020 was confirmation for him that he has directing chops, an admirable work ethic, and the ability to get a performance out of any actor regardless of age, experience, or attitude.
“Directing is a real artform which requires an enormous amount of work, planning and having a clear vision for every scene. James worked around the clock ensuring he was prepared for every possible scenario that could arise during pre-production and primary photography.”
From Morcan’s perspective, Anno 2020 is the culmination of a two decade-long career telling stories in the creative mediums of cinema, television, and theatre – around the world and spanning various genres and historical periods. One notable acting performance was a lead role alongside Berynn Schwerdt (Wyrmwood) in the post-Apocalyptic feature film After Armageddon, which he also wrote.
Other leading roles include the OZ-Bollywood feature films My Cornerstone and Love You Krishna for which he also wrote the screenplays for. Both productions were filmed in Sydney and Mumbai, and incorporated English and Hindi languages. My Cornerstone screened in cinemas Australia-wide and in selected Indian cinemas.
Morcan also performed in Ben Hur: The Stadium Spectacular, starring Russell Crowe, before an audience of 130,000 people over two nights at Sydney’s ANZ Olympic Stadium. Other acting credits include the British TV series Dark Knight, the BBC feature Wild About Harry, and TV commercials for multinational companies like Samsung and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Another acting highlight was playing a vigilante in The Pawn, a gritty feature film set in Melbourne, Victoria, which Morcan’s production company Morcan Motion Pictures produced. The noir-style thriller premiered at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival and screened at the Imperia Film Festival in Italy.
He was also Executive producer on Desired, a New Zealand thriller directed by Amanda Phillips and starring Dwayne Cameron (#211). It was shot in Auckland and premiered at Cannes Marche du Film in France.
Morcan has also made his mark as an author. Writing in collaboration with his father Lance Morcan, he has co-authored some 35 published fiction and non-fiction books in addition to his solo-authored novel Anno 2020. Many of these have been regular visitors to Amazon’s bestseller lists.
The father-and-son writing team’s novels include the bestselling historical adventures Fiji, White Spirit and Into the Americas, and their acclaimed thrillers Silent Fear and The Orphan Trilogy. The pair are progressively adapting their novels to feature film screenplays, and several of these are in early development.
Among their most popular non-fiction titles is Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, a book that was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the historicity of the WW2 genocide.
Across film, television, theatre, and literature, Morcan says he has often covered similar themes to those of Anno 2020.
“My stories usually involve twist endings as this film has, as well as powerful, realistic characters that audiences and readers can relate to.”
Looking ahead, Morcan says his goal for the movie Anno 2020, besides commercial success, is to achieve a sense of unity.
“In an increasingly complex modern world that seems to be more and more about divisions in society, where people are all being lumped into political sides or categories and are pitted against each other, a diverse, all-inclusive film with family and community values will prove to be very timely in my opinion.
“And I am confident audiences will be surprised to see all the similarities in the different characters we follow across the many countries, cultures, religions and ethnicities we explore throughout the story.”
Anno 2020 will celebrate its world premiere at a red-carpet event at Randwick’s The Ritz Cinema, in Sydney, on April 7. Beyond that, a Melbourne screening will take place at the Lido Cinema on May 6, and a Brisbane screening at the New Farm Cinema on June 4. The longer-term target includes online distribution on major streaming platforms.
‘Attracting Chaos’: An Old Style of Filmmaking Meets a New Breed of Director in James Morcan’s ‘Anno 2020’
Maverick first-time director, James Morcan, harkens back to the havoc of pre-blockbuster Hollywood with his ‘Altmanesque’ and unruly, ‘Anno 2020’ (2024). Rhoyce Nova sits down with the best-selling author turned auteur to discover the method to his madness.
Andre Doc Williams filming on the deserted streets of New York City during lockdown.
“Think you know what 2020 was about? Think again,” teases the tagline of Anno 2020. A mystery drama based on Morcan’s novel of the same name, Anno 2020 is set in, and was filmed during, the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. Described as, “A global kaleidoscope of interconnected characters seeking redemption, forgiveness, and answers amidst the chaos of Anno MMXX (Year 2020),” the film features a core cast of more than a dozen performers from around the world. Spanning seventeen cities in five countries on four continents, it was shot over two years amidst international travel bans on a nano-budget of US$6000. Set to premiere at The Ritz Cinema on April 7, Anno 2020 was a Quarter-Finalist at the International British Film Festival 2023 and won the ‘Best Experimental Film’ award from the Titan International Film Festival in Sydney.
Author-Director James Morcan, also appears in ‘Anno 2020’ as the disaffected, wheelchair-bound, ‘Byron’.
New Zealand-born Morcan may be a directorial debutante but as an author, he has considerable clout. The novel upon which the film is based is the first solo-authored title from the dozens of books he has written with his father, literary polymath, Lance Morcan. Among the duo’s oeuvre are two best-selling novels, White Spirit and Into the Americas, the gripping international thriller series,The Orphan Trilogies, and the new release horror, Silent Fear, which their production company, Morcan Motion Pictures, is developing into a feature film. Also slated for production is the author’s controversial non-fiction franchise, The Underground Knowledge Series, which spawned a popular YouTube podcast and one of the largest and most lively discussion groups on Goodreads. Also an actor of note, Morcan has appeared alongside the likes of Russell Crowe. Most recently he co-starred in three highly-rated features, After Armageddon (2016), and the Oz-Bollywood productions, Love You Krishna (2013), and My Cornerstone (2019), all of which he penned. His feature films have screened at cinemas in Australia, New Zealand, India, Italy, and Cannes.
Andre Doc Williams filming during the Black Lives Matter protests in New York City.
The making of Anno 2020 is seat-of-the-pants guerrilla filming at its finest. The fact that the ambitious project was even started, let alone completed, is a triumph of collaboration and experimentation. Morcan divulges how a conglomeration of suddenly unemployed headline actors and bored, under-utilised crew members helped to piece the film together while the rest of the world sat glued to their couches in their pyjamas. “People were in lockdown, and they really wanted something to do, so we just attracted people who… were primarily more actor-producers who just wanted to join us.” Explaining how he navigated the logistical and technical challenges of filming remotely in so many locations during travel bans, Morcan says that much of the filming was facilitated organically, adding that the timing was equally as important as the technologies they used.
People just said, ‘Well, I’ve got a film crew and they’re bored in Los Angeles or… I’ve got this red camera, or we’ve got friends in China,’” says Morcan, adding, “and it just grew and grew and grew to the point where we barely recognised it, you know, from our original plans.
Promising newcomer, Jessica Castello, during filming.
As the location shoots expanded across borders, so too did the cast. In Anno 2020, a melange of instantly recognisable faces and high-profile international artists appear alongside a band of promising, lesser-known, performers. American perennials, such as Star Trek’s, Kevin Scott-Allen, Brooklyn.Blue.Sky’s, La Rivers, and consumate veteran actress, Sheila Ball, join with seasoned homegrown talents like The Chronicles of Narnia actor, Greg Poppleton and Blue Murder’s, Gil Ben-Moshe, while esteemed Chinese American actress, Crystal J. Huang, and standout newcomer, Israeli actress, Lital Luzon, are among the multicultural cohorts who round out the cast. Quizzed on how he managed to attract such a stellar line-up of performers on no budget during a lockdown, Morcan explains,
It was basically like, you know, the cooperative theatre productions of yesteryear where everyone would get a slice of the pie,” adding, “It was about making everyone a type of producer… so everyone is getting something out of it.
True to this collaborative ethos each of the lead actors and key creatives on Anno 2020 received producer credits.
Crystal J. Huang delivers a measured yet moving performance in Anno 2020.
Anno 2020, despite its setting, is not about the Covid pandemic. Instead, it follows the cast of core characters as they navigate the relationship schisms, clashing beliefs, and core internal wounds that are made manifest by the forced confinement of the lockdowns. There are no hackneyed, ‘My boyfriend and I were separated by the travel ban’ narratives here, rather, in true ‘Altmanesque-ensemble’ style, a series of distinct narrative vignettes unfold and intersect. We see an alienated mother and daughter finding their way back to each other online when the mother is diagnosed with cancer and cannot access medical treatment. We see an aging gay man seeking connection with the family who ostracised him many years earlier, and we see a formerly-young man who realises he has wasted his life when he finds himself single and loveless while staring down the barrel of middle-age during lockdown.
Jessica Castello delivers a convincing, nuanced performance in Anno 2020.
Describing himself more as an ‘author-director’ with ‘actorly’ leanings, Morcan reveals his literary roots in the dexterous handling of the complex storylines, while the empathy his acting background fosters shows in the performers’ ability to feel safe to express their vulnerability. “I think author-actor is the key background for me,” says Morcan, adding, “because my style, I guess, is very act pro-actor.” In a nod to Altman’s signature style, Morcan encouraged his actors to improvise and integrate elements of their own lived experiences in their performances. As a result, Morcan reveals that 75% of the dialogue in Anno 2020 was improvised and that, going in, he deliberately underwrote the screenplay to foster overlapping dialogue and allow for ad-libbing. As Morcan puts it,
I got to know each actor and, and I thought, this is almost docu-drama style acting that will really suit people to put in their own trauma,” adding, “I know that sounds bleak, but… that’s the conflict of drama and people, but I had to check about, ‘Are you happy to explore something that’s really happened in your life?’
The tactic led to some startlingly moving moments, like when the character of ‘Esther’, played by Lital Luzon, who is easily the breakout performer of the piece, blurts out that she deserved to be abused by her ex-partners. Morcan says, “I tend to believe that big truths like that… will resonate at a deeper level.”
Israeli actress, Lital Luzon, performs with unparalleled intensity and authenticity in Anno 2020.
Judging from the intimacy of his actors’ performances, they seem to be revelling in Morcan’s loose and free directing style.
I think the thing people forget is that writing can be done at any stage. So, there is what we know of writing, but then if you think of the equivalent of songwriting, sometimes a band would just sit there. They’re not actually physically writing. And I think it’s a similar analogy for me with the filmmaking process, in that in the editing room, we’re rewriting.
Morcan reveals that the initial edit of Anno 2020 was eight hours long and he wanted to get it down to around two and a half hours. With the final cut standing at 2:25, the film is still on the long side by current standards. In cases like this, the old writing and filmmaking adage, ‘kill your darlings’ comes to mind, but a novelist and screenwriter of Morcan’s pedigree is well aware of this. One gets the sense that he has gloriously disregarded contemporary Hollywood conventions like certain renegade directors before him. Robert Altman’s Nashville comes in at around 2:40, and Lars von Trier’s Dogville runs just shy of three hours. Bold moves like this mark Morcan as a maverick movie maker who is determined to do things his own way.
Shaun Huff and La Rivers play a couple whose values clash during the pandemic.
While the performances in Anno 2020 are, on the whole, strong, the visual stylings are raw, rough, and ready. Do not expect high production values and finessed filmic finishes. The movie looks just as it was shot, randomly and chaotically with different cameras and camera people, and a collection of Zoom videos. Perhaps the film could have benefited from greater visual integration and a more interestingly rendered zoom interface, however, over-editing would be out of place in a film tackling topics of disconnection and alienation, particularly given its Cinéma Verité ethos. In the final analysis, the unfiltered visual language of Anno 2020 actually fosters the sense of connection we feel with the characters, as when the performers are addressing each other in the zoom windows, the fourth wall is thinned, without entirely breaking. In describing the style of filmmaking he wanted for the film, Morcan says,
We had this phrase like, ‘It’s not just realism, but ultra-realism’. That’s what we were going for,” adding, “The goal was… let’s say you were watching the movie and a friend of yours just popped in and looked over your shoulder, the goal was for them to say, ‘What documentary is this?’ because it feels so lifelike, you know?
Young actress Audrey Nitschke, who plays ‘Sophie’ in Anno 2020, is a talent to watch out for.
This kind of immediacy and authenticity lies at the core of Morcan’s style of directing, which he likens to the wild and free filmmaking techniques of the pre-blockbuster era in Hollywood. “I’m a big fan of 60/70s movies before there were these massive blockbusters,” says Morcan, adding, “Then I think so much money was involved that they were basically getting directors… to sign off on the script… but then what if something amazing happens that you go, ‘Gee, I wish I could have just done this, but you’re not allowed to… and that’s a restriction not only on directors but everyone.” Morcan says, “When you free a director, you’re freeing everybody.”
Morcan’s embrace of this off-the-cuff, seat-of-the-pants, 70’s style of filmmaking, paired with his ‘author-actor’ sensibilities, mark him as a new breed of auteur to watch out for. In his words,
I’m big on the planning, but for this movie, I think it shows that there are other ways to make films and the film industry has kind of forgotten about that,” adding, “like, with that sort of preparation, you’re trying to reduce any chaos, but Anno 2020 was almost about attracting chaos, chasing it, because that’s what made it dangerous. That’s what made it lively.
RHOYCE NOVA’S RATING FOR ANNO 2020:
“INNOVATIVE
INTIMATE
BRAVE”
Rhoyce Nova is an award-winning writer, director, and film critic who is passionate about elevating stellar independent cinema.
Down Under film fans will be delighted to learn tickets are still available for Sydney’s eagerly awaited Inner West Film Fest 2024, which will roll out across Dendy Cinemas, Palace Cinemas, Actors Centre Australia, Marrickville Golf Club and many more locations from April 11 to 21.
Last year’s event started off as a one-dayer, but quickly expanded to four days. This year, festival organisers have more than doubled that. They say that required a lot more scouting around the world for great content.
Their efforts have certainly paid off this time around with a mouthwatering array of offerings for film-lovers with a special focus on comedy.
Festival co-directors Greg Dolgopolov and Dov Kornits said in a joint statement the Inner West Film Fest will kick off with a very special opening night event.
“Under a (hopefully) starry Inner West sky, a free one-off open-air screening will celebrate the much-loved and oft-quoted surprise breakout 2004 indie hit NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, the Jared Hess-directed cult comedy that helped define a generation.”
Dolgopolov and Kornits describe the movie as a deliriously entertaining cult classic and remind fans it recently enjoyed an anniversary screening at Sundance. This deliriously entertaining offering will screen on its 20th anniversary under the stars at Hole 1 of The Marrickville Golf Club.
This Inner West Film Fest programme is packed with Australian content, including festival favourite Goran Stolevski’s latest work, HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS, which won the coveted Queer Lion at The Venice International Film Festival.
The Australian Premiere of PAUL FENECH: OUTBACK OUTLAW COMEDIAN, from the creator of FAT PIZZA, HOUSOS, and BOGAN HUNTERS, also offers behind-the-scenes footage and commentary that will have you crying with laughter.
FIGHT TO LIVE is a riveting, profoundly inspiring documentary that follows Aussie Bare Knuckle Fighting champion “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings’ journey from victim to conqueror. It was directed by Inner West resident Tom Haramis who will be a guest of the festival.
HEART OF THE MAN is a poignant exploration of family dynamics, personal growth, and the power of acceptance, as a young boxer finds the courage to follow his own path. Written, directed by and starring indigenous filmmaker David Cook who will also be a festival guest.
Photographer and documentarian Stephen Dupont’s searing, unforgettable documentary KAUGERE: A PLACE WHERE NOBODY ENTERS is a modern-day parable of once tribal men finding their feet through the game of rugby league.
SAHELA, executive produced by Dev Patel and starring Antonio Aakeel and Anula Navlekar, is director Raghuvir Joshi’s debut feature, and captures the complex, fraught emotion of a married man’s decision to confront the traditional Indian cultural values he was raised with.
The Cannes Film Festival success story DÉSERTS, is an epic road movie that winds its way from Casablanca to the South of Morocco Sahara, with gifted actor director Faouzi Bensaïdi (MILLE MOIS, DEATH FOR SALE) at the wheel.
Another Cannes success story, THE SWEET EAST is the stunning directorial debut of veteran indie cinematographer Sean Price Williams (GOOD TIME, HER SMELL, TESLA, MARJORIE PRIME), and provides an ample showcase for heartthrob-du-jour Jacob Elordi (SALTBURN, PRISCILLA), rising star Earl (son of Nick) Cave, magnetic scene stealer Simon Rex (RED ROCKET), and rising star Talia Ryder.
Blazing a trail at The 2023 Sundance Film Festival and SXSW, and scoring the Best Director prize at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, FREMONT is a tough, but sweetly tempered tale with stunning performances from exciting newcomer Anaita Wali Zada, award-winning man-of-the-moment Jeremy Allen White (THE BEAR, THE IRON CLAW) and actor-writer-comedian Gregg Turkington (ANT-MAN).
The deliriously funny brainchild of comedian, co-writer, producer and star Esther Povitsky, the satirical comedy DRUGSTORE JUNE boasts a side-splitting support cast, including Beverly D’Angelo, James Remar, Haley Joel Osment, Bobby Lee, and executive producers Bill Burr and Al Madrigal.
French high-stylist and stand-alone auteur Luc Besson is back with the highly original DOGMAN, a quirky collision of rich characterisation and hard-edged action to rival the director’s best work in the genre, including LEON, NIKITA and LUCY. Gifted leading man Caleb Landry Jones delivers a masterclass in outsider iconoclasm to match Besson’s bravura moves.
Caleb Landry Jones in Dogman.
And that’s just a snapshot of what’s screening at this year’s Inner West Film Fest!
ANNO 2020 the movie has echoes of SOUND OF FREEDOM in that it addresses a subject some would prefer remain hidden. Self-appointed censors tried to ban that film. Will they try to ban this one, too?
ANNO 2020 was directed by Kiwi director James Morcan who also adapted the screenplay from his published novel of the same name.
“All roads lead back to 2020”
As this trailer for my recently completed feature film Anno 2020 alludes to, I believe the year 2020 will go down one of the most important years in all of human history. So many of our freedoms were lost in the name of a virus to “keep us safe”…Freedoms that were taken from us by supposedly altruistic politicians who avoided any meaningful consultation with the public… This circumventing of democracy has set a dangerous precedent and spiralled into numerous other injustices occurring now… For many citizens, all the intricacies of 2020 are only now being understood in hindsight, for hindsight is always 20/20…
Anno 2020 has been a 3 year book-to-film passion project for me…It started with writing a novel during 2020 to try to personally make some sense of what was happening to the significantly altered world I was observing. Then over 2021 we shot that novel’s film adaptation in 17 cities, 5 countries and 4 continents (using creative techniques to film while the world remained mostly in strict lockdown). Lastly, over 2022 and some of 2023 was the massive editing process.
As we finally now present this one-of-a-kind, epic movie to the world, I’d like to thank my incredible team around the world who made it all possible. Many of their names are in the end credits of trailer, the rest are all listed on IMDb at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13455748/
Distribution enquiries welcomed. -James Morcan, Director-Screenwriter
Morcan Books & Films 