"Tributes of Panem" back on the big screen
Eight years after the release of the last film, the 'Tributes of Panem' series is back with a new prequel. At the center of the story of "The Tributes of Panem - The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" is the young Coriolanus Snow, long before he became the tyrannical President of Panem that fans already know. It's a movie about a young person who is torn, the classic question of good and evil.
A great burden and responsibility rests on the shoulders of 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow. He is the last hope for the once wealthy Snow family after they lost their reputation and prosperity during the war. The young Capitol resident senses an opportunity for social advancement when he is chosen to mentor Lucy Gray Baird from District 12 at the tenth anniversary of the murderous Hunger Games. Her chances of winning are slim, but Lucy quickly attracts all eyes.
The new prequel from director Francis Lawrence is set 64 years before the events of the well-known sci-fi series 'Tribute to Panem'. The 61-year-old filmmaker, who hails from the USA, has already directed three of the four original Panem films. The film with blockbuster potential is based on the novel "The Tributes of Panem X - The Song of Birds and Snakes" by the author of the Panem book series, Suzanne Collins, and will be released in German cinemas on November 16.
Top-class cast
Even though audience favorites such as Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen from District 12 in the original film series, do not play a role in the prequel film, "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" boasts a top-class cast. Tom Blyth ("Benediction") plays the young Coriolanus Snow. Rachel Zegler ("West Side Story") slips into the role of Lucy Grey Baird.
Oscar winner Viola Davis ("Fences") will be seen as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the playmaker of the Hunger Games. In addition, "Euphoria" star Hunter Schafer starred as Snow's cousin Tigris and Josh Andrés Rivera ("West Side Story") as his best friend Sejanus Plinth. Jason Schwartzmann ("Darjeeling Limited") and Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones") can also be seen in other roles.
Many filming locations in Berlin
A large part of "The Tributes of Panem - The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" was filmed in Germany in collaboration with Studio Babelsberg. Berlin in particular became the setting. "We got the locations we needed here," said director Lawrence.
German production designer Uli Hanisch based his choice of locations on Berlin in the 50s and 60s. Berlin provided the ideal conditions for the historical aspect of the film, "because we find the German Empire, the Third Reich and the GDR/East Berlin in the buildings", explained the 56-year-old.
The production largely manages without purely virtual landscapes. "Because it is a fictional world, it is all the more important to give it a basis and something real," said Hanisch. In addition to Berlin, filming also took place in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg and Poland.
A number of German actors and actresses were in front of the camera for the international film project, including Irene Böhm ("Babylon Berlin"), Dimitri Abold ("Beckenrand Sheriff"), Luna Kruse ("Schloss Einstein") and Kjell Brutscheidt ("Polizeiruf 110", "Sarah Kohr - Irrlichter").
Filming in English - this was a challenge for German actor Kjell Brutscheidt when working on the set of the new "Tribute of Panem" film. "Of course, you weren't allowed to have a German dialect in English," said the 27-year-old. A dialect coach helped the German participants to speak an American accent during filming.
"The Tributes of Panem - The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes", USA 2023, FSK: 12, by Francis Lawrence, with Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage
- Tom Blyth, who is known for his role in "Benediction," will portray the young Coriolanus Snow in the new prequel of the "Tributes of Panem" series, titled "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes."
- Joining Blyth in the top-class cast is Rachel Zegler, who gained fame for her role in "West Side Story," who will play Lucy Grey Baird in the prequel.
- In addition to Blyth and Zegler, the film features Oscar winner Viola Davis, who will portray Dr. Volumnia Gaul, a significant character in the story.
Source: www.dpa.com
