French science fiction writer Bernard Werber recently visited Korea to participate in an international science forum and has again made headlines with the announcement of a film adaptation of his book. Korea and France will co-produce a movie based on "Empire of the Ants", production company Studio3303 announced Tuesday. Korean director Kim Moon-saeng will be in charge of the mise-en-scene.
The estimated 10 million euro (16 billion won) project will be funded by domestic and French producers, half each. "We're still looking for a French partner and are speaking with five major companies", producer An Ho-wan from Studio3303 told The Korea Times. About 60 percent of the film will be animated while the rest will feature real-life images.
Werber saw Kim's 2003 animation piece "Wonderful Days", which was screened in France, and asked him to direct "Ants", said Studio3303. The two have been organizing the project together for the past year and a half.
"I already knew (Kim) through `Wonderful Days' and `Tree Robo', and I was very touched by the wonderful camera work and images. I was impressed by the exceptional drawings and epic poetry and thought he would be a good director for the image and story I had in mid", Werber was quoted as saying in a press release.
"Imagination always becomes reality", said Kim about the commission from Werber. "When I read `Ants' 10 years ago I thought it'd be great to make this (into an animation) and I finally feel like I've really met it!"
As for adapting such a well-known novel onscreen, the director said "Cinema and novels are different. It's not about conquering the original but an effort to embrace it. I will try my best to vividly sketch the ant world the novel dreamt up and stay true to revive the message of the story".
"The theme that prevails in `Ants' is the potential of communication, civilization and foreigners. Here, foreigners don't refer to people from other countries or even worlds, but small, petty existence. `Ants' is about showing the power of nature", said Werber.
"For me, ants are the greatest civilization on Earth and humans come second. I wish to return that place to them. Ants inhabited Earth for over 100 million years while humans lived here for only 3 million years. They are capable of answering questions about earthly phenomenon that we still need to solve. Moreover, ants possess what we humans have yet to achieve, a successful social structure and organization. I wish to present such thoughts in the movie", he said.
Kim will work on the script, which will be in English, with an Anglophone writer while Werber will give overall feedback, said Studio3303. Currently a rough treatment has been drafted. The film will go into production this year and is slated for release in 2011.
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