Two for the Seesaw: Prestige and Parody

The Cannes International Film Festival has long been used as a launch pad for film projects of all kinds, but two features announced here Monday--one prestigious, one pure parody--proved just how broad a marketplace this event has become.

At one extreme, South Africa’s leading movie producer unveiled plans for a much-anticipated feature based on Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom.” At a somber news conference that began with actual footage of the charismatic world leader, Anant Singh said he plans to start shooting the $40-million to $50-million film--which is being made with Mandela’s blessing--this fall for release in 1999.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Mirror Group--rivals of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. in the British publishing world--announced its first feature film: a $25-million spoof of News Corp.’s megablockbuster “Titanic.”

At a lighthearted pool-side luncheon, Mirror Group representatives said that in the tentatively titled “Titanic Too--It Missed the Iceberg,” the ill-fated ship will encounter volcanoes, asteroids, saboteurs and sea monsters.

The Mandela project has been in development for three years, since Singh--who made “Sarafina!” and “Cry, the Beloved Country”--obtained the rights to Mandela’s 1994 book. But Singh said the project has some urgency now because he wants its release to coincide with the date that Mandela steps down as president: October 1999.

At Monday’s news conference, Singh announced that the film will be directed by Shekhar Kapur, who is said by some to be the Steven Spielberg of India. Kapur made the controversial 1994 film “Bandit Queen,” which was banned in India because of its explicit sexuality.

The film will be written by William Nicholson, whose screen credits include “Shadowlands,” “Nell” and “First Knight.” Singh, who said he has been approached by several U.S. distributors, called the project the most ambitious independently financed motion picture to be made in Africa since the 1962 film “Lawrence of Arabia.”

“This is a great story. This man came, from the perspective of the white masters of South Africa, from nowhere . . . to be president,” Nicholson said. “Frank Capra couldn’t work out a better plot line than that.”

Singh was tight-lipped about who is being considered to play Mandela. Auditions have been underway in Africa for six months, he said, suggesting that he is considering casting an unknown actor in the role.

“When Ben Kingsley did [“Gandhi”], he was nobody,” the producer said, referring to the 1982 film about India’s leader. He did not rule out casting an American movie star, though he said the film’s financing did not depend on landing a big name.

“Denzel [Washington] is a friend of mine. I have not even talked to him about playing this role,” he said vaguely. He also dismissed rumors that Morgan Freeman is attached to the project.

The only concrete casting decision to be revealed Monday came from Mandela himself, in a videotaped interview that was shown at the news conference. Asked whether he would be appearing in the film, Mandela said no.

“I’m no actor,” he said.

The three British executives who made the announcement about the “Titanic” spoof all worked for Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. at various times, but each insisted that had nothing to do with their decision to parody its biggest box-office hit.

Nevertheless, one source said the movie is likely to include a character named Murdoch who will speak in an Australian accent and scream at people.

“To use your language, this was a no-brainer,” said Nick Ferrari, deputy managing director of Live-TV, a Mirror Group cable channel with a decidedly goofy approach. The channel features news delivered by a man in a bunny suit, a business report by a woman who disrobes as the market drops, and a weather report by a dwarf on a trampoline.

The Mirror Group also publishes such tabloids as the Mirror and Sunday Mirror.

“Titanic Too” is a co-production with Brad Krevoy’s Motion Picture Corp. of America, which produced “Dumb and Dumber” and “Beverly Hills Ninja.” Pat Proft, screenwriter for “Naked Gun” and “Hot Shots,” is writing the screenplay and may direct the movie as well, Krevoy said.

Krevoy said he wanted the film in theaters by next spring, and he predicted that several studios would want to distribute it. He said he liked David Hasselhoff to play the Billy Zane character and Priscilla Presley to play the mother of the heroine.

Krevoy said he might even ask Fox about using the Mexico facility that the studio built to film the $200-million-plus “Titanic.”

Everyone predicted that Murdoch will take the venture with good humor. As for “Titanic” director James Cameron, who is notoriously thin-skinned, Krevoy said, “There’s a part for him if he wants it and although our budget’s much smaller than ‘Titanic,’ he also can do any second-unit shooting he likes.”