Jonathan Sobol (The Padre, The Art of the Steal, A Beginners Guide to Endings) will direct The Baker, an action drama written by duo Paolo Mancini and Thomas Michael (Hank and Mike). Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Monster Hunter) will headline the cast along with Academy-Award nominee Harvey Keitel (The Irishman, Pulp Fiction), Elias Koteas (The Thin Red Line, Crash), Joel David Moore (Avatar) and 10 year old newcomer Emma Ho (Code 8, Disney’ Jr’s “Pikwik Pack”).
Filming is set to commence in the Cayman Islands as part of a sweeping multi-film production deal with the Islands’ Film Commission, the Cayman’s Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and Dart Enterprises. The film rejoins producers William G. Santor, CEO of Productivity Media, and Nicholas Tabarrok, President of Darius Films, for their second project together in their three-pic deal for the Islands, the first being Bob Saget/Iggy Pop crime dramedy, Blue Iguana.
The Baker is the story of a quiet, stoic man (Perlman) living a monk-like existence in self-imposed exile. When his estranged son (Moore) is killed in a drug deal gone bad and he is left to look after a granddaughter (Ho) he never knew he had, he is forced back into a life he tried to put behind him. Keitel plays his decades-long nemesis and Koteas a henchman stuck between the two. The Baker appears harmless and prefers it that way, but when circumstances force him to take violent action, it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to ‘Pappi’ than meets the eye.
Jason Jallet (Blue Iguana) and Doug Murray (The Immaculate Room), with longtime collaborators to Tabarrok and Santor, are also producing The Baker. John Hills and Andrew Chang-Sang, (who both EP’d Momentum Pictures’ Black Bear, Vertical Entertainment’s Four Good Days and Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace starrer Stockholm), serve as exec producers.
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide distribution rights.
“The stars have aligned and we are delighted to be working with such a superb ensemble cast.” said Santor. “The range, talent and worldwide appeal of Ron, Joel, Elias and Harvey as well as Emma, a fabulous new actress, is perfect for this elevated, high-concept story. The Cayman Islands Government continues to be thorough and complete supporters and we are particularly happy to be in production on our second film on the Islands.”
“I’ve had the great fortune of working with Harvey Keitel and Elias Koteas previously, and bringing them together on screen with the great Ron Perlman couldn’t be more exciting to me.” added Tabarrok. “Round that out with a talent like Joel David Moore and adding this incredible natural young phenom Emma Ho, makes this a world class cast!”
The Cayman Islands entered into the multi-production deal with Productivity Media and Darius Films earlier this year and marked a major turning point in the territory’s emerging film industry. Stringent COVID-19 guidelines have helped the Cayman Islands become a COVID safe zone. Under the comprehensive production deal, the Cayman Islands Government has facilitated access to multiple locations across the islands, hotel support for visiting cast and crew as well as expedited work permits and essential administration to allow production to start on time. Strategic partner Dart Enterprises is also providing vital hospitality and logistical support.
