Posts tagged peter weir
Director Peter Weir Interview For ‘The Way Back’ – Out On Blu-Ray & DVD May 9th
May 4th
Five time Oscar nominee Peter Weir‘s (The Truman Show, Master and Commander) awe-inspiring epic ‘The Way Back’ is inspired by the true events of a group of escaped prisoners from a Siberian gulag in 1940. The film is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book ‘The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom’. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates, who crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, before finally settling in Tibet and India. The film features a fantastic cast in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. Check out what Peter Weir had to say about the film below. ‘The Way Back’ is released on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK May 9th 2011 from Entertainment One
What was the initial starting point for The Way Back?
Peter Weir: The script was sent to me in 2008. The co-producer Jody Levin had already spent 10 or 12 years trying to get it mounted. When I got it, the screenplay was based on the book The Long Walk by Slawomir Rawicz, which was apparently a true story. I found it utterly absorbing and fascinating. As a young man I read many escape stories such as Colditz and I loved reading about the polar explorer Shackleton. Rawicz’s was a remarkable story and an incredible feat of endurance. I didn’t know anything about the gulags either. It had everything I had been looking for in a story.
Colin Farrell Interview For Peter Weir’s ‘The Way Back’
Dec 27th
‘The Way Back’ is Peter Weir’s awe-inspiring epic inspired by the true events of a group of escaped prisoners from a Siberian gulag in 1940. The film is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book ‘The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom’. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates, who crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, before finally settling in Tibet and India. The film features a fantastic cast in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. Check out what Colin Farrell had to say about the film below.
I read that you didn’t see Valka as the character you necessarily wanted to play. Was it easy to research where this guy came from?
Colin Farrell: From reading the script I saw Valka as a big stretch. It was something that was incredibly disparate to anything I’d approached before. I had no relationship to that time in history, or that country, so I knew it’d be a journey of discovery, and that’s exactly what it proved to be.
To be honest Valka was one of my least favourite characters to play. I felt very sad, he’s a very lonely fella, but he’s also somebody who’s at once a victim of and a huge proponent of the system which formed him. I found that really, really interesting.
The tattoos Valka sports in the film are a big part of his character…
Colin Farrell: There’s an incredible, incredible significance to every single drop of ink that appears on any of these men’s bodies, much more so than the couple of drunk markings I have on my body (laughs). But each single tattoo referenced either a crime committed or an amount of time done. Again, it was just something that was very foreign to me, that was very exotic, as was the accent and the language.
New Poster For Peter Weir’s The Way Back – Starring Colin Farrell, Ed Harris & Jim Sturgess
Dec 1st
This new poster has been released online for Peter Weir’s wonderful looking ‘The Way Back’ via IMPA. I’ve been sold on this film ever since it was announced. From what I’ve seen it looks like after five Oscar nominations Peter Weir (Master And Commander, The Truman Show, Witness) may be in the running again to bring home that faceless gold man. The cast he has assembled is stellar in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. I’ve got a screening for this tomorrow and I can’t wait! The Way Back is set for release December 26th.
The Way Back is the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Siberian gulag in 1940. It is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates. The group crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, finally settling in Tibet and India.
Another Trailer For Peter Weir’s The Way Back – Starring Colin Farrell, Ed Harris & Jim Sturgess
Nov 7th

Yahoo! Movies! have released a new trailer for Peter Weir’s wonderful looking ‘The Way Back’. I’ve been sold on this film ever since it was announced. From the trailer it looks like with five Oscar nominations Peter Weir (Master And Commander, The Truman Show, Witness) may be in the mix once again to bring home that faceless gold man. The cast he has assembled is stellar in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. The Way Back is set for release December 26th.
The Way Back is the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Siberian gulag in 1940. It is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates. The group crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, finally settling in Tibet and India.
Poster For Peter Weir’s The Way Back – Starring Colin Farrell, Ed Harris & Jim Sturgess
Oct 29th
The first poster for Peter Weir’s wonderful looking ‘The Way Back’ has made it’s way online via incontention. I’ve been sold on this film ever since it was announced. From the trailer that was released a few weeks back it looks like with five Oscar nominations Peter Weir (Master And Commander, The Truman Show, Witness) may be in the mix once again to bring home that faceless gold man. The cast he has assembled is stellar in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. The Way Back is set for release December 26th.
The Way Back is the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Siberian gulag in 1940. It is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates. The group crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, finally settling in Tibet and India.
New Trailer For Peter Weir’s The Way Back – Starring Colin Farrell, Ed Harris & Jim Sturgess
Oct 8th
The first trailer for Peter Weir’s wonderful looking ‘The Way Back’ has finally made it’s way online. I’ve been sold on this film ever since it was announced, from the trailer it looks like after five Oscar nominations Peter Weir (Master And Commander, The Truman Show, Witness) may be in the running again to bring home that faceless gold man! The cast he has assembled is stellar in Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan. The Way Back is set for release December 26th.
The Way Back is the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Siberian gulag in 1940. It is based on several sources, most notably the Slavomir Rawicz book The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. The book is Rawicz’s account of being captured by the Red Army in 1939 and his journey to freedom with other inmates. The group crossed the Siberian arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas, finally settling in Tibet and India.
The Way Back – Trailer
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