”Far From Here”, a Romanian/American Co-production
by Dana Medar
An Australian director - James Pillion, an American producer - JMR Luna and a Romanian-based Spanish producer – Jesus Del Cerro set up the project Far from Here. Initially, the story of a young woman returning to her home country, together with her American husband, was supposed to be shot in Japan. But the lower costs and the directorJesus Del Cerro's experience in the Romanian filmmaking industry – Jesus Del Cerro set up the Production House „Studio Indie Productions” (in Romania)–determined the moving of the action to Romania. James Pillion, JMR Luna, Jonathan Ahmadi and Jesus Del Cerro wrote the script.
Sophia (Maria Dinulescu) returns to Romania with Grant, her writer husband (Jonathan Ahmadi), and takes a job with a construction company. Like many corporatists, she is ambitious and works hard; she gets along well with her boss (Andi Vasluianu) and also with her more experienced colleague (Ana Pasti). But a career can never replace love life, and the problems she has in her marriage lead to the intervention of Grant's mother (Maia Morgenstern).
We arrived on the set just when the scene of a party was prepared, to which all the heroes of the story took part. The action took place in a roomy flat within a residential neighbourhood with buildings crammed into each other – the Romanian version of middle-class housing. The actors, the directors, the producers and the technical crew were putting the final touches on the details of the shoot. After finishing work, everybody was to celebrate James Pillion for his 27th anniversary. Far From Here is James Pillion's feature-length debut.
The production environment and capabilities and the professionalism of the Romanian crew made the American producer JMR Luna decide to come back for other projects. Thus, in the spring a feature directed by Jesus del Cerro is to be shot here.