IN THE FIRE – the latest feature edited by Marco Perez, a Partner/Editor at bicoastal Union – will have its world premiere at the 69th Taormina Film Festival on June 24. The supernatural thriller stars Amber Heard, who will be joined at the premiere by Perez, the film’s director Conor Allyn and co-stars Eduardo Noriega and Luca Calvani, as well as co-writers/producers Pascal Borno and Silvio Muraglia. IN THE FIRE will premiere at the famed Teatro Antico di Taormina. The event has a rich history as one of Italy’s premier festivals. Past premieres include LA DOLCE VITA, THE GODFATHER, BRAVEHEART, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, among many others.
"Premiering a period film under the stars at Taormina's 2500-year-old theater is a dream for any filmmaker," said Allyn. "Taormina couldn't be more perfect for this film. We filmed half in Italy and half in Guatemala in the shadow of three volcanoes near Antigua, of which we had a couple of eruptions during the production. Now we're premiering in an ancient Greek theater in the shadow of Mount Etna."
The director first became acquainted with Perez on the film EDGE OF THE WORLD (2021), which was directed by Michael Haussman. Perez edited that film, on which Conor Allyn served as an Executive Producer.
Of IN THE FIRE, Allyn said, "A period film set in the 1890s requires a steady and calculated hand at the wheel during the editorial process. The film had that in spades with our editor Marco Perez. We wanted the reserved and graceful demeanor of the Victorian era to come through on screen while still allowing for emotion to be slipping through the cracks. Marco crafted the film very carefully to achieve that."
Written by Conor Allyn, Pascal Borno, and Silvio Muraglia, IN THE FIRE stars Heard as a pioneering psychiatrist who sets out to treat a desperate child at a time when psychiatry is not yet a respected science. Set in 1899, the film follows the 38-year-old American psychiatrist as she arrives on a rich farm in Colombia after being called to solve the case of a disturbed child following increasingly insistent accusations that the child is the devil. While the woman tries to psychoanalyze the child, the nefarious events intensify and her “cure” becomes a race to save the little boy from the fury of his fellow citizens, and perhaps, even from himself.
“I was immediately drawn to the strong script,” Perez recalled. “The battle between science and superstition is one that is carried suspensefully through to the end of the film. The lead is played wonderfully by Amber Heard, and the interplay is fascinating, as each character brings their own prejudice to the situation.” Perez describes the film’s postproduction phase as “a smooth process, layer by layer, refining and strengthening the structure, as Silvio and Conor aligned to achieve the best version of the movie. From the rushes, I could see Conor’s choices without his having to verbalize them. We hope to collaborate again as a team very soon.”
"Knowledge and taste for quality filmmaking, creativity in finding elegant solutions and keen sense of the audience point of view, this is Marco,” added Muraglia. “A smooth and creatively satisfying experience between editor, director and producer and everyone is happy with the final cut."
“Given that it took five years to make this film become a reality, I am so pleased that audiences will finally see the finished product at this upcoming Taormina Film Festival,” Borno said. “Making a film is a team effort. I am very proud of the team that we assembled both in front of the camera and behind the camera and the quality of the product will speak for itself.”
Taormina will be Perez’s first time viewing the final film with an audience. “It’s very exciting to experience this in the ancient Greek theater, which is one of the most beautiful venues in the world,” he said.
Among Perez’s latest commercial work is “Not Just One You,” the MAX launch campaign that rolled out this month. starring Jason Momoa, Issa Rae, as well as Chip and Joanna Gaines. Created by Known, the campaign called upon a host of talents in production and post, including production company Park Pictures, director Chris Wilcha, Union editors Perez, Daniel Luna, and Joe Hughes, with visual effects by Carolyn Woods at sister company Hunter.
Perez is currently at work on a LEGO project directed by Ellen Kuras, and has locked the edit on THE PARADOX EFFECT, a feature film produced by ILBE – Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment, directed by Scott Weintrob starring Olga Kurylenko, Harvey Keitel, and Oliver Trevena.
Also produced by ILBE, IN THE FIRE is slated for release by US distributor Saban Films in Q4 2023.
The 69th Taormina Film Festival takes place June 23-July 1, 2023 in Sicily.
