SENECA – ON THE CREATION OF EARTHQUAKES

Director Robert Schwentke, John Malkovich and Geraldine Chaplin and are available for Interviews in Berlin.

Tom Xander, Andrew Koji, Louis Hofmann, Samuel Finzi, Lilith Stangenberg and Alexander Fehling are expected at the festival as well.

SENECA – ON THE CREATION OF EARTHQUAKES by Robert Schwentke is celebrating its world premiere in the Berlinale Special section at the Berlin International Film Festival 2023.

SENECA – ON THE CREATION OF EARTHQUAKES is a parable on the danger of excessive power and totalitarian systems.

SYNOPSIS

THE YEAR IS 65 AD, ROME. The philosopher Seneca has been Emperor Nero‘s mentor and close advisor since childhood, and has been significantly involved in his ascent. Nevertheless, Nero grows weary of Seneca and uses a foiled attack on his life to falsely accuse Seneca of being an accomplice. Whilst throwing a decadent party at his farmhouse, Seneca receives his surprising death sentence from Emperor Nero, delivered by a messenger. He must be dead by morning. This last night becomes his final test: Who is he really? An opportunist, hypocrite, and collaborator? Or, according to his self-image, a morally upright wise man able to look death in the face without fear?

Robert Schwentke studied Philosophy and Literature and graduated in Film Directing in 1996 from the American Film Institute Los Angeles. Following his return to Germany, Robert made his directorial debut with the thriller TATTOO (2002), starring August Diehl. After his second feature THE FAMILY JEWELS (2003), a semi-autographical black comedy about a man surviving testic- ular cancer, Robert returned to Hollywood to direct the thriller FLIGHTPLAN (2005), starring Jodie Foster and produced by Brian Grazer. From there Robert continued directing Hollywood Productions such as THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (2009), starring Eric Bana Rachel McAd- ams, the graphic novel adaptation RED, starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren and the fantasy action comedy R.I.P.D. (2013) starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges. In 2017, Robert returned to Germany to write and direct THE CAPTAIN (“Der Hauptmann”, 2017), which he had developed for many years. THE CAPTAIN follows a desper- ate young German soldier, who takes on a monstrous identity, after finding a Nazi Captain’s uni- form and quickly turning into what he is trying to escape from. The film premiered at the festivals in Toronto and San Sebastián and received numerous awards. In 2020 he directed SNAKE EYES: G.I. Joe Origins, starring Hanry Golding and Andrew Koji. SENECA – ON THE CREATION OF EARTHQUAKES is Robert’s latest work as a feature film director and writer.

Lead roles are played by John Malkovich, Geraldine Chaplin, and newcomer Tom Xander. They are supported by Mary-Louise Parker, Julian Sands and Andrew Koji as well as prominent German actors such as Louis Hofmann, Samuel Finzi, Lilith Stangenberg and Alexander Fehling.

SENECA – ON THE CREATION OF EARTHQUAKES is produced by Filmgalerie 451 in co-production with Gretchenfilm, Kasbah Films and ZDF/ARTE with support from BKM – Die Beauftragte für Kultur und Medien, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Deutscher Filmförderfonds, Moroccan Cash Rebate CCM and Creative Europe MEDIA.

World sales are handled by Picture Tree International.

110 min. / Germany, Morocco 2023 / Color / Feature