A Landscape of Lies

Last updated

A Landscape of Lies
A Landscape of Lies.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed byPaul Knight
Written byPaul Knight
Produced by Aoife Madden
Starring
CinematographyDjohnny Chan
Edited byRodney Williams
Release date
  • 1 October 2011 (2011-10-01)(DVD)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget

A Landscape of Lies is a 2011 British drama film, written and directed by Paul Knight. [1] The film stars Andrea McLean, Danny Midwinter, Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty, Daniel Peacock, Marc Bannerman, Andre Samson and Christina Baily.[ citation needed ] It was shown at the Las Vegas Film Festival [2]

Contents

A Landscape of Lies received media attention after it was discovered that the film concept was first created as, and was subsequently filmed in an attempt to hide a hoax by a criminal group to commit tax fraud. [3] It won a Silver Ace Award at the Las Vegas Film Festival, which was later rescinded after the festival committee learned of the film's use in the tax scam. [4]

Synopsis

Gulf war veteran Jacob (Andre Samson) finds it hard to adjust to life after returning home, but has found solace in his friend Hilt (Marc Bannerman), who was also Jacob's commanding officer. However, after Hilt is murdered by a would-be thief, Jacob decides to investigate what happened in order to bring peace to both his life and to Hilt's widow. As Jacob begins his investigation he finds himself becoming embroiled in a complicated series of events where nothing is as it seems.

Cast

Production

A Landscape of Lives

Prior to the film's final incarnation as A Landscape of Lies, it was initially titled A Landscape of Lives. [5] The projected script followed a "crooked property developer", "SAS bodyguards that got killed by a gay brother", and was described by Knight as being "a crime thriller [that had] no real thrills". [5] Knight was brought on to finish the script for A Landscape of Lives after answering a job offer to re-write the script for an animated Robin Hood film. Unaware of Al-Issa, Madden, Hassan, and Al Baghdady's intent, the group asked Knight to also look at the script for A Landscape of Lives, to which Knight agreed. [5] The film was to be part of a film contract that would have the group's film company funding Knight's next five film projects along with the A Landscape of Lives and Robin Hood films. [5] Over the next few days Knight was asked to re-write and then film the completed script, which would become A Landscape of Lies. [5]

Filming for A Landscape of Lies took place in the United Kingdom over a six-week period during 2011. [6] [7] Aoife Madden was set to produce the movie, which would be the acting debut of Scottish TV presenter Andrea McLean. [8] A Landscape of Lies was released in 2011 and was screened at the 2012 Las Vegas Film Festival, where it received a "Silver Ace". [9] [10] This award was later rescinded after it was discovered that the film was a front for tax fraud. [10] [11]

Tax issues

On 14 March 2013 it was reported that the film was actually at the center of a plot to defraud the British government of millions of pounds in tax relief, in particular, claiming tax relief and VAT relief on a massively loss-making film, to the tune of £1.5 million in VAT relief, and £1.3 million in film-related tax relief. [12] The lead actors McLean and Bannerman and director Knight were unaware of the crime. [7] [13] The persons involved in the crime were Bashar Al-Issa, Aoife Madden, Tariq Hassan, and Osama Al Baghdady. They were brought to trial and convicted on 13 March 2013 along with Ian Sherwood, who allowed the gang to use his offices. [14] The gang had not intended to actually film the movie and had tried to deter attention by writing several scripts and beginning pre-production work, but eventually began filming after receiving negative attention from investigators. [7] They also utilized false receipts and several fake companies, through which they received £796,000 of public money. [13] The gang was sentenced on 25 March 2013. [15] Al-Issa was sentenced to six and a half years while the others received lesser sentences between three and five years. [16]

Bloomberg , along with several other news outlets, [17] [18] [19] compared the film and the criminal charges to Ben Affleck's Academy Award-winning film Argo . [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Diaz</span> American actress

Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and a British Academy Film Award. As of 2018, her films have grossed over $3 billion in the U.S., making her the fifth-highest-grossing actress at the domestic box office. Diaz's roles in comedies and romances cemented her as a sex symbol and a bankable star, and she was named the highest-paid Hollywood actress over 40 in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas</span> Largest city in Nevada, United States

Las Vegas, often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and 2nd-largest in the Southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson, Nevada</span> City in Nevada, United States

Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about 16 miles (26 km) southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Valley. Henderson occupies the southeastern end of the valley, at an elevation of 1,864 feet (568 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Curtis</span> New Zealander-born British filmmaker (born 1956)

Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis is a British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Love Actually (2003), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), About Time (2013) and Yesterday (2019). He is also known for the drama War Horse (2011) and for having co-written the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. His early career saw him write material for the BBC's Not the Nine O'Clock News and ITV's Spitting Image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropicana Las Vegas</span> Casino hotel in Nevada, United States

The Tropicana Las Vegas is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Bally's Corporation, on land leased from Gaming and Leisure Properties. It offers 1,467 rooms, a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) gaming floor, and 72,000 sq ft (6,700 m2) of convention and exhibit space.

<i>Viva Las Vegas</i> 1964 film by George Sidney

Viva Las Vegas is a 1964 American musical film directed by George Sidney and starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. The film is regarded by fans and film critics as one of Presley's best films, and it is noted for the on-screen chemistry between Presley and Ann-Margret. It also presents a strong set of ten musical song-and-dance scenes choreographed by David Winters and features his dancers. Viva Las Vegas was a hit at film theaters, as it was #14 on the Variety year end box office list of the top-grossing films of 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fremont Street</span> Thoroughfare in Las Vegas, United States

Fremont Street is a street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada that is the second most famous street in the Las Vegas Valley – and Nevada – besides the Las Vegas Strip. Named in honor of explorer and politician John C. Frémont and located in the heart of the downtown casino corridor, Fremont Street is today, or was, the address for many famous casinos such as Binion's Horseshoe, Eldorado Club, Fremont Hotel and Casino, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, Golden Nugget, Four Queens, The Mint, and the Pioneer Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Bannerman</span> Irish born actor

Marc Bannerman is an Irish-born British actor. He played Gianni di Marco in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. His character was introduced in 1998, but was written out three years later by the executive producer of EastEnders, John Yorke. He has since appeared on various television and reality television programmes, including I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2007. He starred as Patsy Richardson in the TV show Snatch based on the film by Guy Ritchie. He also starred in Sky One's Agatha Raisin as the victim PC Beech in 2020.

Chris Terrio is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known for writing the screenplay for the 2012 film Argo, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Terrio also won the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay of 2012 and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay, a BAFTA, and the 2013 Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for this work.

The Miss Nevada competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss America competition, and the name of the title held by that winner. The first Nevadan to compete at Miss America was Carol Lampe in 1949.

The fictional superhero Batman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in various films since his inception. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: Batman and Batman and Robin. The character also appeared in the 1966 film Batman, which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with the 1989 film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of Batman Unchained.

<i>The Hangover</i> 2009 film by Todd Phillips

The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in The Hangover trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, and Jeffrey Tambor. It tells the story of Phil Wenneck (Cooper), Stu Price (Helms), Alan Garner (Galifianakis), and Doug Billings (Bartha), who travel to Las Vegas for a bachelor party to celebrate Doug's impending marriage. However, Phil, Stu, and Alan wake up with Doug missing and no memory of the previous night's events, and must find the groom before the wedding can take place.

<i>Clash of the Titans</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Louis Leterrier

Clash of the Titans is a 2010 action fantasy film and remake of the 1981 film of the same name produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus. An Australian-American production directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Travis Beacham, Phil Hay, and Matt Manfredi, starring Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Alexa Davalos, Ralph Fiennes, and Liam Neeson, the film was originally set for standard release on March 26, 2010. However, it was later announced that the film would be converted to 3D and was released on April 2, 2010.

<i>Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy</i> 2009 Italian fan-made film series

Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy is a 2009 Italian non-profit fan made film series created by Hive Division, a team of Italian students and filmmakers. It is a film based on the highly successful Metal Gear video game series. It is written, directed and edited by Giacomo Talamini, a 27-year-old Italian student filmmaker who also stars in the movie as Solid Snake.

<i>Argo</i> (2012 film) 2012 American historical drama thriller film by Ben Affleck

Argo is a 2012 American historical drama thriller film directed, produced by, and starring Ben Affleck. The screenplay, written by Chris Terrio, was adapted from the 1999 memoir The Master of Disguise by U.S. C.I.A. operative Tony Mendez and the 2007 Wired article "The great Escape: How the CIA used a fake Sci-Fi Flick to rescue Americans from Tehran" by Joshuah Bearman. The film deals with the "Canadian Caper," in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, under the guise of filming a science-fiction-film during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis.

<i>The Hangover Part III</i> 2013 film by Todd Phillips

The Hangover Part III is a 2013 American action comedy film and the sequel to The Hangover Part II (2011), both produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the third and final installment in The Hangover trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Jeffrey Tambor, Heather Graham, Mike Epps, Melissa McCarthy, Justin Bartha, and John Goodman with Todd Phillips directing a screenplay written by himself and Craig Mazin.

<i>Knight of Cups</i> (film) 2015 film by Terrence Malick

Knight of Cups is a 2015 American drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick and produced by Nicolas Gonda, Sarah Green and Ken Kao. The film features an ensemble cast, starring Christian Bale as the central character.

<i>Wild Card</i> (2015 film) 2015 American action film directed by Simon West

Wild Card is a 2015 American action thriller film directed by Simon West and starring Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Milo Ventimiglia, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Anne Heche, and Sofia Vergara. Based on the 1985 novel Heat by William Goldman, it is a remake of the 1986 adaptation that starred Burt Reynolds. The film was released in the United States on January 30, 2015 in a limited release and through video on demand.

<i>Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2</i> 2015 Andy Fickman comedy film

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is a 2015 American action comedy film directed by Andy Fickman and written by Kevin James and Nick Bakay. It is the sequel to 2009's Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and stars James in the title role, Raini Rodriguez, and Shirley Knight.

References

  1. ↑ Rose, Steve (23 August 2013). "A Landscape of Lies: the inside story of a blockbuster tax scam". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Filmmakers jailed in Britain after collecting tax incentives for nonexistent movie". NOLA. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Quisieron emular el engaño de "Argo" y fueron a la cárcel". Clarin. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Domanick, Andrea. "Las Vegas Film Festival awards prize to fake movie used in tax credit scam". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Rose, Steve (24 August 2013). "A Landscape of Lies: the inside story of a blockbuster tax scam". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Cooper, Sarah (8 August 2011). "Aoife Madden to produce 'A Landscape of Lies'". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 "Watch the trailer for 'bogus' film A Landscape of Lies". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Jefferies, Marc. "Very Loose Woman: Andrea McLean stars as a sex hungry therapist in new movie role". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "2012 Silver Ace Award Winners". Archived from the original on 19 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Landscape of Lies: Film festival cancels award to fake movie". The Age . 27 March 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Award for fake movie withdrawn". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  12. ↑ Rose, Steve (13 March 2013). "A Landscape of Lies: the gangster film that taxed the taxman". The Guardian . Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Landscape of Lies director 'proud' of film". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "A Landscape of Lies – film tax fraudsters guilty". GOV.UK. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "Film fraudsters jailed over tax scam". BBC News . 25 March 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  16. ↑ Harris, Aisha. "The Incredible Story of the Film-Tax Fraudsters". Slate. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  17. ↑ Legge, James. "Straight out of Argo: Five jailed over 'entirely bogus film project'" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  18. ↑ Lawless, Jill. "5 Convicted of Inventing Movie to Hide Tax Fraud". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  19. ↑ Miller, Julie. "U.K. Citizens Enact Real-Life Argo Plot, Sans Heroic Hostage-Saving, Alan Arkin, Etc". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  20. ↑ "'Landscape of Lies' Flic Is Argo Without Hostages". Bloomberg. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  21. ↑ Champion, Walter T.; Willis, Kirk D. (2014). Intellectual Property Law in the Sports and Entertainment Industries. ABC-CLIO. pp. 225–226. ISBN   9780313391644 . Retrieved 13 August 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.