Filth and Wisdom

Infobox Film
name = Filth and Wisdom
imdb_id = 1042499
producer = Nicola Doring
director = Madonna
writer = Madonna
Dan Cadan
starring = Eugene Hütz
Holly Weston
Vicky McClure
Richard E. Grant
music =
cinematography = Tim Maurice Jones
editing = Russell Icke
distributor = Semtex Films
released = February 13, 2008 (Berlin International Film Festival)
USA
October 17, 2008
runtime = 81 minutes
language = English/Russian
budget =

"Filth and Wisdom" (2008) is the first feature film directed by Madonna, starring Eugene Hütz, Holly Weston, Vicky McClure and Richard E. Grant. It was filmed on location in London, England from May 14 to May 29, 2007 with additional scenes shot in July 2007.

The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 13, 2008 which was attended by Madonna and cast members Hütz, Weston and McClure.

It will be released in the US on October 17, 2008. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1042499/releaseinfo]

Plot

Described as a comedy/drama/musical/romance, the story revolves around a Ukrainian immigrant named A.K. (Hütz) who finances his dreams of rock glory by moonlighting as a cross-dressing dominatrix and his two female flatmates: Holly (Weston), a ballet dancer who works as a stripper and pole-dancer at a local club and Juliette (McClure), a pharmacy assistant who dreams of going to Africa to help starving children.

The Gypsy punk band that appears in the film is portrayed by real-life Gypsy punk band, Gogol Bordello, who also contributed three songs to the film's soundtrack. The band's lead singer, Eugene Hütz, portrays the main character — a character with a philosophical attitude towards life. Madonna allowed additional dialogue written by Eugene himself to be included in the film.

Reception

The film met to mixed reviews though The Times Online claimed "Madonna has done herself proud" [ Cite news | title='Review: Madonna's Filth and Wisdom', publisher=entertainment.timesonline.co.uk | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article3364108.ece ] and The Telegraph described the film as "not an entirely unpromising first effort" but went on to say "Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job" [ Cite news | title='Filth and Wisdom: Don't give up the day job, Madonna', publisher=telegraph.co.uk | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/02/14/bfberlin114.xml ] . Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote "Well, it had to happen. Madonna has been a terrible actor in many, many films and now - fiercely aspirational as ever - she has graduated to being a terrible director." [ Cite news | title='Review: Madonna's Filth and Wisdom', publisher=http://www.guardian.co.uk/ | url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/festivals/news/0,,2256320,00.html ] . Jonathan Romney of Screen International called the film "good-humoured, averagely average vanity project" and "a cheap and cheerful comedy," adding that "Madonna simply cannot direct actors." [Citation
last=Romney
first=Jonathan
author-link=
title=Filth And Wisdom
magazine=Screen International
volume=
issue=1634
pages=20
year=2008
date=2008-02-29
url=]

Cast

*Ade - DJ
*Eugene Hütz - A.K.
*Holly Weston - Holly
*Vicky McClure - Juliette
*Richard E. Grant - Professor Flynn
*Stephen Graham - Harry Beechman
*Inder Manocha - Sardeep
*Shobu Kapoor - Sardeep's wife
*Elliot Levey - Businessman
*Clare Wilkie - Chloe
*Hannah Walters - Businessman's wife

Production credits

*Directed by: Madonna
*Produced by: Nicola Doring
*Executive Producer: Madonna
*Screenplay: Madonna & Dan Cadan
*Director of Photography: Tim Maurice Jones
*Editor: Russell Icke
*Production Designer: Gideon Ponte
*Costume Designer: B
*Running Time: 81 minutes
*Format: 35 mm, 1:1:85 aspect ratio
*Production Company: Semtex Films (in association with HSI London)

References

External links

*imdb title|1042499
*