Harsh Vardhan
Kevin Spacey and Djimon Hounsou will lead Donovan Marsh’s upcoming Africa-set thriller, ‘The Bleeding Ground.’ The project’s filming will begin in South Africa on an undisclosed date. Marsh is directing the movie based on a screenplay by Mathew Bayliss.
The plot revolves around the turbulent upheaval in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, and its inhabitants, who grapple with intrusive oil companies, environmental devastation, and ruthless militants wreaking havoc across the nation. Neutex Oil Rig dominates the landscape as it extracts oil for Britain, sparking outrage among the locals. Led by the cunning Joma, the militants lure Owei, a struggling man facing poverty and illness, promising him improved living standards through decisive action.
As the narrative progresses, Joma spearheads a campaign against Neutex Oil, instigating terror against Westerners and planning to reclaim their land. Sebastian Murphy, a Neutex Oil representative posing as a journalist, is abducted by the militants, forging an unexpected bond with Owei, who eventually sets him free after a year of captivity. As tensions escalate, Sebastian joins forces with his South African ally Shawn Locke, a security specialist, to thwart a planned terrorist assault orchestrated by Owei, culminating in a violent showdown in Johannesburg amidst a globally renowned sports event.
Spacey portrayed Peter in ‘Peter Five Eight,’ in which a real estate agent whose glamorous facade in a mountain community unravels to reveal a troubled alcoholic with a sinister secret brought to light by a mysterious figure. He played a detective in ‘The Man Who Drew God,’ chronicling the journey of a blind artist gifted in creating lifelike portraits, who rises to fame but faces a fall from grace, prompting a quest to reclaim dignity and escape the superficial world of media where flaws are airbrushed away. His recent projects include ‘Being Frank with Tucker’ and ‘Control.’
Hounsou recently played Titus in ‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire,’ which revolves around a mysterious resident of a peaceful settlement threatened by a tyrant’s oppressive armies on a distant moon. He portrayed Steve Mardenborough in the biographical drama film ‘Gran Turismo,’ depicting the true story of a team of unlikely heroes – a struggling gamer, a failed race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport executive – who defy the odds to compete in the elite world of racing. Additionally, he appeared in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods‘ and ‘Black Adam.’
Marsh helmed Netflix’s ‘iNumber Number: Jozi Gold,’ in which an undercover cop delves into a historic gold heist in Johannesburg, torn between his conscience and the law. He also directed the crime drama ‘I Am All Girls,’ depicting a particular crime investigator forging an unlikely alliance with a serial killer to dismantle a global child sex trafficking ring. Additionally, he directed the action thriller ‘Hunter Killer,’ following an untested American submarine captain teaming with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the kidnapped Russian president. Marsh’s directorial portfolio includes ‘Avenged’ and ‘Spud’ movies.
Marsh also shot his last two feature films in South Africa, the country which most recently hosted the filming of productions such as ‘Boy Kills World’ and ‘White Lies.’
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