Viggo Mortensen is one talented guy. Apart from being a downright solid actor, Mortensen’s talents range from the arts, with painting and music; and languages, speaking English, Danish, Spanish, French and Italian. He can even understand Norwegian and Swedish. Some may not know that the actor has starred in various foreign-language films, with two Spanish-speaking roles in the last five years (Everybody Has a Plan, Juaja). The Lord of the Rings actor shows off his French now, playing a French teacher in a small Algerian village during the Algerian War. Far from Men, the sophomore feature from writer-director David Oelhoffen (In Your Wake), tells the story of this teacher’s unexpected bond with a villager accused of murder. The Far from Men trailer looks pretty good, with a strong plot and dramatic tone, and Mortensen more than gelling with the setting.
Far from Men will premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival, followed by a special presentation at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.
Official synopsis for Far from Men:
Algeria, 1954. While the rebellion rumbles in the valley, two very different men thrown together by a world in turmoil, are forced to flee together across the Atlas mountains. In the midst of an icy winter, Daru, the reclusive teacher, has to escort Mohamed, a villager accused of murder. Pursued by horsemen seeking summary justice and vengeful settlers, the two men decide to affront the unknown. Together, they fight to gain their freedom.
