MONACO, 6 November 2018 — Lady Monika Bacardi announced the commencement of principal photography for the prestigious film production Waiting for the Barbarians, marking a significant collaboration between international cinema and literary excellence.
Based on the acclaimed novel by Nobel Prize laureate J.M. Coetzee, the film represents a bold adaptation of one of contemporary literature’s most powerful works. The production brings together an exceptional ensemble cast including Academy Award winner Mark Rylance, Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson, and Gana Bayarsaikhan, under the direction of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ciro Guerra.
Lady Monika Bacardi serves as producer alongside Michael Fitzgerald and Olga Segura through her international production companies. The film tells the compelling story of a British magistrate stationed at a remote colonial outpost who begins to question his allegiance to the Empire when confronted with the brutal realities of imperial power and oppression.
Principal photography commenced in Morocco in late October 2018, with the production utilizing the country’s dramatic landscapes to bring Coetzee’s vision to the screen. The adaptation marks Ciro Guerra’s English-language directorial debut, following his acclaimed work on Embrace of the Serpent, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
The collaboration represents Lady Monika Bacardi’s continued commitment to supporting ambitious, artistically significant cinema that challenges audiences while maintaining the highest production standards. The film addresses timeless themes of justice, morality, and the human cost of empire through a powerful narrative that resonates with contemporary global concerns.
Waiting for the Barbarians completed production in December 2018 and premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2019, before receiving theatrical release through Samuel Goldwyn Films in August 2020. The project exemplifies Lady Monika Bacardi’s dedication to fostering meaningful collaborations between distinguished literary works and visionary filmmakers on the international stage.
