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HBO has launched the trailer for Barry Levinson’s upcoming biographical drama ‘ The Survivor” starring Ben Foster.

When the Nazis invade Poland, Harry Haft is sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp. He is a powerfully built man, so a charming but sadistic Nazi officer offers him an impossible deal: fight fellow prisoners in the boxing ring for the amusement of his captors, or die. The winner of the bout survives to fight again. The loser is shot or sent to the gas chamber. How far will Harry’s will to live take him? What will he do to escape the death all around him?

Directed by Levinson, Vicky Krieps, Billy Magnussen, Peter Sarsgaard, John Leguizamo, Danny DeVito, Dar Zuzovsky, and Saro Emirze also star.

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The feature premieres on April 27th on HBO.

The post Ben Foster stars...

HBO announced today that Academy Award winner Barry Levinson’s latest film, The Survivor, starring Ben Foster, will premiere on the premium cabler on April 27 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt, in honor of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)—subsequently becoming available for streaming on HBO Max.

The HBO Original is based on Alan Haft’s book, Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano. It tells the incredible true story of Haft (Foster), who after being sent to Auschwitz, survived not only the unspeakable horrors of the camp, but the gladiatorial boxing spectacle he was forced to perform with his fellow prisoners for the amusement of his captors. Unbeknownst to those who try to destroy him, Haft’s will to survive is driven by his quest to reunite with the woman he loves.

Levinson previously directed the HBO films Paterno, The Wizard of Lies and You Don’t Know Jack,...

WME Independent brokered acquisition on behalf of filmmakers.

In the first significant deal for a film that premiered in Toronto that comes two weeks after the festival ended HBO Films has acquired North American rights from WME Independent to potential awards season prospect The Survivor.

‘The Survivor’: Toronto Review

At time of writing details relating to a potential awards-qualifying theatrical release were unavailable. The film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Ben Foster hails from New Mandate Films and Bron Studios in association with Baltimore Pictures, Endeavor Content, USC Shoah Foundation and Creative Wealth Media.

Based on the book ‘Harry Haft: Survivor Of Auschwitz,...

HBO Films has acquired the North American rights to “The Survivor,” a Harry Haft biopic produced and directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson. The deal comes after the film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival in September.

Based on Alan Haft’s book “Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano,” “The Survivor” stars Ben Foster as Haft, an escaped Auschwitz prisoner who is forced to perform in boxing matches by his captor before moving to New York and using his boxing skills to help find the woman he loves.

Along with Foster, “The Survivor” also stars Vicky Krieps (“Phantom Thread”), Billy Magnussen (“No Time to Die”), Peter Sarsgaard (“Jackie”), Saro Emirze (“Wilsberg”), Dar Zuzovsky (“Hostages”), Danny DeVito (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and John Leguizamo (“Latin History for Morons”).

“The Survivor” comes from Bron and New Mandate Films.

This will not mark the first...

Following its world premiere at Toronto, HBO Films has taken exclusive North American rights to Barry Levinson’s The Survivor about Holocaust survivor and U.S. boxer Harry Haft. Ben Foster plays Haft in the movie, which marks a reteam with his Liberty Heights writer-director Levinson. Deal was 8-figures, making it the biggest one in a subdued Toronto marketplace.

After being sent to Auschwitz, Haft survived not only the unspeakable horrors of the camp but the gladiatorial boxing spectacle he was forced to perform with his fellow prisoners for the amusement of his captors. Unbeknownst to those who try to destroy him, Haft is driven by the most important reason any man has to survive: a quest to reunite with the woman he loves. After a daring escape, he makes his way to New York, where he succeeds in using his boxing skills to establish a name for himself in...

The remarkable true story of Harry Haft is made even more pertinent by the simple fact that his story has not been the subject of a large-scale feature film — until now. It took a script from a young Australian, Justine Juel Gillmer (who also boxes), to generate interest for Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson, whose own memories as a child in an encounter with a Jewish concentration camp survivor helped spark his interest in the tale of Haft, a man who basically boxed to stay alive in Auschwitz during World War II. Imagine if you had a film with elements of both Raging Bull and Schindler’s List, but with a true story so unique it really becomes its own powerful tale of a man trying to survive the haunting memory of war experiences well beyond the war itself.

Levinson smartly employs a...

Despite the Covid, I’m surprised that this biopic directed by the always busy veteran helmer Barry Levinson didn’t shore up at some fest in 2020. Production took place in Hungary and in the U.S. in February of 2019 with Ben Foster toplining and Billy Magnussen, Danny DeVito, Vicky Krieps, Peter Sarsgaard, Saro Emirze, Dar Zuzovsky and John Leguizamo as supporting players on this boxing card. A second biopic in a row after Paterno, Levinson just signed up to helm a biopic based on the filming of The Godfather called, Francis And The Godfather.

Gist: Set post-World War II and sees Haft, a boxer who fought fellow prisoners in the concentration camps to survive.…...

Barry Levinson knows from comedy. He began his career writing for Marty Feldman, Carol Burnett and Mel Brooks. Then brought us “Diner,” “Good Morning Vietnam” and one of my favorites, the dark and prescient “Wag The Dog.” So when he says a new film about a Palestinian soap opera is funny, I believe him. He hosted a recent industry screening in Manhattan’s Landmark Theater for “Tel Aviv On Fire.” How do you get a legendary writer and director to support your film? Mail it to him. “I was sent a screener to take a look at and I thought it was really fascinating,” he revealed. “And I thought the approach to the issues of the region were done in a way that’s so unexpected and so humanistic I was just quite taken by it.”

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The comedy set in...

After another transformative year, “Leave No Trace” and “Hell or High Water” star Ben Foster is slipping into one more immersive role. Foster is currently shooting Barry Levinson’s fact-based drama “Harry Haft,” which sees the actor taking on yet another demanding part, the kind the actor seems to thrive on. Based on the true story of Haft — which was dramatized in the novel “Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano” by Alan Scott Haft, Haft’s own son — the film will weave together the incredible drama of Haft’s life, from his time spent in Auschwitz to his eventual escape to New York City and its brutal professional boxing scene, all in hopes of recapturing a great lost love.

Per its current synopsis, the film follows Harry Haft, “who is driven by his love of a woman to survive the unimaginable horrors of the German concentration camps.

Production underway on Second World War saga starring Ben Foster.

Danny DeVito, Vicky Krieps, Peter Sarsgaard, Saro Emirze, Dar Zuzovsky and John Leguizamo have joined the cast of Barry Levinson’s Harry Haft, which Bron Studios and New Mandate Films are producing in association with Creative Wealth Media.

Production began on February 25 on location in Hungary and is scheduled to wrap in New York in spring.

Previously announced Ben Foster stars in the title role on the true story about a man driven by his love of a woman to survive Auschwitz in the Second World War where he is...

Danny DeVito, Phantom Thread actress Vicky Krieps, Peter Sarsgaard, John Leguizamo, Saro Emirze, and Dar Zuzovsky are set for Harry Haft, the Barry Levinson-directed film based on the novel Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano by Alan Scott Haft. The group joins previously announced titular star Ben Foster as production is currently underway with plans to shoot on location in Hungary and New York.

New Mandate Film’s Matti Leshem, Bron Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Sosnoff, Levinson, and Scott Pardo are producing the project.

Justine Juel Gillmer (The 100 series) penned the screenplay. It’s based on the true story of a man (Foster) who is driven by his love of a woman to survive the unimaginable horrors of the German concentration camps. An SS Officer (Billy Magnussen) forces Harry to fight to the death against fellow prisoners in gruesome gladiatorial boxing matches. Harry finally escapes...

Danny DeVito, Vicky Krieps, Peter Sarsgaard, Saro Emirze, Dar Zuzovsky, and John Leguizamo have joined Ben Foster in boxing drama “Harry Haft” with Barry Levinson directing.

Bron Studios and New Mandate Films are producing in association with Creative Wealth Media, which is financing the movie. The film began production Feb. 25 in Hungary and New York.

Levinson is directing and producing from a screenplay by Justine Juel Gillmer, based on the novel “Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano” by Alan Scott Haft. The film is set post-World War II and stars Foster as Harry Haft, a boxer who fought fellow prisoners in the concentration camps to survive. Haunted by the memories and his guilt, he attempts to use high-profile fights against boxing legends like Rocky Marciano as a way to find his first love again.

Besides Levinson, producers are New Mandate Film’s Matti Leshem (“The Shallows”), Bron’s Aaron L. Gilbert,...

Barry Levinson has rounded out the cast for his boxing drama Harry Haft.

Danny DeVito, John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard are joining previously announced star Ben Foster for the feature, along with Phantom Thread breakout Vicky Krieps, Saro Emirze and Dar Zuzovsky.

The true story is written by Justine Juel Gillmer based on the novel Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano by Alan Scott Haft.

The story follows Harry (Foster), who survives the horrors of the German concentration camps, where an SS Officer (played by Billy Magnussen) forces him to fight to the death against fellow prisoners in gruesome ...

Barry Levinson has rounded out the cast for his boxing drama Harry Haft.

Danny DeVito, John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard are joining previously announced star Ben Foster for the feature, along with Phantom Thread breakout Vicky Krieps, Saro Emirze and Dar Zuzovsky.

The true story is written by Justine Juel Gillmer based on the novel Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano by Alan Scott Haft.

The story follows Harry (Foster), who survives the horrors of the German concentration camps, where an SS Officer (played by Billy Magnussen) forces him to fight to the death against fellow prisoners in gruesome ...