Veronika Decides to Die (film)
Encyclopedia
Veronika Decides to Die is a 2009 drama film
directed by Emily Young
and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar
, Jonathan Tucker
, Melissa Leo
, David Thewlis
and Erika Christensen
, adapted from the novel of the same name
by Paulo Coelho
.
The setting of the movie is New York
instead of the original location of the novel
in Ljubljana
, Slovenia
.
) wakes up in a mental institution after a failed suicide attempt
. She discovers that as a result of the overdose she took, she has a weakened heart and has only a matter of weeks to live. The film follows her journey as she finds true love and a new found appreciation of life. Throughout the film, she changes her opinion of death and finds some joy in life.
and wrapped on June 22. The novel was adapted for film by Muse Productions, Das Films, and Velvet Steamroller Entertainment.
It was reported that Kate Bosworth
was previously attached to the project.
on August 7, 2009 and was followed by an August 21 release. On its opening weekend, it grossed US$90,455 with 61 screens. The film was released in Poland
on October 2, 2009, in Sweden
on October 30, 2009, and in South Korea on November 19, 2009.. It was released in Argentina on July 1, 2010, in Austria on November 18, 2010, in Germany on September 30, 2010, in Lithuania on April 23, 2010, and in Mexico on September 10, 2010.
In Australia, it was released on a region free PAL DVD.
Release dates for the US and UK are currently set for 2011.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Emily Young
Emily Young (film director)
Emily Young is an award-winning English film director and screenwriter. Her film Veronika Decides to Die, an adaptation of the book by Paulo Coelho and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar was released in 2009.-Early life:...
and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
, Jonathan Tucker
Jonathan Tucker
Jonathan Moss Tucker is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles in the movies The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hostage, In the Valley of Elah and The Ruins, and The Black Donnellys on television....
, Melissa Leo
Melissa Leo
Melissa Chessington Leo , is an American actress. After appearing on several television shows and films in the late '80s, her breakthrough role came in 1993 as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street for the show's first five seasons from 1993 – 1997...
, David Thewlis
David Thewlis
David Thewlis is an English actor of stage and screen. His most commercially successful role to date has been that of Remus Lupin, in the Harry Potter film series...
and Erika Christensen
Erika Christensen
Erika Jane Christensen is an American actress whose film appearances include Traffic , Swimfan , How to Rob a Bank , and The Perfect Score , among others. She also co-starred in the short-lived drama Six Degrees on ABC...
, adapted from the novel of the same name
Veronika Decides to Die
Veronika Decides to Die is a novel by Paulo Coelho. It tells the story of 24-year-old Veronika, who appears to have everything in life going for her, but who decides to kill herself. This book is partly based on Coelho's experience in various mental institutions . It is based around the subject of...
by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist.-Biography:Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He attended a Jesuit school. As a teenager, Coelho wanted to become a writer. Upon telling his mother this, she responded with "My dear, your father is an engineer. He's a logical,...
.
The setting of the movie is New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
instead of the original location of the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
Plot
Veronika (Sarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
) wakes up in a mental institution after a failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempts comprise a large portion of suicide attempts. Some are regarded as not true attempts at all, but rather parasuicide. The usual attempt may be a wish to affect another person by the behaviour. Consequently, it occurs in a social context and may represent a request for help....
. She discovers that as a result of the overdose she took, she has a weakened heart and has only a matter of weeks to live. The film follows her journey as she finds true love and a new found appreciation of life. Throughout the film, she changes her opinion of death and finds some joy in life.
Cast
- Sarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
as Veronika - Jonathan TuckerJonathan TuckerJonathan Moss Tucker is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles in the movies The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hostage, In the Valley of Elah and The Ruins, and The Black Donnellys on television....
as Edward - Erika ChristensenErika ChristensenErika Jane Christensen is an American actress whose film appearances include Traffic , Swimfan , How to Rob a Bank , and The Perfect Score , among others. She also co-starred in the short-lived drama Six Degrees on ABC...
as Claire - Melissa LeoMelissa LeoMelissa Chessington Leo , is an American actress. After appearing on several television shows and films in the late '80s, her breakthrough role came in 1993 as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street for the show's first five seasons from 1993 – 1997...
as Mari - David ThewlisDavid ThewlisDavid Thewlis is an English actor of stage and screen. His most commercially successful role to date has been that of Remus Lupin, in the Harry Potter film series...
as Dr. Blake
Production
Filming of the movie began on May 12, 2008 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and wrapped on June 22. The novel was adapted for film by Muse Productions, Das Films, and Velvet Steamroller Entertainment.
It was reported that Kate Bosworth
Kate Bosworth
Catherine Ann "Kate" Bosworth is an American actress. Bosworth starred in the television series Young Americans, in which she played Bella Banks. She became known with a leading role in 2002's Blue Crush. The following year, Bosworth played the teenage girlfriend of porn star John Holmes in...
was previously attached to the project.
Release
The film had a special screening in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on August 7, 2009 and was followed by an August 21 release. On its opening weekend, it grossed US$90,455 with 61 screens. The film was released in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on October 2, 2009, in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on October 30, 2009, and in South Korea on November 19, 2009.. It was released in Argentina on July 1, 2010, in Austria on November 18, 2010, in Germany on September 30, 2010, in Lithuania on April 23, 2010, and in Mexico on September 10, 2010.
In Australia, it was released on a region free PAL DVD.
Release dates for the US and UK are currently set for 2011.