14 DAY TRIAL // While not much is known of “Black Gold,” the latest film from director Jean-Jacques Annaud (he of “Seven Years in Tibet,” Enemy at the Gates” and “Two Brothers”), a first trailer for it is already getting critics and fans all hyped up.
Starring Antonio Banderas, Mark Strong, Freida Pinto and Tahar Rahim from the critically acclaimed “A Prophet,” the film is based on a novel by Hans Ruesch, “South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia.”
Voices in the blogosphere say moviegoers are to expect a rare but gorgeous combination of “There Will Be Blood” and “Lawrence of Arabia,” and a single look at the trailer should explain why.
It tells the story of two Arab princes locked in a fierce conflict over “black gold,” but there’s also a love story playing out in the background, with Pinto playing a princess caught between love and duty.
“Black Gold” will premiere at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival next week on October 25, but it still doesn’t have a US distributor, which means a release date here is pending.