Private Project

Chen

An Icelandic bank executive on business in China goes missing only to be found by people from his past.

  • David Gudjonsson
    Director
  • David Gudjonsson
    Writer
  • Matt Marek
    Producer
    Kenny vs Spenny
  • Francis Zhang
    Key Cast
  • Janice Kingsley
    Key Cast
    Murdoch Mysteries
  • James McMullen
    Key Cast
  • Evgeny Akimov
    Key Cast
    The Handmaid´s Tale
  • David Gudjonsson
    Key Cast
    Downsizing
  • Patrick Sue-Chan
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iceland
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    Chinese, English, Icelandic, Russian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - David Gudjonsson

David studied geography at the University of Iceland and film at the Icelandic Film School. After a short career in the Icelandic film industry, he worked for the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs and was posted in Austria and Sri Lanka. He then moved to Toronto, where he rediscovered his passion for film when he landed a small role in Alexander Payne's new film, Downsizing.

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Director Statement

Chen was adapted from a short story published in the short story collection Vegalínur in Reykjavik in 2002. The author is Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, an Icelandic member of Parliament and his book won the Halldór Laxness literature award in Iceland the same year. He has been a great supporter of the project ever since he was approached on having his short story filmed.

The director stepped out of a hiatus from film in the summer of 2016 when he was cast in a small role in Alexander Payne´s new film Downsizing. Having spent large part of the summer filming, he expressed his desire to adapt this short story to some of his fellow cast members and many joined the project after wrapping Downsizing. Chen would have never been made without them and they made the difference for it to make it to the screen. Without inspiration from Alexander Payne, the director wouldn´t have met those people on set that helped pull Chen over the biggest obstacle and were imperative in keeping the budget down to an absolute minimum.