In 2007, during the Iraq War, a Georgian contingent of the coalition forces saves the life of an American reporter Thomas Anders (Rupert Friend), although one of his colleagues (Heather Graham) is killed in the process. One year later, in 2008, he returns to Los Angeles, California but soon goes to Georgia on the advice of some of his friends in Tbilisi, who suspect that a large conflict is brewing.
He, along with his cameraman Sebastian Ganz (Richard Coyle), delve deeper into Georgian life as conflict escalates and they get caught in the crossfire when an air raid strikes a local wedding they stumble upon. With members of the wedding party (Emmanuelle Chriqui), and the help of a Georgian soldier (Johnathon Schaech) who had earlier saved them in Iraq, their mission becomes getting their footage of an atrocity by Russian irregulars out of the country. But they find themselves faced with international apathy due to the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. Their flight leads them to the Battle of Gori.
The film ends with a long series of testimonials from Georgian citizens who lost family members during the conflict; despite promises to the contrary, Russian forces still occupy the territory, leaving many people in Georgia displaced whose homes are either occupied or permanently destroyed.
5 Days of War is an action-packed international thriller from director Renny Harlin. Based on true events, this intense film is a vivid account of a renegade American journalist, his cameraman and a local woman caught behind enemy lines, and determined to not only survive, but tell the world what was happening, during the swift but devastating 5-day war between Russian and the Georgian Republic in 2008.
About the Production
Filming started in October 2009, in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Filming took 36 days with a budget of 12 million dollars. According to the Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, the film was not financed by the Georgian government, but one of the producers, David Imedashvili, said that the initial funding for the project came from a Georgian government fund.
According to Georgian media the movie was financed by Koba Nakopia, a parliamentarian from the ruling United National Movement party of Saakashvili. Also credited as producer are director Renny Harlin, George Lascu and Mirza Davitaia, the current Georgian State Minister for “diaspora issues”, who at the time of filming was the Georgian Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports.
One of the buildings of the Georgian Presidential administration was used for filming parts of the movie. Some members of the special effects team were Russian and had previously worked on Night Watch (2004 film). The military equipment and personnel used in the film were temporarily lent by the Georgian army.
Finnish actor Mikko Nousiainen, who plays the Russian villain Daniil, had been cast to play the title role in Renny Harlin’s abortive project, Mannerheim.
5 Days of War
Starring: Rupert Friend, Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Dean Cain, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Antje Traue, Ana Imnadze
Directed by: Renny Harlin
Screenplay by: Mikko Alanne, David Battle
Production Design by: Marc Greville-Masson
Cinematography by: Checco Varese
Film Editing by: Brian Berdan
Costume Design by: Elvis Davis
Set Decoration by: Guga Kotetishvili
Art Direction by: Annie Sperling, Tea Telia
Music by: Trevor Rabin
MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody war violence and atrocities, and for pervasive language.
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: August 19, 2011
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