“FREYDÍS AND GUDRÍD” Premiere Announced: A STORY IN MUSIC AND DRAMA

Set Theory Productions, in collaboration with Albino Fawn Productions, is set to release the narrative musical drama composed and directed by  Jeffrey Leiser, “Freydís and Gudrid.”

This is a project that is being backed by three cultural grants, a lab residency at the prestigious Guild Hall of East Hampton, and featured in a Carnegie Hall concert program. These seem to underpin how ambitious project as a rare hybrid of storytelling and music.

The film is chock-full of a lush musical landscape and boasts a committed cast of ten singers and a 16-piece chamber ensemble for a transcendental experience.

This project is a brainchild under the directorship of multi-talented writer, composer, editor, producer, and director Jeffrey Leiser. His vision materialized at the hands of a talented team that partnered with him. These included director of photography and visual effects artist Samuel Krueger, gaffer and camera operator Mark Pauley, production designer Jennilee Aromando, and several others. The film was further styled with the help of Lindy Fox as the wardrobe stylist, hair and make-up by Giannina Guiterrez, and production wardrobe stylist Keturah Thorpe, all of whom contributed to the visual elegance of the film.

The music production team, led by orchestrator Andrés Soto and conductor Keith Chambers, really paid much attention to creating the film score. The sound recording and mixing were done by Myles Rodenhouse, with Mitchell McCarthy undertaking the piano-vocal reduction to ensure the musical dimension of this film was accomplished and brought out to perfection.

Take a look at the trailer for “Freydís and Gudrid” below.

The film stars Micaëla Oeste and Kirsten Chambers, and the rest of the casting is very sturdy as well, with such standouts as Bray Wilkins, Daniel Klein, Raymon Geis, Samuel Druhora, Bryan G. Davis, Michelle Jennings, Rachel Duval, Flavius Druhora, Luis Ramos, Rachel Yazzie and Leo Kubota.

Jeffrey Leiser has shared his deep connection from the personal expedition to the Icelandic sagas that resulted in the film “Freydís and Gudrid.” This project was started in 2017 as an adaptation of an opera and was filled in fits and starts over some difficult years, including an anxiety-imposed hiatus. However, great collaboration brings excellent films, even after many challenges, with 2021 finally seeing the film come to be. final touches were added, and post-production was spanned until the summer of 2023.

Jeffrey Leiser is undoubtedly no stranger to building an impressive resume. His music has played at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and he’s been awarded honours such as a gold medal for best score at the Park City Film Music Festival. These days, as founder of Set Theory Productions LLC, Jeffrey continues to push creative boundaries.

“Freydís and Gudrid” will open in New York at Scandinavia House on July 16th 2024.