To celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music, a new film The Trapp Family - A Life in Music is in production in Salzburg. The film, which tells the story behind the legend, is based on the autobiography of Agathe von Trapp, the eldest daughter.
23 year old British actress Eliza Bennett leads the cast as Agathe, starring with Matthew Macfadyen as her father Georg von Trapp alongside an international cast, whilst Vanessa Redgrave plays the older Agathe.
Eliza (represented by Independent Talent) starred in Nanny McPhee and Inkheart as a child, and more recently in thrillers F and Confine, she also appeared in the second series of Broadchurch.
The Trapp Family - A Life in Music tells the story of Agathe, who has been searching for her path in life since her youth: She is the eldest daughter among many siblings, and her relationship with her father, the distinguished marine officer Georg von Trapp (Matthew Macfadyen) and his second wife Maria von Trapp, played by Yvonne Catterfeld, is often difficult.
She develops her beautiful voice and stimulating musical talent together with her family and with the support of the famous singer Lotte Lehmann (opera singer Annette Dasch). She constantly struggles for the love of her childhood sweetheart Sigi (Johannes Nussbaum) and, not least, she must confront the menacing political and social constellations and the rise of fascism in Germany and Austria. Emigration to the U.S. finally brings a decisive step toward freedom and world success.
How Agathe von Trapp found and shaped her own life, with empathy and commitment, emotionally and courageously; how she took up every challenge and never let go of her dream; how she faced problems and ultimately went her own way – this is what Agathe (Vanessa Redgrave) reports many years later in the new American home of her young niece who, just like her, has reached a crossroads and must take important decisions.
The Trapp Family is directed by Ben Verbong, the script was written by Tim Sullivan and Christoph Silber, based on the autobiography "Memories Before and After the Sound of Music" by Agathe von Trapp (1913-2010).
The film is shooting from April until mid June in Salzburg and surroundings as well as in Bavaria, and is set for a European release in Winter 2015/2016.