Based on the book by Gyorgy Dragoman, The White King follows Djata, a precocious 12-year-old boy coming to grips with his father’s internment by the totalitarian state he calls home. Preyed upon by secret police officers and venal dignitaries, Djata and his mother, played by Agyness Deyn, are forced to navigate a world of propaganda, abuse and vicious gangs, making them risk everything to reunite their family.
Lorenzo (represented by Abacus) began his professional acting career on stage in 2012 playing Richard, Duke of York in ‘Richard III’ at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, directed by Tim Carroll. He was cast as the young Gary Kasparov in The Donmar Warehouse production of Matt Charman's play ‘The Machine’. His first TV appearance was in an episode of the second season of the BBC series Atlantis.
The young members of the cast also include Malachi Hallet (represented by Sylvia Young Agency) as Shabby, Louis Suc (represented by DAA Management) as Bruno, and William Ahern (represented by Daisy & Dukes) as Big Dan.
The film also stars Jonathan Pryce and Fiona Shaw as Djata's grandparents with Greta Scacchi, Ólafur Darri Ólaffson ,Clare-Hope Ashitey, and Jeffrey and Matthew Postlethwaite, also in the cast.
Official Synopsis:
When Djata’s father is taken away by the authorities, the boy wants to believe his mother’s lie: that he is off doing important work for the nation. But before long, Djata learns the dreadful truth. As Djata and his mother are labeled traitors by proxy and are increasingly alienated from society, they are forced to navigate a world of propaganda, abuse, corrupt military officials, estranged patriotic grandparents and a vicious teenage gang. The brutal, deadly regime under which they live force them to risk everything to reunite the family.
The White King is the feature debut of directors Alex Helfrecht and Jorg Tittel, It was filmed in Hungary over the summer in 2015, and is due for release later this year.