American actor Ben Schnetzer will have the leading role and portray the famous conductor Sergiu Celibidache in his younger years in the film "The Yellow Tie," replacing Rupert Friend. John Malkovich will take on the role of Celibidache in his later years.

Filming for "The Yellow Tie" begins this month in Bucharest. 

The film will be directed by Sergiu Celibidache's son, Serge Ioan Celebidachi (director of the acclaimed "Octav," 2017), based on a screenplay co-written with James Olivier. The producers are Adela Vrînceanu Celebidachi, Cristina Dobriţoiu, Andrei Boncea, Christopher Milburn, James Olivier, and Robert W. Cort, the executive producer, according to News.ro.

Ben Schnetzer is known for his starring role in the sci-fi drama "Y: The Last Man" and for his role in "The Nap" on Broadway, directed by Daniel Sullivan at the Manhattan Theatre Club. His filmography also includes "The Grizzlies," "Goat," and "Pride." He can also be seen in the Netflix film "Three Body Problem."

"The Yellow Tie" portrays the extraordinary life of the legendary classical music conductor Sergiu Celibidache, one of the most renowned but also one of the most controversial artists of the 20th century.

The film will follow the conductor's life from his childhood in Romania under the strict authority of a disciplinarian father to his painful escape from home to pursue his dream of a career in music. It depicts his struggle for survival in Germany during and after the war, his rise and fall in an unimaginable career and life spanning seven decades and all four corners of the globe.

"The Yellow Tie" aims to show the life story of an exceptional artist with a remarkable yet winding destiny who fought against prejudice, compromise, convention, and commercialism. The film bears witness to an inspirational quest having at its center a man who dedicated his entire life to a dream and fought hard to be accepted by those dear to his heart.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Stokkete | Dreamstime.com)