Construction worker killed, two injured, on Martin Scorsese film set
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Version 0 of 1. A Taiwanese construction worker has been killed after scaffolding collapsed on the set of forthcoming Martin Scorsese drama, Silence. The film is currently in pre-production in Taipei ahead of the shoot beginning in the coming weeks, with the accident happening at the CMPC studio complex. Two other men were injured. A spokesman for the film released this statement: Today there was an unfortunate accident at CMPC Studios in Taiwan, where the Martin Scorsese film, Silence, is in pre-production. An existing structure on the CMPC backlot had been deemed unsafe by the production, and accordingly a 3rd-party contractor was hired to reinforce and make it safe prior to any production-related work commencing in this building. Sadly, during this process, the ceiling collapsed, resulting in the death of one of the contractor’s employees and injuries to two others. Everyone is in shock and sorrow and expresses their deepest concern and sympathy to the families of the individual who died and those who were injured. Silence is based on a 1966 novel by Japanese writer Shusako Endo, set in the 17th century, about a pair of Jesuit priests who journey to Japan to investigate the alleged apostasy of another evangelist. They find a country where Christians are being terribly persecuted, and endure a battle of faith. It stars Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Ken Watanabe. “The subject matter is very close to my heart,” Scorsese told Total Film last year. “I’ve been working on it since I first read the book in 1989... It goes back to growing up in New York, living in an area that was pretty tough, and also the church at the same time. It’s similar to Mean Streets, in a way. It deals with spiritual matters in a concrete, physical world; a world where invariably the worst of human nature is revealed.” It is lined up for release towards the end of the year. |