It's shaping up to be a truly Huston family affair for Christmas. Siblings and Hollywood royalty Anjelica and Danny Huston have joined forces for an intriguing new venture, "The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana" – a hybrid animated and live-action feature film currently under production in Los Angeles and Ontario, Canada. HighballTV has confirmed the film's details, penned by David James Brock and HighballTV's Melissa D'Agostino, with an idea conceived alongside frequent creative partner and director Matt Campagna. Johnathan Sharp is spearheading the production.
The captivating plot unfolds around a peculiar court case that arises when the children of a quaint Italian village abduct their mythical Christmas witch, portrayed by Huston, and put her on trial in a bid to halt her annual judgment over their lives. Intertwining spells, fantasy, and Italian folklore, the project delves into timeless themes of grief, community, love, and family. Danny takes on the role of Befano, with Anjelica portraying Befana.
Rounding out the star-studded cast are actors Jesse Gervasi, Maya Misaljevic, Luca Doulgeris, Mia Swaminathan, Paolo Mancini, Tarah Consoli, Juan Chioran, Phil Luzi, and D'Agostino. "The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana" marks a milestone for Canada-based production outfit HighballTV as their maiden animated feature. Additionally, the film boasts an original soundtrack composed by Brock, D'Agostino, and Rebecca Everett.
This project reunites the siblings who have collaborated on numerous Hollywood endeavors over the years. In a promotional video obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, the Hustons reveal the inspiration behind their involvement in the project and their initial encounter with the origins of La Befana, a well-renowned character in Italian folklore.
"I gleaned a bit about La Befana during 'The Life Aquatic' [with Steve Zissou] in Rome with Wes Anderson," Anjelica recounted. "They celebrate La Befana with a festive winter event before Christmas, featuring an array of puppets and women flying on broomsticks as La Befana." Danny added, "I grew up in Rome, so Befana was a well-known figure. In a way, she competed with Santa Claus. Easter holds greater significance in Italy than Christmas, making the broom-wielding, hooded Befana characters highly iconic."
Describing her as a "lovely, horrible witch," Anjelica admitted that this fact alone prompted her acceptance. "I enjoy portraying witches," she continued. "It was a no-brainer, and it seemed like a fun, opportune moment to do so." Prior to this, she starred in Nicolas Roeg's 1990 film "The Witches." "I love playing wicked witches," the actress elaborated. "I played Morticia Addams, a beloved witch, and the Grand High Witch in 'The Witches' for Nic Roeg. It was one of my favorite experiences because he encouraged me to embody evil, and there was something blasphemous about her."
Danny deemed it "a highlight of my career" to star opposite his sister in this role. Their previous collaborations include "Mr. North," a 1988 adaptation of Thornton Wilder's novel directed by Danny and starring Anjelica alongside Anthony Edwards, Robert Mitchum, Lauren Bacall, and Harry Dean Stanton. More recently, they teamed up for the 2006 TV series "Covert One: The Hades Factor," alongside Stephen Dorff, Mira Sorvino, and Blair Underwood. "It's fantastic to have this opportunity again," Danny enthused.
Danny has had a busy few months, starring in "The Crow," Kevin Costner's "Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1," and Viggo Mortensen's "The Dead Don't Hurt." He next stars in the "The Naked Gun" reboot alongside Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kevin Durand. He is represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, law firm Myman, Greenspan, Fox, Rosenberg, Mobasser, Younger & Light, and Julian Belfrage Associates in London.
Anjelica is represented by WME and Christian Hodell at Hamilton Hodell in the U.K. She will next appear in the "John Wick" spin-off "Ballerina," opposite Ana de Armas, and in the BBC and BritBox's limited series "Towards Zero," starring alongside Matthew Rhys, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ella Lily Hyland, and Mimi Keene, based on Agatha Christie's namesake novel.
