LOCARNO, TICINO, SWITZERLAND, August 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — — On the occasion of the Industry section at the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, Delta Star Pictures officially announced the development of “AETERNUM”, the new feature film by director Jordan River. The project, currently in development and pre-production, will launch main production in 2027, bringing together an international team. An Italian director with a markedly international outlook, Jordan River arrives at AETERNUM after «Joachim and the Apocalypse» (2024), already in contention in several categories for Academy Awards® 2025 consideration. The screenplay for AETERNUM was also selected at Oxford and Cannes, and recently won the award for Best Screenplay at the Berlin International Screenwriting Festival.
Set in a near future, AETERNUM explores a society in which an advanced artificial intelligence system attempts to control and modulate human emotions, redefining the boundaries of free will and individual sensibility. At the center of the story emerges an unexpected element, namely an ancient manuscript that holds mysteries kept hidden for centuries and that evokes the metaphysical dimension of “The City of God” by Saint Augustine, as well as the tradition of Shambhala, the legendary “city of light” of Eastern cosmologies, a symbol of knowledge and universal harmony. The discovery becomes the key to a journey that opens onto universal questions.
A compelling narrative structure and an international cast
The film is developed following the Days of Creation, but told in reverse, revealing a hidden design that intertwines cosmology, spirituality, and human destiny.
The cast, currently being finalized, reflects the strongly global vocation of the project and will include national and international performers. Among the first names expected are Italian actress Denise Tantucci (“Leopardi&Co.”, “Braccialetti rossi”, “Ben-Hur”), actor Sebastiano Somma (“Il mercante di stoffe”, “Nel tepore del ballo”, “Notte prima degli esami 3.0”). A prominent role will be entrusted to the Japanese-born actor Hal Yamanouchi (“The Wolverine”, “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”, “Push”). Talks are underway with British actor Bruce Payne (“Passenger 57”, “Dungeons & Dragons”, “Highlander: Endgame”), known for the intensity of his performances. Casting will continue through the fall, with further international names to be announced. The soundtrack will feature acclaimed composer Michele Josia, a prestigious Emmy® Award winner. Josia reunites with Jordan River following the success of his score for “Joachim and the Apocalypse”, which advanced through the first round of voting in the Best Original Score category for the 2025 Academy Awards® among 135 selected works—the sole entry representing Italy. On the technical front, the production is bringing aboard top-tier Italian and international film professionals, with ongoing discussions including Academy Award® winner Mark Ulano (Best Sound for Titanic).
Breathtaking locations and new technologies
The director, together with the production staff, has in recent days carried out the first location scouting to identify the most significant locations in Italy, in keeping with the thematic depth of the work. Filming will take place across numerous territories both in Italy and abroad. The film will be shot both in live action and with advanced Virtual Production techniques, and will be filmed in 17K IMAX format, incorporating the ThetaWave Cinematic Modulation System™, a proprietary neuroacoustic modulation technology applied to sound design, first used in cinema by the same director in the previous “Joachim and the Apocalypse”, shot in 12K.
A cinema that questions
AETERNUM marks a new step in Jordan River’s artistic pursuit: a film that combines narrative tension, eschatological reflection, and visual imagination to tell the future through humanity’s oldest questions, restoring to the big screen its function of questioning, revealing, and transforming.
For more information, visit the official “AETERNUM” movie website.
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