Hapson (2019)

Hapson
Theatrical poster for Hapson
Directed by	Carmeno An'rto
Produced by	Travis Brondi
Starring	Darren Navicia Lee Proverbs Jesse Simotand Priscilla Lindra Elliot Blackburn
Running time	189 minutes
Country	Zamastan
Language	Caticeze-English
Budget	Z$28 million
Box office	Z$873 million

Hapson is a 2019 Zamastanian biographical film directed by Carmeno An'rto, produced by Travis Brondi, and starring Darren Navicia. The film surrounds the life and presidency of Tomias Hapson, the 1st President of Zamastan. Topics of the film include the Zamastan War of Independence. The film recieved critical acclaim for its directing, screenplay, performances, score, and production, and it became a box office smash hit. The film grossed Z$873 million against a Z$28 million budget, making it the fourteenth-highest grossing film of all time and one of the best returns for any movie production in history.

Hapson was followed in production by Gaviria, which was also directed by Carmeno An'rto and produced by Travis Brondi.

Release

Hapson opened on December 13th, 2019 with a Z$143 million opening weekend, the highest grossing of any December release in Zamastan. It has grossed Z$872 million worldwide.

Reception

One of the staples of the film that was praised was Hapson's personal life. Historical records have showed that Hapson did marry twice and father children, but Hapson's own personal writings have indicated moments of same-sex attraction. Film critics and activists have applauded the film's nod towards this, as a scene depicts Hapson having an intimate conversation with one of his aides as General of the Rebellion. More conservative critics have criticized the film for this inclusion, though Brondi defended the choice in an interview, saying "I thought that in order to tell the tale of Hapson, we had to address certain areas of his life that don't often get covered. The scene in question only lasts around 2 minutes, and it isn't immensely vital to the plot, so the criticism is basically a waste of time. I think Hapson's sexual identity isn't important in the overall scheme of things, and if it is, it should be a reminder that the father of our country was different from me - a straight, white man. If anything, it should be a lesson of the inclusive nature of Zamastan, something that has always been in our blood as a nation."

The film also received praise for its massive battle scene that takes place in the second act of the movie. The film depicts multiple small skirmishes during the War of Independence, but it expands into the culmination of two fights: The Battle of Bonmuth and the The Battle of White Rock, which was the last major battle of the war.

Among acting performances, Dar'o Navicia's Tomias Hapson is joined by Lee Proverbs as Thomas Pétion, Jesse Simotand as Avi Taures, Priscilla Lindra as Ramona Sky-Hapson (Hapson's first wife), and Elliot Blackburn as Henry Tiller.