Code 46 (2003)

Code 46 (2003)

Taglines: Can a single moment ever disappear completely?

Code 46 is a love story set in a Brave New World-type near-future where cities are heavily controlled and only accessible through checkpoints. People cannot travel unless they have “papeles” (papers in Spanish; words and sentences in many languages, especially Spanish, French and Chinese are mixed with English in this new world), a special travel permit issued by the totalitarian government, the “Sphinx”.

Outside these cities, the desert has taken over and shanty towns are jammed with non-citizens – people without IDs forced to live primitive lives. William is a family man who works as a government investigator. When he is sent to Shanghai to solve a case of fake IDs, he meets a woman named Maria. Although he realizes she is behind the forgeries, he cannot help but fall completely in love with her. He hides her crime and they have a wild, passionate affair that can only last as long as his visa: 24 hours. Back home, William is obsessed with the memory of Maria.

Code 46 is a 2003 British film directed by Michael Winterbottom, with screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce. It was produced by BBC Films and Revolution Films. It is a dystopic science fiction love story exploring the implications of current trends in biotechnology. The soundtrack was composed by David Holmes under the name “Free Association”. The film was shot on location in Shanghai, Dubai and Rajasthan, with interiors done on stage in London. The mix of foreign locations was chosen because the juxtaposition of elements in these cities offered a believable futuristic setting.

Code 46 Movie Poster (2003)

Code 46 (2003)

Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri, Togo Igawa, Natalie Mendoza, Sarah Backhouse, Jonathan Ibbotson, Nina Fog, Christopher Simpson, Jeanne Balibar
Screenplay by: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Production Design by: Mark Tildesley
Cinematography by: Alwin H. Küchler, Marcel Zyskind
Film Editing by: Peter Christelis
Costume Design by: Natalie Ward
Set Decoration by: Michelle Day
Art Direction by: Mark Digby, Denis Schnegg
Music by: Stephen Hilton, David Holmes
MPAA Rating: R for a scene of sexuality, including brief graphic nudity.
Distributed by: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Release Date: September 2, 2003

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