Is it real or not? It's been reported that 'The Matrix' party was disguised as part of the film shoot but there wasn't any cameras rolling. Photo: Handout
Several hundred people partied at a film studio near Berlin, Germany – an event local media said was likely illegal – but which a film executive said was merely a scene shot for the new Matrix film.
Citing a witness, German newspaper Bild on Friday (Nov 13) reported that an illegal party with a pyrotechnics show was staged at Potsdam's Studio Babelsberg late on Wednesday (Nov 11), with guests only pretending to be extras.
Christoph Fisser, head of the legendary film studio, where the latest Matrix film has been filmed the past eight months, denied the accusations: "It's a party scene that was being shot," he told dpa.
Around 110 extras and 200 crew members participated in the shoot, which was followed by a toast to mark the end of the film shooting, he said.
"The whole team was tested," Fisser said. Every background actor that participated in the scene was tested three times for coronavirus – two PCR tests days before the scene was shot, and a rapid test immediately before.
The main actors – including lead actor Keanu Reeves – were being tested daily.
"Otherwise we honestly could not have accounted for it," Fisser said.
He said the staff behind the camera was wearing masks at all times during the shoot, although they took them off during the toast.
Meanwhile, the anonymous source cited by Bild claimed: "Nobody was shooting."
The Nov 13 report stated that the city of Potsdam announced its health authorities would launch an inquiry into the event.
On Nov 15, The Independent reported that officials in Potsdam have confirmed the allegations will be used as part of a hearing to find out if the gathering at Studio Babelsberg breached the city’s health regulations. Currently, events are allowed up to 50 people only.
The newspaper reported: "Officials from the city confirmed there had been 'ongoing coordination between the health department and the studios on the subject of infection protection during filming' but that 'no event was registered' for Nov 11 when the alleged party took place." – dpa
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