Cast of Ron Howard's "Eden" bonded during an arduous filming

By Divya Rajagopal

TORONTO (Reuters) - Ron Howard's "Eden" may be based on a true story, but its actors at the Toronto International Film Festival said on Saturday the Darwinian story of survival departed from the historical record in one significant way: the cast members got along famously.

"Eden" is a story of eight idealistic Germans who move to an uninhabited island in the Galapagos archipelago in late 1920s. Before departing, the settlers had little in common except the will to escape a mundane of life in Weimer-era Germany and build new lives in an unspoiled paradise.

Eventually, however, the forces of nature and unscrupulous newcomers begin to pit the islanders against one another, and many of them mysteriously disappear.

Although the movie is set in the Galapagos, the island chain made famous by Charles Darwin, the movie was shot in Queensland, Australia.

Vanessa Kirby, known for her roles in "The Crown" and "Napoleon", took the role of Dore Strauch, the love interest of German philosopher Friedrich Ritter, played by Jude Law.

Kirby told Reuters, the filming of "Eden" felt a bit like working on the reality TV show "Survivor."

"It felt really intense, in the wilderness we were in the 100 degree heat in Australia in summer," Kirby told Reuters on the red carpet. "We were sweaty we were bitten by everything, so it was real."

Even so, everybody bonded on the set. "We got along really well," she said. "Everyone in German accent: can you imagine that? It was really nice," she said.

Daniel Bruhl, who plays the idealistic Heinz Wittmer, told Reuters that the moment the cast came together they were committed to the story.

"We knew that we were doing this for Ron. This was his passion project for years," Bruhl said of the Oscar-winning director. "He has a contagious and good energy, and he did the job of casting people from different places. It is a very eclectic mix."

Unlike the characters they portrayed in the film, he said, the cast enjoyed the project and are still in touch with one another.

(Reporting by Divya Rajagopal in Toronto; Editing by Frank McGurty and David Gregorio)