The UK Film Council's Premiere Fund invests in new and established film talent
The UK Film Council's Premiere Fund continues to support a wide range of films presenting the best new and established talent for a worldwide audience, the UK Film Council announced today.
London: The UK Film Council's Premiere Fund continues to support a wide range of films presenting the best new and established talent for a worldwide audience, the UK Film Council announced today.
The latest high profile project to receive an award is Gillian Armstrong's Death Defying Acts, which stars leading British actors Timothy Spall and Catherine Zeta-Jones (attached). Written by the award-winning British script-writer Tony Grisoni (Tideland, Queen of Hearts), in partnership with Brian Ward, and directed by Armstrong (Oscar and Lucinda, Little Women, My Brilliant Career), the film recently started shooting in the UK. It tells the story of legendary escape artist Harry Houdini who has conquered everything - except his own fear. It takes a 10-year-old girl and her mother to give him courage and faith.
Other major new projects currently receiving support from the UK Film Council's Premiere Fund include Andrew O'Connor's Magicans, Chris Noonan's Miss Potter, Roger Michell's Venus and Julian Jarrold's Becoming Jane, Tom Shankland's WAZ, and John Boorman's The Tiger's Tail.
Magicians is the first feature from the team behind the hugely popular British comedy series Peep Show, comprising producer-director Andrew O'Connor and writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. A first directorial outing for O'Connor, supported by the Premiere fund, Magicians tells the story of two friends who fall out, then become rivals for the ultimate prize in the quirky world of professional magic. But will their reconciliation be scuppered by oddball competitors, the non-existence of the spirit world - or a guillotine trick gone terribly wrong? The film's sparkling British comedy cast includes Peep Show stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb, Spaced and Royle Family star Jessica Stevenson, TV comedy veteran Darren Boyd, Peter Capaldi and Andrea Riseborough.
Chris Noonan's Miss Potter tells the story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and her struggle for love, happiness and success in the stifling world of Victorian England. With support from the Premiere Fund, the film is a first screenplay from award-winning director and musical writer Richard Maltby Jr., while the cast includes key British actors Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson, alongside Renée Zellweger.
Venus, directed by Roger Michell (Enduring Love) features an outstanding British cast including Peter O'Toole, Vanessa Redgrave, Leslie Phillips and newcomer Jodie Whittaker. The film is written by award-winning British writer Hanif Kureishi. When Ian's niece dumps her troublesome teenage daughter on the geriatric thesp, Ian (Phillips), and fellow thesp, Maurice (O'Toole), are hoping for their own personal maid to cook for them and to tend to their aching bits. What they end up with is of quite another order. A major new feature, Venus which has just screened at Telluride and Toronto has now been selected for the Mayor's Gala screening at The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival.
Julian Jarrold's Becoming Jane, backed by the Premiere and Development funds, is an 'inspired by true events' account of Jane Austen's ill-fated love affair with an impoverished student lawyer. It is Jarrold's second feature after Kinky Boots, and a first-time film script from established British writers Kevin Hood and Sarah Williams. The cast includes award-winning new British star James McAvoy, along with British veterans Maggie Smith and Julie Walters, plus Anne Hathaway in the lead role.
Tom Shankland's WAZ, written by established writer Clive Bradley, is a first feature outing for the two times BAFTA nominated short film director. Detective Eddie Argo played by Stellan Skarsgard prides himself on playing by the book. However, loyalties wane as he and his new rookie partner Helen O'Mara played by Melissa George find themselves entangled in a string of violent and horrific killings that are targeting a notorious local gang, forcing Argo to revisit a case he would rather forget. In the midst of mounting terror, the calculating killer stays focused on the ultimate goal—to coerce Argo to pay for his previous mistakes and answer a final question...would you kill the one you love to save yourself from death?
Written and directed by John Boorman, The Tiger's Tail is the story of how a wealthy businessman is stalked by his long lost identical twin determined to take over his life. The businessman eventually realises that there is more to life than wealth and business success, and so he hands over his possessions before sailing away with his son in order to focus on strengthening his relationship with his unhappy son. The cast includes Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and Kim Catrall. The film received great critical acclaim when it recently premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
Recent releases backed by the Premiere and Development funds include Christopher Smith's Severance, a fresh new British comedy-horror written by Christopher Smith and James Moran. Directed by Smith and starring Danny Dyer, it has received great reviews and grossed £1.3 million in its first ten days of release in the UK.
Life & Lyrics, with new British star Ashley Walters in the lead role, is released in the UK at the end of September. Backed by the Development and Premiere funds and directed by Richard Laxton, it tells the story of a young London DJ. Torn between the woman he loves and his best friend, he reconciles his divided loyalties to lead his MC crew to victory at a talent contest.
Film awards
Information on all awards made is available on the UK Film Council's website, www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/information/awards.
Death Defying Acts £750,000
Magicians £275,000
Miss Potter £1,200,000
Venus £1,000,000
Becoming Jane £1,513,062
WAZ £932,017
The Tiger's Tail £1,000,000
For press enquiries please contact:
Tina McFarling / Chloe Lola Riess at the UK Film Council Press Office
T: +44 (0)20 7861 7900/790
E: tina.mcfarling@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk / chloe.riess@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk
