Poliakoff’s first film starring Charles Dance is reissued, and whil the story rambles and some of the acting isn’t great, it retains a confident power to intrigue
There is great archival and historical interest to the 1987 feature film debut of writer-director Stephen Poliakoff, which now on re-release. It is a peculiar, cerebral and often strangely toothless mystery drama with some pretty wooden acting, but also some fascinating, secret London locations, used with flair. These include the Kingsway tram tunnel – gateway to a veritable catacomb of secret spaces under the city – and the gigantic Edmonton incinerator (now the Edmonton EcoPark). Hidden City offers points of interest in its drama; chiefly, the assertive and characteristically haughty performance from Charles Dance as an educational psychologist who stumbles on an occult conspiracy. Dance incidentally has the most outrageously handbags-at-dawn fight with Bill Paterson (“Mind the suit!”) – an un-macho showdown to be compared...
There is great archival and historical interest to the 1987 feature film debut of writer-director Stephen Poliakoff, which now on re-release. It is a peculiar, cerebral and often strangely toothless mystery drama with some pretty wooden acting, but also some fascinating, secret London locations, used with flair. These include the Kingsway tram tunnel – gateway to a veritable catacomb of secret spaces under the city – and the gigantic Edmonton incinerator (now the Edmonton EcoPark). Hidden City offers points of interest in its drama; chiefly, the assertive and characteristically haughty performance from Charles Dance as an educational psychologist who stumbles on an occult conspiracy. Dance incidentally has the most outrageously handbags-at-dawn fight with Bill Paterson (“Mind the suit!”) – an un-macho showdown to be compared...
- 5/7/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The 1980s enjoys a privileged, some might even argue inflated position in the sci-fi pantheon. In the US, it was the decade that gave us two thirds of the original Star Wars trilogy, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Terminator and Tron. In TV land, Star Trek got a brand new Generation, Quantums Leapt, Knights Rode, and of course, Alf.
But on the other side of the pond, British science fiction television was doing things the way we British always have – for less money, and a bit more bleak. But it wasn’t all creepy John Wyndham adaptations and hostile alien invasions, the 1980s also delivered a couple of British space comedy classics, along with the most underrated series in sci-fi history.
The Day of the Triffids (1981)
Stream on: purchase-only on Sky Store, Google Play, Amazon (UK); disc import only (US)
For our money, still the only decent adaptation of John...
But on the other side of the pond, British science fiction television was doing things the way we British always have – for less money, and a bit more bleak. But it wasn’t all creepy John Wyndham adaptations and hostile alien invasions, the 1980s also delivered a couple of British space comedy classics, along with the most underrated series in sci-fi history.
The Day of the Triffids (1981)
Stream on: purchase-only on Sky Store, Google Play, Amazon (UK); disc import only (US)
For our money, still the only decent adaptation of John...
- 2/2/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: “Peggy Ramsay used to say ‘agent’ is the most disgusting word in the English language,” ponders Adam Welsh, the founder of Divergent Talent Group (Dtg).
For a group of changemakers making their way through the UK’s bustling agenting landscape, the words uttered by Ramsay, one of the greats — who repped the likes of Stephen Poliakoff, David Hare and J.B. Priestley — don’t exactly chime.
These agents are spearheading the UK TV and film industry’s drive to improve representation for disabled talent, a minority that makes up 20% of the British population and yet is vastly under-utilized both on the small screen and behind the camera.
Welsh founded his agency devoted to repping neurodivergent talent in 2021. Sara Johnson and Julie Fernandez have recently joined Casarotto Ramsay in an intriguing dual role representing, training and developing talent, while long-time advocate Andrew Roach, whose clients include Britain’s Got Talent winner Lost Voice Guy,...
For a group of changemakers making their way through the UK’s bustling agenting landscape, the words uttered by Ramsay, one of the greats — who repped the likes of Stephen Poliakoff, David Hare and J.B. Priestley — don’t exactly chime.
These agents are spearheading the UK TV and film industry’s drive to improve representation for disabled talent, a minority that makes up 20% of the British population and yet is vastly under-utilized both on the small screen and behind the camera.
Welsh founded his agency devoted to repping neurodivergent talent in 2021. Sara Johnson and Julie Fernandez have recently joined Casarotto Ramsay in an intriguing dual role representing, training and developing talent, while long-time advocate Andrew Roach, whose clients include Britain’s Got Talent winner Lost Voice Guy,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Now is your chance to find out how to sing like Julie Garland, deal with being Edina Monsoon’s Pa and play a critically acclaimed chicken
It surprised a lot of people when Bubbles, the dippy personal assistant from Absolutely Fabulous, turned out to have a belter of a singing voice. Jane Horrocks showed off her chops in the 1998 film Little Voice having already conquered the stage with the lead role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.
Since then, Horrocks has become part of the fabric of the nation. On the big screen, she’s voiced a knitting-loving chicken in 2000’s Chicken Run and a duck opposite Bill Murray’s Garfield. In the flesh, she appeared in Dexter Fletcher’s Proclaimers jukebox musical Sunshine on Leith, and opposite Rob Brydon in 2018 sports comedy Swimming With Men. On stage she appeared in Stephen Poliakoff drama Sweet Panic and sang songs by Joy Division,...
It surprised a lot of people when Bubbles, the dippy personal assistant from Absolutely Fabulous, turned out to have a belter of a singing voice. Jane Horrocks showed off her chops in the 1998 film Little Voice having already conquered the stage with the lead role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.
Since then, Horrocks has become part of the fabric of the nation. On the big screen, she’s voiced a knitting-loving chicken in 2000’s Chicken Run and a duck opposite Bill Murray’s Garfield. In the flesh, she appeared in Dexter Fletcher’s Proclaimers jukebox musical Sunshine on Leith, and opposite Rob Brydon in 2018 sports comedy Swimming With Men. On stage she appeared in Stephen Poliakoff drama Sweet Panic and sang songs by Joy Division,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Rich Pelley
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Ciara Charteris went to drama school with her eyes wide open. Born into a dynasty of talent agents, the Poldark actress-turned-safety advocate grew up steeped in stagecraft. “I entered drama school with a lot of privilege and knowledge of the industry,” she recalls. “It meant I was very aware of what was wrong immediately.”
Charteris left home to join the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2013. A decade earlier, Queen Elizabeth II gave the school its royal status to mark her 50th year on the throne. Its hallowed halls were once home to Anthony Hopkins, marking the start of a career that would take The Silence of the Lambs star to double Oscar glory.
Related: Guildhall Racism Report Found Students At Drama School Attended By Michaela Coel Were Called N-Word & “Suppressed” By White Teachers
Like Hopkins who went before her, Charteris says drama school students are thrown into...
Charteris left home to join the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2013. A decade earlier, Queen Elizabeth II gave the school its royal status to mark her 50th year on the throne. Its hallowed halls were once home to Anthony Hopkins, marking the start of a career that would take The Silence of the Lambs star to double Oscar glory.
Related: Guildhall Racism Report Found Students At Drama School Attended By Michaela Coel Were Called N-Word & “Suppressed” By White Teachers
Like Hopkins who went before her, Charteris says drama school students are thrown into...
- 8/11/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
”It’s all about enthusiam, stubborness and determination,” he says.
Aged 85, Roger Gibson is preparing for his final edition as artistic director of the Chichester International Film Festival. He has built it into one of the UK’s leading regional film festivals since launching it in 1992.
Over the years guests travelling to the south of England festival have included Alec Guinness, Stephen Poliakoff, Kathleen Turner, Ken Russell, Mike Leigh and Ralph Fiennes. This year’s guest list is equally impressive: the festival has programmed retrospectives of work by Cate Blanchett and Hugh Bonneville, and both actors are set to attend,...
Aged 85, Roger Gibson is preparing for his final edition as artistic director of the Chichester International Film Festival. He has built it into one of the UK’s leading regional film festivals since launching it in 1992.
Over the years guests travelling to the south of England festival have included Alec Guinness, Stephen Poliakoff, Kathleen Turner, Ken Russell, Mike Leigh and Ralph Fiennes. This year’s guest list is equally impressive: the festival has programmed retrospectives of work by Cate Blanchett and Hugh Bonneville, and both actors are set to attend,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Gemma Arterton is an English actress and producer. She is best known for her breakthrough role in 2008 when she appeared in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008), a performance which earned her an Empire Award for Best Newcomer in 2009.
Gemma Arterton Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Gemma Arterton was born on February 2, 1986 (Gemma Arterton’s age: 37) at North Kent Hospital in Gravesend, England. Arterton was born with polydactyly, a condition resulting in extra fingers, which a doctor had removed shortly after her birth. Her father, Barry J. Arterton, was employed as a welder, while her mother, Sally-Anne Heap, runs a cleaning business. Her parents divorced when Arterton was just five years old, and so she was raised for a big part of her life on a council estate (housing project) with her mother and younger sister, Hannah Jane Arterton, who also discovered fame as an actress.
Arterton studied...
Gemma Arterton Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Gemma Arterton was born on February 2, 1986 (Gemma Arterton’s age: 37) at North Kent Hospital in Gravesend, England. Arterton was born with polydactyly, a condition resulting in extra fingers, which a doctor had removed shortly after her birth. Her father, Barry J. Arterton, was employed as a welder, while her mother, Sally-Anne Heap, runs a cleaning business. Her parents divorced when Arterton was just five years old, and so she was raised for a big part of her life on a council estate (housing project) with her mother and younger sister, Hannah Jane Arterton, who also discovered fame as an actress.
Arterton studied...
- 7/13/2023
- by Trevor Hanuka
- Uinterview
Exclusive: Dyllón Burnside, star of Ryan Murphy shows Pose, American Horror Story and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, will make his London stage debut in Black Superhero, the debut play from British actor, activist and playwright Danny Lee Wynter.
Florida-born Burnside will play King, a Black, queer movie star “with the world at his feet,” Wynter told Deadline.
King is “an out, global film star,” Wynter added. “He’s open about his sexuality but he’s not open about his private life, about whom he dates,” Wynter explained.
Burnside character King plays a superhero called Craw in the show that will run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs located in Chelsea’s Sloane Square from March 14 through April 29. Official opening night is March 21.
Wynter, who is also starring in Black Superhero, made his mark in TV drama Joe’s Palace with Michael Gambon and Kelly Reilly and Capturing Mary...
Florida-born Burnside will play King, a Black, queer movie star “with the world at his feet,” Wynter told Deadline.
King is “an out, global film star,” Wynter added. “He’s open about his sexuality but he’s not open about his private life, about whom he dates,” Wynter explained.
Burnside character King plays a superhero called Craw in the show that will run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs located in Chelsea’s Sloane Square from March 14 through April 29. Official opening night is March 21.
Wynter, who is also starring in Black Superhero, made his mark in TV drama Joe’s Palace with Michael Gambon and Kelly Reilly and Capturing Mary...
- 1/24/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
“Operation Buffalo” is a high-end series set in Australia in 1956, at the height of the Cold War. The action mainly takes place on a top-secret military base at Maralinga, in the Australian Outback, where the British are conducting atomic bomb tests, with the connivance of the Australian government.
The six-part show – a blend of espionage thriller, political satire and biting black comedy – features a top-notch ensemble cast, led by Ewen Leslie, Jessica de Gouw and James Cromwell. It was ordered by Australian broadcaster ABC, and is being represented in international markets by About Premium Content.
Variety spoke to writer-director Peter Duncan about the show, which world premiered as part of Series Mania’s ongoing digital edition (March 25-April 7).
What was it about the historical events – nuclear testing, the Cold War, Suez etc. – at the center of your story that inspired you to write the series?
Ever since I was 11, I...
The six-part show – a blend of espionage thriller, political satire and biting black comedy – features a top-notch ensemble cast, led by Ewen Leslie, Jessica de Gouw and James Cromwell. It was ordered by Australian broadcaster ABC, and is being represented in international markets by About Premium Content.
Variety spoke to writer-director Peter Duncan about the show, which world premiered as part of Series Mania’s ongoing digital edition (March 25-April 7).
What was it about the historical events – nuclear testing, the Cold War, Suez etc. – at the center of your story that inspired you to write the series?
Ever since I was 11, I...
- 3/31/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Fresh from the success of “Bodyguard,” Keeley Hawes has told Variety that her next move is into producing. The star has set up her own shingle, Buddy Club Productions, and will start work on its first project as soon as she has wrapped on Netflix film “Rebecca,” in which she will play Beatrice Lacy, sister of Maxim (Armie Hammer).
“Producing and making things happen myself just feels like a natural progression for me,” she said. “I’m enjoying it. It’s at an early stage, but I have a couple of things in the pipeline.
“It’s looking at it from a different angle and coming at it with 30 years of experience. The older you get, the younger everyone else is, and then you realize you are the one with the most experience. That can be really useful on both sides of the camera.”
Details of the first Buddy Club project will be revealed soon.
“Producing and making things happen myself just feels like a natural progression for me,” she said. “I’m enjoying it. It’s at an early stage, but I have a couple of things in the pipeline.
“It’s looking at it from a different angle and coming at it with 30 years of experience. The older you get, the younger everyone else is, and then you realize you are the one with the most experience. That can be really useful on both sides of the camera.”
Details of the first Buddy Club project will be revealed soon.
- 6/21/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Keeley Hawes can be found on the Emmy ballot in three categories: for her leading role in the period piece “The Durrells in Corfu” and her scene-stealing supporting turns in the crime drama “Bodyguard” and the compelling true story “Mrs. Wilson.” She reaped BAFTA bids for the latter two and featured in the Must-See-Moment winner for the shocking scene in which her character on “Bodyguard” is assassinated.
That moment came halfway through the six episodes and was akin to Janet Leigh being killed off in “Psycho.” Like Leigh who was a star in Hollywood’s golden era, Hawes has ruled British TV for the better part of two decades. She was one of the reasons that “Bodyguard” attracted record ratings in the UK (20% of the country watched the finale) and some viewers still refuse to believe that her character is not coming back.
But as Keeley confirms in our interview...
That moment came halfway through the six episodes and was akin to Janet Leigh being killed off in “Psycho.” Like Leigh who was a star in Hollywood’s golden era, Hawes has ruled British TV for the better part of two decades. She was one of the reasons that “Bodyguard” attracted record ratings in the UK (20% of the country watched the finale) and some viewers still refuse to believe that her character is not coming back.
But as Keeley confirms in our interview...
- 6/14/2019
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Little Island Productions, one of the producers of BAFTA-winning Patrick Melrose and Amazon’s forthcoming epic fantasy drama The Wheel Of Time, is looking to enter its next phase of growth with plans to open a base in La and ramp up its slate of originals.
This comes as its latest original series, Stephen Poliakoff’s period drama Summer of Rockets, is set to launch on BBC Two.
In an interview with Deadline, Little Island Managing Director Helen Flint has also opened up about its plans to grow its business of acting as the UK production partner on a raft of Hollywood studio-produced series and its latest novel adaptation.
It’s been a good fortnight for the company. Last Sunday, Patrick Melrose, which it produced with Michael Jackson’s Two Cities Television, won two BAFTAs including best mini-series and Benedict Cumberbatch as best actor. Flint revealed that the show had...
This comes as its latest original series, Stephen Poliakoff’s period drama Summer of Rockets, is set to launch on BBC Two.
In an interview with Deadline, Little Island Managing Director Helen Flint has also opened up about its plans to grow its business of acting as the UK production partner on a raft of Hollywood studio-produced series and its latest novel adaptation.
It’s been a good fortnight for the company. Last Sunday, Patrick Melrose, which it produced with Michael Jackson’s Two Cities Television, won two BAFTAs including best mini-series and Benedict Cumberbatch as best actor. Flint revealed that the show had...
- 5/21/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Lille, France — God, Freddie Highmore’s good at crying. There’s a scene in “Neverland,” screened at his Series Mania masterclass, where he’s acting opposite Johnny Depp. His mother has just died. Highmore sits on a park bench, clutching a notebook, which she helped as tears well in his eyes, and he tries to keep in everything but can’t.
It’s a richly calibrated performance, shame, confusion, deep sorrow all jostling in there, and Depp wisely containing his to give Highmore stage center – despite the fact that he cannot have been much more than 10 when he played the scene.
Many years later, in another excerpt highligh at the French TV festival, Highmore is crying again. It’s another crucial scene, in Ep. 1 of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” where his central character, Shaun Murphy, makes his pitch to become a surgeon, despite autism, to a skeptical medical team.
It’s a richly calibrated performance, shame, confusion, deep sorrow all jostling in there, and Depp wisely containing his to give Highmore stage center – despite the fact that he cannot have been much more than 10 when he played the scene.
Many years later, in another excerpt highligh at the French TV festival, Highmore is crying again. It’s another crucial scene, in Ep. 1 of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” where his central character, Shaun Murphy, makes his pitch to become a surgeon, despite autism, to a skeptical medical team.
- 3/24/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Mr. Turner star Timothy Spall is set for a recurring role opposite Ben Kingsley, Jimmi Simpson and Jacki Weaver in Epix’s Our Lady, Ltd, a 10-episode modern noir drama series, from Patriot creator Steve Conrad and Epix’s sister studio MGM Television. Shooting is currently underway in New Mexico.
Written by Conrad and Patriot co-producer Bruce Terris, Our Lady, Ltd (fka Our Lady of Perpetual Grace), follows James (Simpson), a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects. The pastor and his wife Lillian (Weaver)—known to their parishioners as Pa and Ma—have used religion to bilk hundreds of innocent people out of their life savings.
Spall will play Donny. After being released from decades of incarceration, Donny chooses to spend his final years of freedom exacting revenge on the man who...
Written by Conrad and Patriot co-producer Bruce Terris, Our Lady, Ltd (fka Our Lady of Perpetual Grace), follows James (Simpson), a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects. The pastor and his wife Lillian (Weaver)—known to their parishioners as Pa and Ma—have used religion to bilk hundreds of innocent people out of their life savings.
Spall will play Donny. After being released from decades of incarceration, Donny chooses to spend his final years of freedom exacting revenge on the man who...
- 2/4/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
After winning the Golden Globe for BBC America’s telefilm “Gideon’s Daughter” at the 2007 ceremony, then-23-year-old Emily Blunt walked up on the stage like a deer in the headlights. “Oh God,” the up-and-coming actress said as she looked out at the crowd of A-list movie stars and TV legends. “Thank you so much. This is — Whoo!” Blunt nervously shouted as she waved her hand in the air. Watch the fun flashback video above.
SEEEmily Blunt (‘Mary Poppins Returns’): ‘There’s room for more magic’ 54 years after the original film [Exclusive Video Interview]
“This was a film very close to my heart,” she continued. “It was a film for anyone who’s ever had a child and anyone who’s ever had a parent. It was just incredibly moving.” Blunt won the Best TV Supporting Actress trophy for “Gideon’s Daughter” for playing the estranged child of ace publicist Gideon (Bill Nighy...
SEEEmily Blunt (‘Mary Poppins Returns’): ‘There’s room for more magic’ 54 years after the original film [Exclusive Video Interview]
“This was a film very close to my heart,” she continued. “It was a film for anyone who’s ever had a child and anyone who’s ever had a parent. It was just incredibly moving.” Blunt won the Best TV Supporting Actress trophy for “Gideon’s Daughter” for playing the estranged child of ace publicist Gideon (Bill Nighy...
- 12/5/2018
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Lawson’s appointment rounds out the executive team.
London Film School (Lfs) has appointed Dan Lawson as chief operating officer, in a new role created in response to the growth of the school.
He joins director Gisli Snaer and chairman Greg Dyke on the Lfs executive team. Snaer and Dyke were appointed in June and April 2018 respectively.
Lawson’s responsibilities include leading the implementation of Lfs strategic initiatives, and acting as spokesperson on regional, national and international matters.
Two major plans he will support are the Lfs move to a new campus at London City Island; and a fundraising drive...
London Film School (Lfs) has appointed Dan Lawson as chief operating officer, in a new role created in response to the growth of the school.
He joins director Gisli Snaer and chairman Greg Dyke on the Lfs executive team. Snaer and Dyke were appointed in June and April 2018 respectively.
Lawson’s responsibilities include leading the implementation of Lfs strategic initiatives, and acting as spokesperson on regional, national and international matters.
Two major plans he will support are the Lfs move to a new campus at London City Island; and a fundraising drive...
- 9/12/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Golden Globe-winning British actress Jacqueline Bisset will pick up a lifetime achievement award at the Odessa International Film Festival.
She will be awarded a Golden Duke at the festival's closing ceremony, scheduled to be held in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city this Saturday.
Bisset won a Golden Globe in 2013 for her performance in the television drama Dancing on the Edge, by director Stephen Poliakoff.
Odessa Iff, Ukraine's main international film event, runs from July 13-21. Among its international competition movies are Thunder Road, by U.S. director Jim Cummings; Pororoca, by Romania's Constantin Popescu; Girl, by Belgium's Lukas ...
She will be awarded a Golden Duke at the festival's closing ceremony, scheduled to be held in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city this Saturday.
Bisset won a Golden Globe in 2013 for her performance in the television drama Dancing on the Edge, by director Stephen Poliakoff.
Odessa Iff, Ukraine's main international film event, runs from July 13-21. Among its international competition movies are Thunder Road, by U.S. director Jim Cummings; Pororoca, by Romania's Constantin Popescu; Girl, by Belgium's Lukas ...
- 7/19/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Golden Globe-winning British actress Jacqueline Bisset will pick up a lifetime achievement award at the Odessa International Film Festival.
She will be awarded a Golden Duke at the festival's closing ceremony, scheduled to be held in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city this Saturday.
Bisset won a Golden Globe in 2013 for her performance in the television drama Dancing on the Edge, by director Stephen Poliakoff.
Odessa Iff, Ukraine's main international film event, runs from July 13-21. Among its international competition movies are Thunder Road, by U.S. director Jim Cummings; Pororoca, by Romania's Constantin Popescu; Girl, by Belgium's Lukas ...
She will be awarded a Golden Duke at the festival's closing ceremony, scheduled to be held in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city this Saturday.
Bisset won a Golden Globe in 2013 for her performance in the television drama Dancing on the Edge, by director Stephen Poliakoff.
Odessa Iff, Ukraine's main international film event, runs from July 13-21. Among its international competition movies are Thunder Road, by U.S. director Jim Cummings; Pororoca, by Romania's Constantin Popescu; Girl, by Belgium's Lukas ...
- 7/19/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Toby Stephens, Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache and Timothy Spall will lead the cast of the BBC’s Cold War drama “Summer of Rockets.” Shooting is now underway around London and Oxford on the six-part drama, which is written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff.
The BBC has released a first-look image from the production featuring Stephens (pictured), who plays a 40-something Russian Jewish émigré, an inventor and designer of custom hearing aids. He is approached by British intelligence service MI5 and tasked with a secret mission to obtain information about a British government minister (Roache) and his wife (Hawes), whom he has recently befriended.
Set in Britain in 1958, when the country tested its first hydrogen bomb, the semi-autobiographical series is described by executive producer Helen Flint as being “hinged at the pivotal point of world history where the past and future are pulling in equal strength, and human beings, young and old,...
The BBC has released a first-look image from the production featuring Stephens (pictured), who plays a 40-something Russian Jewish émigré, an inventor and designer of custom hearing aids. He is approached by British intelligence service MI5 and tasked with a secret mission to obtain information about a British government minister (Roache) and his wife (Hawes), whom he has recently befriended.
Set in Britain in 1958, when the country tested its first hydrogen bomb, the semi-autobiographical series is described by executive producer Helen Flint as being “hinged at the pivotal point of world history where the past and future are pulling in equal strength, and human beings, young and old,...
- 5/14/2018
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Toby Stephens (Black Sails), Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty), Linus Roache (Homeland) and Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner) have been set to star in writer-director Stephen Poliakoff’s (Dancing on the Edge) semi-autobiographical BBC Two drama Summer of Rockets, which is underway.
The six-episode hourlong series is set in the UK during the Cold War period of the late 1950s, a time when the UK, like much of the world, was dealing with the threat of international espionage and nuclear armageddon.
Helen Flint (Patrick Melrose) will executive produce for Little Island Productions and Lucy Richer for the BBC. The drama was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, and will be distributed internationally by BBC Studios. Filming has begun in and around London and Oxford.
The series follows Samuel, a 40-something Russian Jewish émigré,...
The six-episode hourlong series is set in the UK during the Cold War period of the late 1950s, a time when the UK, like much of the world, was dealing with the threat of international espionage and nuclear armageddon.
Helen Flint (Patrick Melrose) will executive produce for Little Island Productions and Lucy Richer for the BBC. The drama was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, and will be distributed internationally by BBC Studios. Filming has begun in and around London and Oxford.
The series follows Samuel, a 40-something Russian Jewish émigré,...
- 5/14/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Hello and welcome to one of our shoutouts for projects casting around the U.K. As always there’s a mix of opportunities for all ages, abilities, and locations but do remember to check if you fit the bill before applying. Although we make every attempt to verify castings before we hit publish, please ensure that you do your own research before firing off those headshots and Backstage links. “Spiderman: Homecoming” SequelThe sequel to “Spiderman: Homecoming” will film in the U.K. later this year with director Jon Watts returning. Very little is known about the second film in the new franchise but British actor Tom Holland has agreed to don the costume again for the title role, and casting director Sarah Halley Finn will return to fill out necessary roles. “The Summer of Rockets”Writer and director Stephen Poliakoff is returning to TV with his new drama “The Summer of Rockets.
- 2/1/2018
- backstage.com
BBC drama boss Wenger orders over 25 hours of drama.
Russell T Davies, Stephen Poliakoff and Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas have penned dramas for Piers Wenger’s inaugural slate, reports Broadcast.
The BBC drama boss unveiled over 25 hours of new drama commissions across BBC1 and BBC2 at an event co-hosted by director general Tony Hall.
The nine series, seven for BBC1, one for BBC2 and one for BBC3, join recently announced Wenger commissions including Kudos’ Gunpowder and The Forge’s Carey Mulligan-fronted crime drama Collateral.
BBC1
Doctor Who writer Davies has written A Very English Scandal, a 3 x 60-minute series directed by Stephen Frears.
Based on the book A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment by John Preston, it follows the true story of Liberal party leader Jeremy Thorpe’s conspiracy to kill his ex-lover Norman Scott.
Commissioned by Wenger and BBC director of content Moore, it...
Russell T Davies, Stephen Poliakoff and Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas have penned dramas for Piers Wenger’s inaugural slate, reports Broadcast.
The BBC drama boss unveiled over 25 hours of new drama commissions across BBC1 and BBC2 at an event co-hosted by director general Tony Hall.
The nine series, seven for BBC1, one for BBC2 and one for BBC3, join recently announced Wenger commissions including Kudos’ Gunpowder and The Forge’s Carey Mulligan-fronted crime drama Collateral.
BBC1
Doctor Who writer Davies has written A Very English Scandal, a 3 x 60-minute series directed by Stephen Frears.
Based on the book A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment by John Preston, it follows the true story of Liberal party leader Jeremy Thorpe’s conspiracy to kill his ex-lover Norman Scott.
Commissioned by Wenger and BBC director of content Moore, it...
- 5/5/2017
- ScreenDaily
Aliya Whiteley Dec 8, 2016
With so many plots swimming in all directions, Close To The Enemy is still struggling to find its feet...
This review contains spoilers.
See related Power Rangers, boob armour, and impractical costumes
Is there a hint of upcoming retribution in episode five of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy? All that rich food, gleaned from who knows where in a time of rationing, takes its toll on Mr Lindsay-Jones (Alfred Molina) who has a funny turn after eating too many oysters. He recovers, and is escorted back to his London home by Captain Callum Ferguson (Jim Sturgess), with no apparent harm done. But is this a foreshadowing of larger unhappy turns of fate to come?
I hope so, because Episode Five is otherwise lacking in that respect. Callum's affair with Rachel (Charlotte Riley) is apparently suspected by her husband, but the husband makes no move to confront them.
With so many plots swimming in all directions, Close To The Enemy is still struggling to find its feet...
This review contains spoilers.
See related Power Rangers, boob armour, and impractical costumes
Is there a hint of upcoming retribution in episode five of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy? All that rich food, gleaned from who knows where in a time of rationing, takes its toll on Mr Lindsay-Jones (Alfred Molina) who has a funny turn after eating too many oysters. He recovers, and is escorted back to his London home by Captain Callum Ferguson (Jim Sturgess), with no apparent harm done. But is this a foreshadowing of larger unhappy turns of fate to come?
I hope so, because Episode Five is otherwise lacking in that respect. Callum's affair with Rachel (Charlotte Riley) is apparently suspected by her husband, but the husband makes no move to confront them.
- 12/8/2016
- Den of Geek
Aliya Whiteley Nov 24, 2016
Close To The Enemy strikes a strange tone, halfway between reflective drama and punch-up action...
This review contains spoilers.
See related Shane Black: a career retrospective Zack Snyder interview: Batman V Superman
Ice cream, chocolate, toffee apples, red wine, beef: the characters continue to obsess over food in Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy, pooling coupons and holding dinner parties and bribing small children left, right and centre. The fixation on who has what to eat feels like one of the truly realistic elements of this BBC drama; set in 1946, it's easy to believe that everyone would be making major decisions based on their stomachs after six long years of rationing.
What's less easy to believe is what an ongoingly not very good spy our leading character is. Captain Callum Ferguson (Jim Sturgess) continues to give away secrets, disobey orders, and wander off to spend time with his friends.
Close To The Enemy strikes a strange tone, halfway between reflective drama and punch-up action...
This review contains spoilers.
See related Shane Black: a career retrospective Zack Snyder interview: Batman V Superman
Ice cream, chocolate, toffee apples, red wine, beef: the characters continue to obsess over food in Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy, pooling coupons and holding dinner parties and bribing small children left, right and centre. The fixation on who has what to eat feels like one of the truly realistic elements of this BBC drama; set in 1946, it's easy to believe that everyone would be making major decisions based on their stomachs after six long years of rationing.
What's less easy to believe is what an ongoingly not very good spy our leading character is. Captain Callum Ferguson (Jim Sturgess) continues to give away secrets, disobey orders, and wander off to spend time with his friends.
- 11/24/2016
- Den of Geek
Aliya Whiteley Nov 17, 2016
Despite a few bright patches, Close To The Enemy is already lacking drive by episode two...
This review contains spoilers.
"It's not about the war. It's about now," Victor Ferguson (Freddie Highmore) says to his brother during episode two of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy, a statement then proved to be untrue for every character we come across.
World War Two might have ended, but it dominates everything. Flashbacks and reminiscences are starting to sneak in to the narrative, perhaps the most meaningful being the mysterious Mr Lindsay-Jones's (Alfred Molina) desire to return to the stately home where he once attended a party with his late wife in order to reminisce. That grand house is now a partial ruin on Ministry of Defence property, making it a perfect symbol of all that's been lost along the way. He provides the emotive heart of this episode...
Despite a few bright patches, Close To The Enemy is already lacking drive by episode two...
This review contains spoilers.
"It's not about the war. It's about now," Victor Ferguson (Freddie Highmore) says to his brother during episode two of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy, a statement then proved to be untrue for every character we come across.
World War Two might have ended, but it dominates everything. Flashbacks and reminiscences are starting to sneak in to the narrative, perhaps the most meaningful being the mysterious Mr Lindsay-Jones's (Alfred Molina) desire to return to the stately home where he once attended a party with his late wife in order to reminisce. That grand house is now a partial ruin on Ministry of Defence property, making it a perfect symbol of all that's been lost along the way. He provides the emotive heart of this episode...
- 11/16/2016
- Den of Geek
Aliya Whiteley Nov 11, 2016
Stephen Poliakoff's prestigious new period drama gets off to an intriguing start...
1946.
See related Star Wars: Rogue One - what we know so far Star Wars: Rogue One - upcoming villains rumour round-up Star Wars: upcoming UK movie release dates calendar
It's an unusual choice of year in which to set a TV drama but that means we're in interesting territory right from the start of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy.
World War Two has ended, and the business of sorting out what's left and dividing the spoils is in full swing. Is the German scientist Dieter Koehler (played with passion by August Diehl), kidnapped from his bed by the British Army, a war criminal or a genius who can herald in a new age of scientific understanding? Different departments in the Ministry of Defence have their own opinions, but it's...
Stephen Poliakoff's prestigious new period drama gets off to an intriguing start...
1946.
See related Star Wars: Rogue One - what we know so far Star Wars: Rogue One - upcoming villains rumour round-up Star Wars: upcoming UK movie release dates calendar
It's an unusual choice of year in which to set a TV drama but that means we're in interesting territory right from the start of Stephen Poliakoff's Close To The Enemy.
World War Two has ended, and the business of sorting out what's left and dividing the spoils is in full swing. Is the German scientist Dieter Koehler (played with passion by August Diehl), kidnapped from his bed by the British Army, a war criminal or a genius who can herald in a new age of scientific understanding? Different departments in the Ministry of Defence have their own opinions, but it's...
- 11/10/2016
- Den of Geek
A year ago, Starz announced it had secured exclusive U.S. premium rights to, and will co-produce the 6-episode original miniseries “Close to the Enemy,” written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff. A year later, the series will become available to USA… Continue Reading →...
- 10/27/2016
- by shadowandact
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing its dive into originals, Acorn Media Enterprises has partnered with All3Media International and the BBC as the North American co-producer on period drama Close To The Enemy. Jim Sturgess, Alfie Allen, Alfred Molina, Angela Bassett and Freddie Highmore star in the seven-part series from Stephen Poliakoff (Perfect Strangers, Dancing On The Edge). Coinciding with the BBC broadcast, the drama will make its U.S. debut on streaming service Acorn TV in…...
- 10/4/2016
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Woman In Black 2 star joins comedy, which is set to shoot this month.
Phoebe Fox has joined Sam Rockwell in Blue Iguana, a comedy from writer-director Hadi Hajaig, who last directed Charlotte Rampling-Sean Bean thriller Cleanskin in 2012.
The project, which will be financed by UK Film Studio Productions, will start principal photography in London this month.
Hajaig also produces with 3 Arts Entertainment’s Tom Lassally, who is also working on the Edge of Tomorrow sequel at Warner Bros.
The black comedy centres on a low level criminal (Rockwell) with no future who is just out of prison. Fox will play a low level lawyer who falls in love with him. The cast also includes comedy actor Ben Schwartz (Parks & Recreation, House Of Lies).
Fox, a Screen International Star Of Tomorrow in 2011, is perhaps best known for her role in horror sequel The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death (2014) but was more recently seen in...
Phoebe Fox has joined Sam Rockwell in Blue Iguana, a comedy from writer-director Hadi Hajaig, who last directed Charlotte Rampling-Sean Bean thriller Cleanskin in 2012.
The project, which will be financed by UK Film Studio Productions, will start principal photography in London this month.
Hajaig also produces with 3 Arts Entertainment’s Tom Lassally, who is also working on the Edge of Tomorrow sequel at Warner Bros.
The black comedy centres on a low level criminal (Rockwell) with no future who is just out of prison. Fox will play a low level lawyer who falls in love with him. The cast also includes comedy actor Ben Schwartz (Parks & Recreation, House Of Lies).
Fox, a Screen International Star Of Tomorrow in 2011, is perhaps best known for her role in horror sequel The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death (2014) but was more recently seen in...
- 7/7/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Faye Ward’s indie production outfit is currently producing Laurel & Hardy biopic Stan And Ollie.
Sony Pictures Television has invested in drama indie Fable Pictures – the fledgling indie run by The Crown [pictured] producer Faye Ward.
Fable Pictures was established earlier this year by former Ruby Film & Television exec Ward and Rastamouse producer Eugenio Perez.
Sony has taken a minority stake in the business, marking the Hollywood studio’s first UK drama move since it acquired Left Bank Pictures in 2012.
Last year Wayne Garvie, Sony’s chief creative officer, international production, told Screen’s sister publication Broadcast: “I feel we’re a bit underrepresented in scripted,” Garvie says. “I’d like us to do something else there.”
Fable is currently producing Stan And Ollie, the BBC Films project written by Jeff Pope and starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly. Ward has also recently produced series including Left Bank’s forthcoming royal saga The Crown for Netflix and Ruby...
Sony Pictures Television has invested in drama indie Fable Pictures – the fledgling indie run by The Crown [pictured] producer Faye Ward.
Fable Pictures was established earlier this year by former Ruby Film & Television exec Ward and Rastamouse producer Eugenio Perez.
Sony has taken a minority stake in the business, marking the Hollywood studio’s first UK drama move since it acquired Left Bank Pictures in 2012.
Last year Wayne Garvie, Sony’s chief creative officer, international production, told Screen’s sister publication Broadcast: “I feel we’re a bit underrepresented in scripted,” Garvie says. “I’d like us to do something else there.”
Fable is currently producing Stan And Ollie, the BBC Films project written by Jeff Pope and starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly. Ward has also recently produced series including Left Bank’s forthcoming royal saga The Crown for Netflix and Ruby...
- 3/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
Starz today announced it has secured exclusive U.S. premium rights to, and will co-produce the 6-episode original miniseries “Close to the Enemy,” written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, with Helen Flint, Hilary Bevan Jones and Colin Callender, serving as Executive Producers. Set in a bomb-damaged London hotel during the aftermath of World War II, “Close to the Enemy” is a thriller that follows British intelligence officer Captain Callum Ferguson, whose last task for the Army is to ensure that a captured German scientist, Dieter, hands over secret cutting-edge military technology crucial to national security. Callum employs unorthodox...
- 9/14/2015
- by Courtney
- ShadowAndAct
Starz has acquired exclusive U.S. premium rights to Close To The Enemy, a six-episode original miniseries written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff (Dancing On The Edge) with Helen Flint (Longford), Hilary Bevan Jones (Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot) and Colin Callender (Wolf Hall) serving as executive producers. It’s slated to premiere on BBC Two in the UK and Starz in the U.S. in 2016. Set in a bomb-damaged London hotel during the aftermath of World War II, thriller Close To The…...
- 9/14/2015
- Deadline TV
The growing business opportunities afforded by China and the TV sector were among subjects discussed by Us finance heavyweights FilmNation and Endgame Entertainment during an industry panel at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff).
Sitting on the panel titled Understanding and Overcoming the Hurdles of Hollywood, were Milan Popelka, COO at sales and production outfit FilmNation Entertainment; Douglas E. Hansen, president of financier Endgame Entertainment Company and CEO of Endgame Releasing Company; and Us film director Andrew Renzi (Franny).
Kviff regular Popelka - who has been at sales giant FilmNation since its inception in 2008 - and finance veteran Hansen, both recognised that Hollywood is awash with funding opportunities today, but that industry face greater challenges when it comes to finding strong content.
“Everyone is so hungry for material right now in Hollywood,” said Popelka. “Money is a commodity, to an extent. When we put an interesting movie together, finding the money is not the problem; it’s the...
Sitting on the panel titled Understanding and Overcoming the Hurdles of Hollywood, were Milan Popelka, COO at sales and production outfit FilmNation Entertainment; Douglas E. Hansen, president of financier Endgame Entertainment Company and CEO of Endgame Releasing Company; and Us film director Andrew Renzi (Franny).
Kviff regular Popelka - who has been at sales giant FilmNation since its inception in 2008 - and finance veteran Hansen, both recognised that Hollywood is awash with funding opportunities today, but that industry face greater challenges when it comes to finding strong content.
“Everyone is so hungry for material right now in Hollywood,” said Popelka. “Money is a commodity, to an extent. When we put an interesting movie together, finding the money is not the problem; it’s the...
- 7/6/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Sir Christopher Lee, one of the world's most celebrated actors, has died at the age of 93.
In a career spanning seven decades, Sir Christopher had over 280 screen credits in film and TV, and brought some of cinema's most iconic characters to life - Dracula, Saruman, Mycroft Holmes, Count Dooku, Frankenstein's monster, The Wicker Man's Lord Summerisle and James Bond villain Scaramanga, to name just a few.
Take a look back at some of his most memorable career moments below:
1940s: Career beginnings with Rank
Sir Christopher Lee started his film career in the late 1940s following service in the Raf during World War II.
After the war ended, he turned down his old job at pharmaceutical company Beechams to train at the Rank Organisation's Company of Youth - nicknamed the 'Rank Charm School'.
1957: The Curse of Frankenstein
He made his debut with gothic horror producers Hammer Films in The Curse of Frankenstein.
In a career spanning seven decades, Sir Christopher had over 280 screen credits in film and TV, and brought some of cinema's most iconic characters to life - Dracula, Saruman, Mycroft Holmes, Count Dooku, Frankenstein's monster, The Wicker Man's Lord Summerisle and James Bond villain Scaramanga, to name just a few.
Take a look back at some of his most memorable career moments below:
1940s: Career beginnings with Rank
Sir Christopher Lee started his film career in the late 1940s following service in the Raf during World War II.
After the war ended, he turned down his old job at pharmaceutical company Beechams to train at the Rank Organisation's Company of Youth - nicknamed the 'Rank Charm School'.
1957: The Curse of Frankenstein
He made his debut with gothic horror producers Hammer Films in The Curse of Frankenstein.
- 6/11/2015
- Digital Spy
I don’t know about you, but I was all excited to see the BBC mini-series “Dancing on the Edge” with Chiwetel Ejiofor. Tambay was all excited too about and wrote about it a few times Here and Here and Jana Sante wrote an extensive review of it for us Here It sure sounded very interesting. The period drama was set in the 1930’s in the U.K. was written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, and starred Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Wunmi Mosaku, Angel Coulby, John Goodman and Jacqueline Bisset. And according to the official description of the show, the series “illustrated the journey of a group of Black jazz musicians - the Louis Lester Band - as they steadily rise to stardom, a...
- 4/9/2015
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
BBC 2 has announced Stephen Poliakoff’s new six-part drama Close To The Enemy and revealed a stellar cast for the Cold War drama set in a bomb-damaged London hotel in the aftermath of World War II. Jim Sturgess (One Day) plays an intelligence officer whose last task for the Army is to ensure that a captured German scientist, played by August Diehl (Inglorious Basterds), starts working for the British Raf on urgently developing the jet engine. Other cast members…...
- 3/31/2015
- Deadline TV
Jim Sturgess and Freddie Highmore have been cast in new BBC Two drama Close to the Enemy.
The series - written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff - will follow an intelligence officer (Sturgess), who must get a captured German scientist to develop a jet engine for the Raf following the end of the Second World War.
Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders), Phoebe Fox (The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death), August Diehl (Inglourious Basterds), Robert Glenister (Hustle) and Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) will star alongside Sturgess and Highmore.
Lindsay Duncan (Birdman), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story) and Alfred Molina (Love is Strange) have also been cast.
BBC Two controller, Kim Shillinglaw, said: "Stephen Poliakoff is one of the country's foremost writers and directors and I'm delighted he is creating this distinctive new piece for us.
"I want BBC Two to be the place where creatives can come and do their best,...
The series - written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff - will follow an intelligence officer (Sturgess), who must get a captured German scientist to develop a jet engine for the Raf following the end of the Second World War.
Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders), Phoebe Fox (The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death), August Diehl (Inglourious Basterds), Robert Glenister (Hustle) and Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) will star alongside Sturgess and Highmore.
Lindsay Duncan (Birdman), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story) and Alfred Molina (Love is Strange) have also been cast.
BBC Two controller, Kim Shillinglaw, said: "Stephen Poliakoff is one of the country's foremost writers and directors and I'm delighted he is creating this distinctive new piece for us.
"I want BBC Two to be the place where creatives can come and do their best,...
- 3/31/2015
- Digital Spy
Milos Forman was looking for the best writer to adapt the hippie anti-war musical Hair for the big screen. The Czech filmmaker already had a growing U.S. following in the wake of The Firemen’s Ball and Taking Off when 1975’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest took home five Oscars including best film and best director. And while Michael Weller had zero experience as a screenwriter, he did have a reputation for plays that cast a gimlet eye on the generation that came of age in the era of protest against the Vietnam War and for civil rights. His works included Moonchildren (1971), Loose Ends (1979) and Spoils Of War (1988), which interwove the intensely felt political and personal obsessions of Baby Boomers on the cusp of adulthood.
For Forman, Weller would write two of the most underrated films of their time, Hair (1979) and, two years later, Ragtime. Like his...
For Forman, Weller would write two of the most underrated films of their time, Hair (1979) and, two years later, Ragtime. Like his...
- 12/29/2014
- by Jeremy Gerard
- Deadline
Director of The Queen, Philomena and the upcoming Lance Armstrong biopic to receive honour at BFI London Film Festival.
British director Stephen Frears is to receive a BFI Fellowship on Oct 18, ahead of the close of the 58th BFI London Film Festival.
The BFI Fellowship is awarded to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contribution to film or television and is the highest honour bestowed by the organisation.
BFI chairman Greg Dyke described Frears as one of the UK’s most important directors.
“Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen has produced a body of work which never fails to surprise – from sweeping costume drama to powerful social realism, his films strike a perfect balance between drama, humour and pathos helping to make them a hit with audiences and critics alike,” added Dyke.
Frears said he was “thrilled” to be receiving the honour. “I’ve spent much of my life in the cinema and quite a lot of it at...
British director Stephen Frears is to receive a BFI Fellowship on Oct 18, ahead of the close of the 58th BFI London Film Festival.
The BFI Fellowship is awarded to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contribution to film or television and is the highest honour bestowed by the organisation.
BFI chairman Greg Dyke described Frears as one of the UK’s most important directors.
“Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen has produced a body of work which never fails to surprise – from sweeping costume drama to powerful social realism, his films strike a perfect balance between drama, humour and pathos helping to make them a hit with audiences and critics alike,” added Dyke.
Frears said he was “thrilled” to be receiving the honour. “I’ve spent much of my life in the cinema and quite a lot of it at...
- 10/7/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Nine recipients, including the editor of The Goob [pictured], to receive financial boost.
The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (Ctbf) has revealed the recipients of the annual John Brabourne Awards (JBAs), dedicated to providing invaluable financial assistance to individuals that have faced difficulties in progressing their career.
The 2014 awardees will be honoured during a formal reception at BAFTA this evening.
A record 184 entrants applied for consideration, a 50% uplift on 2013, with the successful candidates receiving a grant ranging between £1,000 and £5,000 towards the development of their careers in the film and TV industries. Nine awards were made this year, with an industry committee finalising the list of recipients.
Awardees being recognised at tonight’s reception at BAFTA include: Charlotte Hudson, a comedy writer with a number of film and TV projects in development, and one half of the double act, Two Left Hands; Adam Biskupski, an award-wining shorts editor whose debut feature The Goob recently premiered at Venice Film Festival...
The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (Ctbf) has revealed the recipients of the annual John Brabourne Awards (JBAs), dedicated to providing invaluable financial assistance to individuals that have faced difficulties in progressing their career.
The 2014 awardees will be honoured during a formal reception at BAFTA this evening.
A record 184 entrants applied for consideration, a 50% uplift on 2013, with the successful candidates receiving a grant ranging between £1,000 and £5,000 towards the development of their careers in the film and TV industries. Nine awards were made this year, with an industry committee finalising the list of recipients.
Awardees being recognised at tonight’s reception at BAFTA include: Charlotte Hudson, a comedy writer with a number of film and TV projects in development, and one half of the double act, Two Left Hands; Adam Biskupski, an award-wining shorts editor whose debut feature The Goob recently premiered at Venice Film Festival...
- 10/3/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Long-time Ruby exec departs; teams with BBC-twc on first production.
Ruby Film and Television production executive Faye Ward has departed the company after 14 years.
The London-based executive’s first feature job as a stand-alone producer will be BBC-twc-Lookout Point TV movie Stan and Ollie, the biopic of iconic UK comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, scripted by Philomena writer Jeff Pope.
Joining Ruby soon after its inception, Ward worked on films including Jane Eyre and Tamara Drewe, and produced TV drama including Stephen Poliakoff’s BBC series Dancing on the Edge and BBC Films TV movie Toast.
Ward and Ruby founder Alison Owen are currently in post-production on women’s suffrage drama Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan.
Ward, who will look to work across film and TV, described her time at Ruby as a “phenomenal” experience: “It was fantastic working with Alison and we achieved a great deal. However, there comes a time when one has to move...
Ruby Film and Television production executive Faye Ward has departed the company after 14 years.
The London-based executive’s first feature job as a stand-alone producer will be BBC-twc-Lookout Point TV movie Stan and Ollie, the biopic of iconic UK comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, scripted by Philomena writer Jeff Pope.
Joining Ruby soon after its inception, Ward worked on films including Jane Eyre and Tamara Drewe, and produced TV drama including Stephen Poliakoff’s BBC series Dancing on the Edge and BBC Films TV movie Toast.
Ward and Ruby founder Alison Owen are currently in post-production on women’s suffrage drama Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan.
Ward, who will look to work across film and TV, described her time at Ruby as a “phenomenal” experience: “It was fantastic working with Alison and we achieved a great deal. However, there comes a time when one has to move...
- 8/19/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
It’s still near the crack of dawn on the west coast—but reactions from newly-minted nominees for this year’s 66th Annual Primetime Emmys have already begun to roll in. Here’s a partial list of tweets and statements; we’ll update it constantly throughout the day as more nominees react. (And keep an eye out for EW’s individual nominee interviews as well.)
Martin Freeman, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Fargo) and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Sherlock): “Thank you, people of Emmyland. To be nominated in such company is an honour,...
Martin Freeman, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Fargo) and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Sherlock): “Thank you, people of Emmyland. To be nominated in such company is an honour,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW - Inside TV
Saving Mr Banks producer Alison Owen has claimed that diversity in UK drama is being hampered by the increasingly international nature of the genre.
Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, said she had seen on screen diversity “get better and then get worse” in recent years, highlighting attitudes in other nations as a barrier.
“When I started in the industry, funding was very much domestic from the UK,” she explained. “But what’s really difficult is if you’re trying to raise money for something and you’re raising for an international market. Try selling something to Italy with black people starring in it, try selling something to Asia with women in it. It’s really hard.”
Owen added that it was “dispiriting” as she had “fought so hard” for women and ethnic minorities “only to see that bit eaten away as international sales form so much of the funding these days”.
Speaking this week...
Owen, managing director of Ruby Film and Television, said she had seen on screen diversity “get better and then get worse” in recent years, highlighting attitudes in other nations as a barrier.
“When I started in the industry, funding was very much domestic from the UK,” she explained. “But what’s really difficult is if you’re trying to raise money for something and you’re raising for an international market. Try selling something to Italy with black people starring in it, try selling something to Asia with women in it. It’s really hard.”
Owen added that it was “dispiriting” as she had “fought so hard” for women and ethnic minorities “only to see that bit eaten away as international sales form so much of the funding these days”.
Speaking this week...
- 7/4/2014
- ScreenDaily
An established theatre, TV and film actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor finally became a household name for his BAFTA-winning performance as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave, which won three Oscars, including one for Best Picture, earlier this year.
He is currently the object of much speculation surrounding his future roles. Like most Hollywood actors, he is rumoured to be starring in Star Wars Episode VII, and he is also being lined up to play opposite Daniel Craig as the next Bond villain in the franchise's 24th outing in 2015.
Here are ten things we found out about the actor:
1. Chiwetelu Umeadi Ejiofor was born in Forest Gate, London on July 10, 1977. His parents had moved to Britain from Nigeria, and the family regularly returned there. On one such trip, tragedy struck with a traffic collision in which Chiwetel's father died, and Chiwetel himself received the distinctive scar on his forehead.
2. In case you...
He is currently the object of much speculation surrounding his future roles. Like most Hollywood actors, he is rumoured to be starring in Star Wars Episode VII, and he is also being lined up to play opposite Daniel Craig as the next Bond villain in the franchise's 24th outing in 2015.
Here are ten things we found out about the actor:
1. Chiwetelu Umeadi Ejiofor was born in Forest Gate, London on July 10, 1977. His parents had moved to Britain from Nigeria, and the family regularly returned there. On one such trip, tragedy struck with a traffic collision in which Chiwetel's father died, and Chiwetel himself received the distinctive scar on his forehead.
2. In case you...
- 4/11/2014
- Digital Spy
On eve of receiving highest Bafta honour, actress hits out at increasing number of TV murder victims who are young women
On the eve of the awards ceremony where she will receive the British film industry's highest honour tonight – a Bafta fellowship, from Prince William – Dame Helen Mirren has criticised the growing number of dead women in British television drama.
Mirren told the Observer that she agreed with the playwright David Hare's recent complaints about the bloodthirsty nature of most drama on British TV, saying there was a clear sexual divide when it came to the corpses. "Most of those bodies are young women," she said.
Hare had spoken out against the number of murder victims on television at the launch of the second of his Worricker trilogy of films last week. "I can't personally stand the body count in contemporary drama. I just think it's ridiculous," he said.
On the eve of the awards ceremony where she will receive the British film industry's highest honour tonight – a Bafta fellowship, from Prince William – Dame Helen Mirren has criticised the growing number of dead women in British television drama.
Mirren told the Observer that she agreed with the playwright David Hare's recent complaints about the bloodthirsty nature of most drama on British TV, saying there was a clear sexual divide when it came to the corpses. "Most of those bodies are young women," she said.
Hare had spoken out against the number of murder victims on television at the launch of the second of his Worricker trilogy of films last week. "I can't personally stand the body count in contemporary drama. I just think it's ridiculous," he said.
- 2/16/2014
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
[Spoilers follow]
“Watson, we have a new case.”
“Not another giant hound, Holmes?”
“No, Watson, Messrs Moffat and Gatiss need our help.”
“Who?”
“Who, Dr? Have you never heard of them? It seems they have lost their talent. It can only be the work of one man.”
“Moriarty?”
“No, a man far more devious and cunning who wants world domination. He goes by the name of Cowell.”
Excuse the intro, but I feel an outpouring of grief. You see I loved the first two series of Sherlock and I can excuse Moffat and Gatiss for taking the easy route of updating a classic and not coming up with an original idea, but the last three episodes, which comprise Series Three (or Season Three), have been a hugely disappointing. A straw poll amongst colleagues and friends confirmed my fears. It wasn’t just me.
The once high standard of script writing and production...
“Watson, we have a new case.”
“Not another giant hound, Holmes?”
“No, Watson, Messrs Moffat and Gatiss need our help.”
“Who?”
“Who, Dr? Have you never heard of them? It seems they have lost their talent. It can only be the work of one man.”
“Moriarty?”
“No, a man far more devious and cunning who wants world domination. He goes by the name of Cowell.”
Excuse the intro, but I feel an outpouring of grief. You see I loved the first two series of Sherlock and I can excuse Moffat and Gatiss for taking the easy route of updating a classic and not coming up with an original idea, but the last three episodes, which comprise Series Three (or Season Three), have been a hugely disappointing. A straw poll amongst colleagues and friends confirmed my fears. It wasn’t just me.
The once high standard of script writing and production...
- 2/3/2014
- Shadowlocked
Steve McQueen's slavery survival story takes best film drama award and American Hustle takes three major prizes
American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave emerged as the two strongest contenders for the Oscars after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association handed out its Golden Globes on Sunday night.
The 1970s-set caper took three major prizes in the film section of the awards show. The slavery survival story won just one, but it was a best film award.
American Hustle, based on a real-life FBI sting operation against corrupt public officials, took two awards for acting – best actress (comedy or musical) for Amy Adams and best supporting actress for Jennifer Lawrence – as well as best film (comedy or musical). 12 Years a Slave, the critically-lauded adaptation of Solomon Northup's "slave narrative", took the other top prize – best film (drama).
In a major surprise Chiwetel Ejiofor, hot favourite for the best actor (drama...
American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave emerged as the two strongest contenders for the Oscars after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association handed out its Golden Globes on Sunday night.
The 1970s-set caper took three major prizes in the film section of the awards show. The slavery survival story won just one, but it was a best film award.
American Hustle, based on a real-life FBI sting operation against corrupt public officials, took two awards for acting – best actress (comedy or musical) for Amy Adams and best supporting actress for Jennifer Lawrence – as well as best film (comedy or musical). 12 Years a Slave, the critically-lauded adaptation of Solomon Northup's "slave narrative", took the other top prize – best film (drama).
In a major surprise Chiwetel Ejiofor, hot favourite for the best actor (drama...
- 1/13/2014
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Jacqueline Bisset vs. the Golden Globes 2014 get-lost orchestra NBC or whoever organized the Golden Globes 2014 ceremony sat Jacqueline Bisset way in the back of the awards ceremony ballroom. Never mind the fact that Bisset’s film career began nearly half a century ago and that she was a Golden Globe nominee in the Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television category for the mini-series Dancing on the Edge. As a result, it took Bisset, who seemed about as surprised as everybody else when her named was called up, more than a minute to reach the stage. (Photo: Jacqueline Bisset accepts her Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television © HFPA.) Visibly moved, Bisset had to wait a few more seconds before she was able to talk. By the time she began with her somewhat rambling acceptance speech,...
- 1/13/2014
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
After parallel successes on stage and screen, the Londoner is being lauded as one of the greatest actors of his generation
However good they are, actors always need a defining role to transform them into a film star, and as the kidnap victim Solomon Northup in the Steve McQueen-directed 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor has found his.
Always an impressive performer on screen – certainly since his breakthrough role as a refugee doctor opposite Audrey Tautou in 2002's Dirty Pretty Things – Ejiofor is now on the cusp of joining the global film-acting elite. He has already been the recipient of scores of year-end critics' awards for 12 Years a Slave, as well as Golden Globe and Bafta nominations – and the industry will view it a significant scandal if an Oscar nomination doesn't materialise on 16 January.
Northup is the central figure in McQueen's project to confront the Us with its slavery past.
However good they are, actors always need a defining role to transform them into a film star, and as the kidnap victim Solomon Northup in the Steve McQueen-directed 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor has found his.
Always an impressive performer on screen – certainly since his breakthrough role as a refugee doctor opposite Audrey Tautou in 2002's Dirty Pretty Things – Ejiofor is now on the cusp of joining the global film-acting elite. He has already been the recipient of scores of year-end critics' awards for 12 Years a Slave, as well as Golden Globe and Bafta nominations – and the industry will view it a significant scandal if an Oscar nomination doesn't materialise on 16 January.
Northup is the central figure in McQueen's project to confront the Us with its slavery past.
- 1/11/2014
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Black British film talent tops nominations and BBC dramas also hope to carry off major wins
12 Years a Slave, a harrowing account of American slavery by the British visual artist turned film director Steve McQueen, established itself as the film to beat at the start of awards season, picking up seven nominations at the 71st annual Golden Globes.
Announced at a dawn press conference in Beverly Hills, California, the nominations were a significant breakthrough for black British film talent. McQueen was nominated as best director while Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Idris Elba (Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom) bagged acting nominations. Other British performers up for awards include Christian Bale (American Hustle), Kate Winslet (Labor Day), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) and Judi Dench (Philomena).
Elba and Ejiofor will be hoping for success in both the film and TV categories, with the pair also...
12 Years a Slave, a harrowing account of American slavery by the British visual artist turned film director Steve McQueen, established itself as the film to beat at the start of awards season, picking up seven nominations at the 71st annual Golden Globes.
Announced at a dawn press conference in Beverly Hills, California, the nominations were a significant breakthrough for black British film talent. McQueen was nominated as best director while Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Idris Elba (Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom) bagged acting nominations. Other British performers up for awards include Christian Bale (American Hustle), Kate Winslet (Labor Day), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) and Judi Dench (Philomena).
Elba and Ejiofor will be hoping for success in both the film and TV categories, with the pair also...
- 12/13/2013
- by Xan Brooks, Jason Deans
- The Guardian - Film News
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