News

Twenty-two emerging producers to receive up to £2.2m; almost 500 applicants.Scroll Down For Recipients

The BFI has announced the recipients of its 2016-18 Vision Awards, comprising 22 investments in up-and-coming UK producers.

The awards, generally spread over two years, are designed to enable producers to build and develop their companies, slates and creative relationships.

The BFI had intended to give 20 awards but increased that allocation to 22 in response to the number of strong applications it received. Almost 500 companies applied for the awards, which are backed by a total commitment from the BFI of £2.2m of National Lottery funding.

Fifteen of the awards are to women producers or partnerships, while eight of the companies are based outside of London, located in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and York.

In a bid to foster sustainability, the third iteration of the Vision Awards will include an allowance to cover a producer’s fees and overheads of up to half...

He may only have three features under his belt, but producer Olivier Kaempfer is quickly establishing himself as an central figure in London’s independent film community. His first production, director Jules Bishop’s Borrowed Time, won Best of the Fest at Edinburgh in 2012, and his second, Desiree Akhavan’s Appropriate Behavior, broke out at Sundance 2014 followed by a successful theatrical run and extensive critical praise. Now his third film, Spaceship, a family drama packaged as a trippy science-fiction story, has pushed Kaempfer and his company Parkville Pictures into new territory, both in terms of content and the production process. Written and directed by Alex Taylor, the […]...

‘Know your project inside out’, was the message from a panel of industry experts to producers thinking about taking the alternative distribution route.

Speaking in Berlin on the Efm Industry Debate panel on alternative distribution, hosted by Screen, Oscar-winning producer Gareth Unwin, who recently adopted the model for war film Kajaki in the UK, said the structure can work on the right film: “The experience proved to me that ‘self-distribution’ - or ‘direct distribution’ - none of these terms are dirty words. On the right project it may be that you can find the right exhibitor who will take your film.”

Speaking about his Kickstarter-backed 2012 feature Borrowed Time, producer Olivier Kaempfer said: “In order to distribute your own film you need three key ingredients: passion and dedication; experience; and money.”

Producer Sigrid Dyekjaer encouraged producers to take up distribution not only in their home market but abroad as well: “Getting the ambassadors in your own territories and then...

Industry experts held a panel on alternative distribution at the Efm yesterday [Feb 8].

‘Know your project inside out’, was the message yesterday from a panel of industry experts to producers thinking about taking the alternative distribution route.

Speaking on the Efm Industry Debate panel on alternative distribution, hosted by Screen, Oscar-winning producer Gareth Unwin, who recently adopted the model for war film Kajaki in the UK, said the structure can work on the right film: “The experience proved to me that ‘self-distribution’ - or ‘direct distribution’ - none of these terms are dirty words. On the right project it may be that you can find the right exhibitor who will take your film.”

Speaking about his Kickstarter-backed 2012 feature Borrowed Time, producer Olivier Kaempfer said: “In order to distribute your own film you need three key ingredients: passion and dedication; experience; and money.”

Producer Sigrid Dyekjaer encouraged producers to take up distribution not only in their home market but abroad...

‘Know your project inside out’, was the message from a panel of industry experts to producers thinking about taking the alternative distribution route.

Speaking in Berlin on the Efm Industry Debate panel on alternative distribution, hosted by Screen, Oscar-winning producer Gareth Unwin, who recently adopted the model for war film Kajaki in the UK, said the structure can work on the right film: “The experience proved to me that ‘self-distribution’ - or ‘direct distribution’ - none of these terms are dirty words. On the right project it may be that you can find the right exhibitor who will take your film.”

Speaking about his Kickstarter-backed 2012 feature Borrowed Time, producer Olivier Kaempfer said: “In order to distribute your own film you need three key ingredients: passion and dedication; experience; and money.”

Producer Sigrid Dyekjaer encouraged producers to take up distribution not only in their home market but abroad as well: “Getting the ambassadors in your own territories and then...

Works In Progress winner is Nataliya Kudryashova for Pioneer Heroes.

The Les Arcs Film Festival’s CoProduction Village wrapped its sixth edition on December 15, including the Works-In-Progress, Projects in Development, Low Budget Film Forum and for the first year, the Music Village Pro.

The Voice by György Pálfi was chosen as the prize winner for the Projects in Development, earning the Hungarian filmmaker €4,000 as part of a first time prize-fund sponsored by Arte.

The film centers around a young boy in search of his father who went missing in Stockholm thirty years ago. Pálfi, a Les Arcs regular, attributes much of his success to the CoProduction Village. “I am very supportive of this festival, it has benefitted me immensely over the years. But never did I think I would win this award.”

For the second year, Digimage Classics offered a €6000 prize in post-production services for the Works-In-Progress section, this year given to first-time feature director Nataliya Kudryashova...

Equity crowdfunding has the potential to become an important tool for filmmakers, but still faces regulatory hurdles around the world, said panellists at Busan’s Kofic Industry Forum (Oct 5-7).

During the “Future of Financing through Crowdfunding” panel, the speakers also compared crowdfunding strategies in the Us, UK, China and Korea, and advised filmmakers who use crowdfunding to adopt a hybrid approach.

Stephan Paternot, CEO of Slated, an online platform that brings together investors and projects, explained how equity crowdfunding legislation is slowly making its way through Us Congress. “The Jobs Act [Jumpstart Our Business Startups] will help crowdfunding evolve past donations and rewards, but the rules are still being defined and it hasn’t benefitted many people yet,” Paternot said.

He also explained how crowdfunding in any form still accounts for a tiny fraction of the $14bn spent on making independent movies in the Us each year: “You can raise around 10% through fans and have to raise 90% yourself. Crowdfunding does not...

Exclusive: £2.2m earmarked for new projects, Olivier Kaempfer joins team.

The BFI has joined Microwave founding partners Film London and BBC Films for the next iteration of the low-budget production initiative behind Sundance hit Lilting and Eran Creevy’s debut Shifty.

The trio has earmarked £2.2m for the next round of its Microwave scheme, which will now offer development funding to all shortlisted filmmakers and further development grants of up to £10k for advancing films.

The scheme is due to produce up to six features over three years with production budgets of £150k. £100k will come from Microwave, £50k from the film’s producers. Completed films will have access to an additional £25k of P&A funding.

The extended development programme, supported by Creative Skillset, will develop and train up to 36 filmmaking teams. It will also see the return of Microschool, the intensive five day training ‘bootcamp’.

Olivier Kaempfer, who produced previous Microwave title Borrowed Time and executive...

The new home of the London Film School has secured its first tranche of funding from Creative Skillset.

The London Film School has secured a significant award from Creative Skillset towards its capital campaign for the relocation to the Barbican Centre.

Creative Skillset is looking to invest $3m (£1.82m) in Lfs and has awarded the school up to $768,000 (£468,596) towards the development of its plans to transfer the school and its operations to the new site. A stage two application for construction works will be made in 2014.

The funding is part of Creative Skillset’s four-year film skills strategy which supports the BFI’s strategic priorities.

In a deal with the City of London Corporation, in space currently occupied by Barbican Exhibition Hall 1, the new location in Golden Lane will provide state of the art filmmaking facilities, extended accommodation, public outreach and space for industry screenings and events.

MIke Leigh, Lfs chairman and 1964 graduate, said: “Creative...

Many creative and media postgraduate courses are open to all graduates, regardless of their first degree

Creative industries – from advertising and fashion to film and video games – employ 2 million people in the UK, according to the Confederation of British Industry, which says it is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country.

Career opportunities in media and the arts have never been better, and universities have been quick to seize the moment, adding hundreds of new courses.

The good news is you don't have to have studied a creative subject for your first degree to be accepted on a postgraduate course. The National Film and Television School (Nfts) actively seeks graduates from different academic backgrounds for its range of two-year master's degrees, which includes cinematography, directing animation, sound design and screenwriting.

The aim is to encourage innovators who will do interesting things, says Jon Weinbren, the Nfts's head of games design and development.

Ten film projects, including features from Doctor Who director Euros Lyn and Borrowed Time producer Olivier Kaempfer, have been selected to progress to the first round of the Film Agency for Wales’ low budget film scheme.

The teams behind these projects will now participate in a training and mentoring programme supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the National Lottery via the BFI, and through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).

The Film Agency for Wales devised and developed Cinematic in partnership with the BFI Film Fund, BBC Films, S4C and Soda Pictures to support emerging filmmaking talent from Wales in making “contemporary, dynamic and distinctive feature films” with budgets of around £300,000 ($480,000).

A total of 56 applications were made to the programme following its launch in June. The ten projects and their filmmaking teams selected to continue with the programme are:

Craig’s Film (working title)

Producer: Pip Broughton

Writer / Director: [link...

Comedy drama, which raised most of its P&A through Kickstarter, could be the UK’s first on-demand theatrical screening through crowdsourcing platform Tugg - if it sells enough tickets.

Borrowed Time, a cross-generational comedy starring Phil Davis and shot on a micro-budget, could be the first UK release to use Tugg, a crowdsourcing platform that empowers individuals and organizations to host screenings in local cinemas.

The film will screen at the Prince Charles Cinema in London’s West End on Oct 29 if at least 100 tickets are bought on its Tugg page by Oct 21. The move could mark the advent of ‘cinema on demand’ as a model for small independent theatrical releases.

The Tugg screening is hosted by one of the backers of Borrowed Time’s Kickstarter campaign.

The film was the first in the UK to part-raise its distribution budget via the crowd-sourcing platform with the amount matched in turn by the BFI via their “New Models...

In an ever-evolving film market like the one the industry is experiencing, with VOD platforms and self-distribution being a crucial part of a micro-budget film's success, Jules Bishop's feature Borrowed Time has undoubtedly become the U.K's poster child for efficient crowd-funding. The Parkville Pictures production, which stars Phil Davis and Warren Brown, managed to finance its P&A through the popular site Kickstarter, being the first project from the European nation to do so. This is also the first UK release to use crowd-sourcing platform Tugg, Inc. allowing audiences to coordinate their own cinema screenings of the film through social media.

Through the Tugg, Inc service any fan can host a screening of the film of their town. The service allows the host to select the theater, the showtime, and then creates a page for their community to purchase tickets. Once a preset amount of tickets have been sold, the company reserves the theater and ensures the delivery of the film for the screening. This presents an unprecedented opportunity to get the film to its fans and to spread the word about it without the need and constraints of a regular distributor. Definitely an ingenious approach to get the film seen in a non-traditional manner. Added to Tugg, Inc is Assemble, another tool that replies on the widespread importance of social media, which is a website that gathers all the ways in which people can access the film, becoming a one-stop shop for the material.

Bishop's film was developed through Film London Microwave,  Film London's and BBC Films micro-budget filmmaking scheme. Microwave provides funding, bespoke mentoring and training, supporting film-makers from script to screen. Microwave has an emphasis on original ideas, tightly focused scripts and short production schedule. To date the program has successfully developed 8 features, with two more  in production, all of which are guaranteed theatrical distribution in the U.K.

"Core to Microwave's ethos is an entrepreneurial approach," Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission. "We aim to discover and nurture talent, but throughout the entire process we also work to instil a keen commercial edge in our film-makers. Borrowed Time is a wonderful film of which we are very proud, and the innovative and brave approach to distribution is a credit to the film-makers Jules Bishop and Olivier Kaempfer as well as the flexible and supportive structure of the scheme."

Borrowed Time saw its U.K release on September 13th, and it is now widely available on DVD, iTunes, Blinkbox, Sky Store and Sky Box Office. A U.S theatrical release is still not setup, but it is known that Highpoint Films is managing international sales.

For more information on the film and its success story click Here...

Release of the week

From Up on Poppy Hill

Film

Like Studio Ghibli’s best work, From Up on Poppy Hill is driven by the intimate and beautifully realised relationships between the characters. In addition, there’s a wonderful cast of supporting characters, who while not quite as strange as those that inhabit Spirited Away’s bath house, are certainly as well rounded.

It’s also driven by the soundtrack, much more than most Ghibli movies. The studio have always had recognisable themes, but much of the incidental music, beautiful though it can be, is left to recede into the background. Here almost every cue comes to the fore, giving the movie a sense of musicality that’s rather appealing.

In spite of being insubstantial by Ghibli standards, the movie is far from vapid, and it’s certainly entertaining. The dialogue used on the English language dub works well, and the voice cast,...

Rush | In A World | White House Down | The Artist And The Model | Borrowed Time | Insidious: Chapter 2 | 42 | Class Tous Risques | Justin And The Knights Of Valour | Sir Billi | Grand Masti

Rush (15)

(Ron Howard, 2013, Us/Ger/UK) Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde. 122 mins

In the tyre tracks of Senna comes another Formula One thrill ride, dramatising the Hunt vs Lauda rivalry that peaked in 1976. And again, it's hard to resist, even for non-fans. There's track action aplenty but the core is a clash of opposites: Hunt the debonair playboy vs Lauda the cold calculator (Brühl is terrific). To watch, it's more of a Hunt: playing fast and loose with the facts, but easy enough on the eye to get away with it.

In A World… (15)

(Lake Bell, 2013, Us) Lake Bell, Fred Melamed, Michaela Watkins. 93 mins

Bell creates a fine showcase for her own versatility with this satire of the cut-throat...

★★★☆☆ Borrowed Time (2012), the debut feature from Jules Bishop, is a warm-hearted micro-indie that cleanses the palate of all those overdone, dank and dull British kitchen sink dramas. It's topped off with a gleeful performance from Phil Davis as an agoraphobic curmudgeon, and Theo Barklem-Biggs (of The Inbetweeners Movie fame) as a down-on-his-luck hoodie with a heart. This character-driven drama concerns Kevin, a gormless teen living on a council estate in Stratford, who finds himself in trouble with a local drug-dealer, the utterly barmy "Ninja" Nigel (Warren Brown), having managed to lose a stash of cannabis.

Ordered to pay back the cash equivalent, Kevin decides to burgle a pensioner's house, only to find himself face to face with Philip (Davis), a blunderbuss-toting grouser, whose abode is populated with Norman Bates-style stuffed animals. Surprisingly, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship proving that, as different as they seem, they may have more...

As far as independent British flicks go, there won’t be many with more heart this year than Borrowed Time – in a film that depicts the unlikeliest of friendships, between a troubled juvenile, and an old age pensioner, in Jules Bishop’s directorial debut.

We had the great pleasure of talking to both lead roles, catching up with actors Theo Barklem-Biggs and Phil Davis, respectively, as we discuss one of the surprise gems this year.

Borrowed Time is released on September 13th, and you can read our review here.

The post The HeyUGuys Interview: Theo Barklem-Biggs and Phil Davis Talk Borrowed Time appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Though following a somewhat archetypal narrative arc, of a blossoming friendship between two contrasting personalities, Jules Bishop’s directorial debut Borrowed Time manages to avoid cliché and stereotype, in what proves to be a sweet and original drama. Leaving you smiling long after the credits roll, this charming picture manages to make light of severe themes, creating an amiable atmosphere amidst the dark, naturalistic occurrences – where British cinema so often excels.

Theo Barklem-Biggs plays Kevin, a hapless juvenile with no hope for the future, settling on a job selling drugs to make ends meet. However when his first deal goes wrong, his new ‘boss’ Nigel (Warren Brown) gives him just a mere matter of days to return the money to him. To avoid the violent repercussions, Kevin decides to rob elderly pensioner Philip’s (Phil Davis) house to make up some of the money owed – however he lands himself in...

Comedy drama, which raised most of its P&A through Kickstarter, to be the first UK feature to use crowdsourcing platform Tugg.

Borrowed Time, a cross-generational comedy starring Phil Davis and shot on a micro-budget, is to be the first UK release to use Tugg, a crowdsourcing platform that empowers individuals and organizations to host screenings in local cinemas.

Hosts are able to select the date, showtime and cinema of their choice, and are then provided an online event page through which their community can purchase tickets. Once a pre-set threshold of tickets has been booked, Tugg will reserve the cinema, manage ticketing and ensure delivery of the film, allowing the audience to sit back and enjoy the show.

It is the latest innovative move from the production - written and directed by Jules Bishop - which secured theatrical distribution in the UK following a crowd funding campaign through Kickstarter.

Following its premiere...

Comedy drama, which raised most of its P&A through Kickstarter, to be the first UK feature to use crowdsourcing platform Tugg.

Borrowed Time, a cross-generational comedy starring Phil Davis and shot on a micro-budget, is to be the first UK release to use Tugg, a crowdsourcing platform that empowers individuals and organizations to host screenings in local cinemas.

Hosts are able to select the date, showtime and cinema of their choice, and are then provided an online event page through which their community can purchase tickets. Once a pre-set threshold of tickets has been booked, Tugg will reserve the cinema, manage ticketing and ensure delivery of the film, allowing the audience to sit back and enjoy the show.

It is the latest innovative move from the production - written and directed by Jules Bishop - which secured theatrical distribution in the UK following a crowd funding campaign through Kickstarter.

Following its premiere...

A total of 12 projects selected for training addressing the changing face of distribution.Scroll down for full list of projects

Film London has revealed the 12 projects participating in Audience on Demand, the training and mentorship programme addressing the changing face of feature film distribution.

Details of the successful film-makers and projects were unveiled at The Future of Independent Distribution event at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which featured a case study on Film London Microwave’s Borrowed Time, currently preparing for a self funded direct distribution UK release on August 16.

Audience on Demand, funded by Creative Skillset and run in partnership with Creative England, is a three-month pilot programme that mixes classroom and one-on-one sessions alongside dedicated mentoring from top industry experts.

For emerging UK talent with a completed first or second feature, a key aspect of the programme is a marketing and distribution plan created by Iris Lamprecht (Film Tiki). This enables the participating teams to develop...

Film London announces Lilting, the latest project from Film London Microwave, will be distributed by Curzon Film World’s Artificial Eye in the UK with Protagonist Pictures to manage international sales. A striking feature debut from director Hong Khaou with an all-star cast led by Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Cloud Atlas) and Cheng Pei Pei (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), Lilting explores love without a common language.

Written and directed by Khaou and produced by Dominic Buchanan, Lilting is the eighth film from the successful feature film fund Film London Microwave. Alongside Whishaw and Pei Pei, the film also stars Peter Bowles (Blow-Up, The Bank Job), Morven Christie (House of 9, The Young Victoria) and Andrew Leung (The List).

As part of Film London Microwave’s mentorship component, award-winning film-maker Michael Winterbottom acted as writer/director Khaou’s mentor, while producer Buchanan received guidance and support from his mentor Ken Marshall, the producer of London to Brighton, Filth and Song for Marion.

Curzon Film World’s Artificial Eye is known for its discerning taste in the best of European and world cinema. The label has released more winners of the Cannes Palme d'Or than any other UK distributor, with titles including The Class (2008) and The White Ribbon (2009).

Commercially-minded and creatively-spirited Protagonist Pictures is an international sales company committed to strong relationships with film-makers. Recent highlights in their catalogue include Searching for Sugar Man, Sightseers, The Imposter and Microwave’s Shifty. This year at Cannes they represent The Selfish Giant by Clio Barnard, screening in Directors’ Fortnight, and in the Critics’ Week, Paul Wright’s debut feature For Those In Peril.

Lilting tells the story of a Chinese mother (Pei Pei) as she grieves for her son (Leung) following his untimely death. He was her eyes and ears in the UK, their adopted country, and without him she is stranded. The only person left is his lover (Whishaw) – who she knows only as his flat mate. Together they are forced to overcome their differences and unite in sorrow whilst struggling against the absence of a shared language. An intimate and thoughtful film, Lilting addresses overcoming cultural and generational boundaries, the power of memory, and the lifelines and relationships formed in the face of grief.

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Lilting is a moving cinematic achievement and I am delighted that it will reach UK audiences through Curzon Film World and that Protagonist will be managing international sales. It is a testament to Microwave’s innovative approach to film-making that its projects attract high-calibre talent and prestigious commercial distributors and sales agents. The scheme’s successful track record is also a result of the Microwave team, who are integral to nurturing and guiding all our film-makers. I am proud to see another Microwave feature proving itself in the commercial marketplace and hope this is only the start of Lilting’s success.”

Louisa Dent, Managing Director of Curzon Film World said: "When we read the script, it was clear that this was something special. There is an emotional urgency that is compelling and honest. Hong is a real emerging talent and his short films marked him out. We knew that the Microwave/Film London team would be great partners on this and with a quality cast it seemed liked a perfect fit for us.”

Mike Goodridge, CEO of Protagonist Pictures said: “I had admired Hong's shorts so it was with great excitement that I watched his first feature Lilting. But Hong exceeds expectations: the film is an accomplished and mature portrait of love and loss, graced by two extraordinary lead performances. The whole Protagonist team was knocked out by it and we are confident it will be embraced by distributors around the world.”

Funded by Film London Microwave, additional finance came from production companies Stink Films and Andy Brunskill’s recently launched Sums Film and Media Ltd., supported by financier/producer Bob & Co, Lim Kay Sui and Neo Swee Lin.

Film London Microwave is a unique training-through-production scheme delivered in partnership with BBC Films and with support from Creative Skillset. Challenging London-based film-makers to shoot a feature film for up to £120,000, Film London Microwave enables talent to thrive in a limited budget with its integrated training programme which offers crucial guidance and mentoring throughout the film-making process.

The Film London Microwave team is made up of Creative Producer Mia Bays, who also acts as the Distribution/Marketing Consultant and Mike Kelly, Business and Finance Producer, alongside Film London’s Talent Development Manager Kevin Dolan and Development and Production Officer Tessa Inkelaar. Film London will soon be appointing a new Head of Talent Development and Production, who will head up the Microwave team.

Encompassing training and development from script to screen and beyond, Film London Microwave has enjoyed excellent results. Last year saw the successful UK theatrical releases of Ben Drew’s iLL Manors, released by Revolver, and Frances Lea’s Strawberry Fields, released through Soda Pictures’ New British Cinema Quarterly programme. Other films produced through the scheme include the BAFTA-nominated Shifty, award-winning horror Mum & Dad, documentary The British Guide to Showing Off, teen drama Freestyle and the yet to be release Borrowed Time which was awarded Best in Fest at the 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival.

About Film London Microwave

Launched in 2006, Microwave is the acclaimed micro-budget feature film scheme set up by Film London with BBC Films, with support from Creative Skillset. Committed to discovering and investing in emerging London-based film-makers, Microwave backs talented teams with fresh voices and strong stories. A unique ‘apprenticeship’ scheme, it provides an intensive approach to film-making with the emphasis on original ideas, tightly focussed scripts and short production schedules. Film-makers are supported by an extensive training and mentoring programme from development, through production, all the way to the film’s release in the UK and internationally.

In pre production:

Seekers Written by Arinze Kene, directed by Nicole Volavka and produced by Rob Watson.

A thriller set in the world of London's underclass. An African single mother finds new happiness with Jean-Baptiste, a refugee from Rwanda, and their struggle to survive in the big city eases. But a chance sighting of a ghost from the past exposes long buried traumas, which puts their lives in danger and everything they have is threatened.

Completed features:

Mum & Dad (2008) Directed & written by Steven Sheil and produced by Lisa Trnovski. Released Boxing Day 2008 in the UK and Mother’s Day 2009 in North America courtesy of Revolver Entertainment

Shifty (2008) Directed & written by Eran Creevy and produced by Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh. Released on 24 April 2009 in the UK courtesy of Metrodome Distribution. Shifty received a BAFTA nomination for the Carl Foreman Award (Best Debut) in 2010 and 5 Bifa nominations in 2008

Freestyle (2009) a teen romance based around the world of freestyle basketball, directed by Kolton Lee and produced by Lincia Daniel. Released in London and key cities by Revolver in February 2010 and became the first Microwave film to receive a theatrical release in the Us through Phase 4

The British Guide to Showing Off, director Jes Benstock’s Alternative Miss World documentary produced by Dorigen Hammond. Distributed by Verve Pictures in autumn 2011

Strawberry Fields, directed by Frances Lea and produced by Liam Beatty and Lucie Wenigerova, is an intense rites of passage film bursting with energy, sex and humour set during a perfect English summer. It received its World Premiere at the 55th BFI London Film Festival and released by Soda Pictures on 6 July

iLL Manors, written and directed by Ben Drew and produced by Atif Ghani

A unique crime thriller set on the unforgiving streets of London, following six disparate lives, all struggling to survive the circles of violence that engulf them. Released by Revolver on 8 June 2012

Borrowed Time, a bittersweet comedy about growing up and rediscovering youth, written and directed by Jules Bishop and produced by Olivier Kaempfer, starring Philip Davis, Theo Barklem-Biggs and Perry Benson. The film received its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2012 and is set for release in 2013.

Lilting Written and directed by Hong Khaou and produced by Dominic Buchanan

Starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei Pei, Lilting is an intimate and thoughtful film about communication, falling in love and forming relationships without a common language. A mother’s attempt at understanding who her son is after his untimely death, her emotions are stirred up by presence of his partner.

The Film London Microwave team includes Kevin Dolan, Talent Development Manager, Tessa Inkelaar, Development and Production Officer, Creative Producer Mia Bays, who also acts as the Distribution/Marketing Consultant, and Mike Kelly, Business and Finance Producer.

About Film London

Film London, as the capital’s film and media agency, aims to ensure London has a thriving film sector that enriches the city’s businesses and its people. The agency works with all the screen industries to sustain, promote and develop London as a major international production and film cultural capital, and it supports the development of the city’s new and emerging film-making talent. Film London is funded by the Mayor of London, the National Lottery through the BFI, and receives significant support from Arts Council England and Creative Skillset.

About BBC Films

BBC Films is the feature filmmaking arm of the BBC. It aims to make strong British films with range and ambition, bringing the best of British talent to audiences. BBC Films is firmly established at the forefront of British independent filmmaking and co-produces around eight films a year, working in partnership with major international and UK distributors. Christine Langan is the Head of BBC Films, responsible for the development and production slate, strategy and business operations.

Recent releases include Sally Potter’s reflection on troubled friendship Ginger and Rosa currently in cinemas, Ol Parker’s teen romance Now is Good, Fernando Meirelles’ stylish and contemporary drama 360, James Marsh’s heart-wrenching thriller Shadow Dancer, Julien Temple’s documentary feature London – The Modern Babylon, Lasse Hallström’s romantic comedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Max and Dania’s kinetic 3D film StreetDance 2, Ralph Fiennes’ contemporary Shakespeare adaptation Coriolanus, Simon Curtis’ comedy drama My Week with Marilyn, Nick Murphy’s supernatural mystery The Awakening, Lynne Ramsay’s adaptation of the Winner for the Orange Prize for Fiction We Need to Talk About Kevin, David Mackenzie’s romantic thriller Perfect Sense, Cary Fukunaga’s modern retelling of Jane Eyre, and James Marsh’s moving documentary Project Nim.

Forthcoming films include Mike Newell’s sumptuous Dickens classic Great Expectations in cinemas 30 November and Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, the wickedly comic Quartet, which will be in cinemas 4 January 2013, and in March Terri Hooley biopic Good Vibrations from directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn will feature in cinemas. Also set for a Spring release is Nick Murphy’s gripping thriller Blood.

BBC Films has an impressive back catalogue, which includes titles such as Nigel Cole’s Made in Dagenham, Lone Scherfig’s Academy Award® nominated and BAFTA award-winning An Education; Armando Iannucci’s Academy Award® and BAFTA award-nominated In the Loop; Jane Campion’s Academy Award®nominated Bright Star; and Andrea Arnold’s BAFTA award-winning Fish Tank.

Twitter @BBCFilms...

Having made a slew of short films in recent years, and collaborated with Noah and the Whale on the immaculate The First Days of Spring, Parkville Pictures have recently been working with debut writer-director Jules Bishop on their first feature, Borrowed Time.

The film had an eighteen-day production back in the summer of 2011, with the help of Film London and the BBC Films Microwave scheme, shot for £120,000.

Fast forward a year, and the film had finally been completed, and now it’s ready for distribution. The path to distribution is of course an incredibly difficult one, especially for independent films like this one, and so Parkville have decided to become their own distributors, and raise the money for the task through Kickstarter.

Projects like these are becoming increasingly common – we’ve just recently seen the Kickstarter project for The Uncle Ruckus Movie, from The Boondocks creator, Andrew MacGruder – and they...

Cannes is now over which means it’s time to move to Britain as the Edinburgh Film Festival kicks off!

We’ve just been sent the full line-up for the 2012 Edinburgh Film Festival which is now in it’s 66th year. We have our people (Jamie, Steven and Emma) on the ground at the event right now ready to catch as many films as they possible can throughout the next wee or two as we get to see 121 new features and 19 world premieres.

I’ll let the full press release below do the talking but let us know what you’re looking forward to in the comments section below.

World Premieres:

Berberian Sound Studio Borrowed Time Day Of The Flowers Exit Elena Flying Blind Fred Future My Love Guinea Pigs Here, Then Leave It On The Track The Life And Times Of Paul The Psychic Octopus Life Just Is Mnl...

The full programme for the 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff), which runs from 20 June to 1 July, has been officially announced and will feature nineteen World premieres and thirteen International premieres.

The Festival will showcase one hundred and twenty-one new features from fifty-two countries, including eleven European premieres and seventy-six UK premieres in addition to the World and International premieres. Highlights include the World premieres of Richard Ledes’ Fred; Nathan Silver’s Exit Elena and Benjamin Pascoe’s Leave It On The Track and European premieres of Lu Sheng’s Here, There and Yang Jung-ho’s Mirage in the maiden New Perspectives section; and the International premiere of Benicio Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabio and Laurent Cantet’s 7 Days In Havana and the European premiere of Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America in the Directors’ Showcase. In addition to the new features presented,...

Phil Davis, the British actor and director, says gritty drama offers escapism from the recession

A corpse is found in a dark London alley: across the body a jester's hat is draped, or maybe there is a charcoal inscription of a tarot symbol, or perhaps the spray-painted tag of an unknown graffiti artist. Something mysterious anyway. For this is British crime drama – the new, macabre style. No more slamming car doors and seedy nightclubs. Popular thriller series such as Whitechapel on ITV or Sherlock on the BBC rely instead on chilling their audiences to the bone. And somewhere, amid the gloom, the increasingly well-known face of Phil Davis often lurks.

Davis, who is a regular in Whitechapel and who played the warped taxi driver in the first series of Sherlock, believes the demand for smart, modern horror is a symptom of the times: "There are two things everybody wants when...

Warren Brown in Luther co. BBC

This week season two of the much anticipated Luther kicks off on BBC1. Warren Brown resumes his role as Luther’s loyal sidekick DS Ripley. Kieran Kinsella asked Warren about his role and the new season of the show.

Luther was a big hit in the UK and in the United States. How did you come to get involved in the show?

“I had an audition for it and I really liked the script because it was pushing the envelope a little bit. I met with casting director and my performance in Occupation was mentioned as it has been in subsequent interviews, and then a week later I got a call to say I had been chosen for the part.

I did not know that Idris was in the show when I had my audition but I found out that he was involved when...