Projects in genres: Drama

Synopsis

Julia and Jim are dreaming of a white Christmas. But dreams don't come true. Or do they?

Synopsis

What do you do when your wife Iona Aylesbury (Kristin Scott Thomas) can’t tell the difference between a shrink and a shop, your eight-year-old son Orlando spray paints his rabbit’s name on the walls to get attention, while his gay godfather Stephen (Ralph Fiennes) lies half beaten to death in hospital. Your boss is drawing you into a scam which could cost you your career, your father Edward Aylesbury has an illegitimate love child with his former mistress Gloria (Penelope Cruz), her social worker Colin (Rhys Ifans) can’t help prying into her past and present, and your stepmother Penelope's (Harriet Walter) bond with her dogs is your best role model of a loving relationship. Every family has secrets it hides behind the walls of its home - these are the dilemmas and secrets of Marcus Aylesbury (Damian Lewis). When Marcus’s old ‘friend’ Trent (Ben Chaplin), an intelligent investigative journalist, gets wind of a story he knows will make him a media star the good old virtues of honesty, loyalty and friendship are sacrificed to the new morality of success and celebrity. Pushed by his powerhouse editor, Trent is forced to bend his ideals of using journalism to make a difference - and instead focuses on writing ‘sexy stories that sell’. This darkly comedic drama relentlessly pulls these characters into situations which threaten their stable place in a society where privilege and birth are no longer powerful enough to protect the fortunate few, and where the American values of money, beauty and success have become the cornerstones of contemporary London life.

Synopsis

Closer  is a film about an old man's fascination with a wilderness landscape painting at the Horniman's Museum. Shot entirely without dialogue, the story evokes a sense of spiritual longing to be somewhere else; somewhere far away from it all. The clever framing, lighting and an atmospheric sound design adds to the supernatural conclusion the film takes us to.

Synopsis

The true story of a man who conned his way into London's high life by pretending to be reclusive director Stanley Kubrick, based on events during the shooting of Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut, in London in 1998-99.   A man pretending to be the legendary director, despite knowing very little about his work and looking nothing like him, gets into many of the city's most exclusive parties, restaurants and nightclubs, playing on his willing victims' starstruck desire to believe. The film is as much about the foibles of ordinary people, and the contemporary obsession with celebrity, as it is about the fantasy life and hilarious cons perpetrated by the dingy hero.

Synopsis

An over-crowded bus in rush-hour is no-one's idea of fun, but that's just the beginning of Gaz's problems. With phone abuse at a high, he finds it increasingly difficult to keep it together. But it shouldn't be too long. If he can just hold on a little longer - Too late!

Synopsis

The mayor of a surreal suburban town invents stories to boost the town's moral and local standing, while Otto and Sissi Cross try to deal with lies, eyes, and the waltz of life.  

Synopsis

Do you remember being 15? Hanging out with your mates, stealing from shops - Dad giving you Es instead of pocket money - chasing through the cars with your baby son in his pushchair? Having him taken away from you? Ryan does.

Synopsis

Two young children wake one bright morning. To the audible and visual backdrop of a city slowly coming to life after its slumber, they discover their mother asleep, arms around a stranger. They quietly switch off her alarm and embark on a morning full of freedom, exhilaration and innocence.

Synopsis

Ben Jones is a tired, worn-out, depressed, fed-up, Welsh lawyer who lives in the shadow of his bigger, larger than life, over the top, promiscuous, TV celebrity brother Harry. Ben hankers after his lost love, the fiery red-headed Sinead, but in a fit of pique decides to accept the marriage proposal from his brow-beating, ball-bustin' girlfriend Ceri Sian. So Harry decides that he must do something 'good' for his brother. In fact he must bring him back to Ireland where the boys had a great time in their youth. This act of 'generosity', combined with a recce for a future television programme, begins a series of events that will change their lives forever but 'in a good way', where everyone gets a second chance, sort of.

Synopsis

Deadpan Valentine is a black comedy that follows the adventures of two very different flatmates during one grim Valentine's Day. In essence, it's an Anti Rom-Com. Two young men, Scott and Jamie, share a grubby London council flat. Scott seems to think he’s got it made; he’s got a lovely head of hair, a beautiful new girlfriend and a bit on the side. If one man wasn’t blessed enough, he’s also the natural successor to Marlon Brando and a fringe theatre play appears to the ideal vehicle for his talent. However, today is the perfect day for a few lessons in love and acting. Jamie is severely depressed. Valentine’s Day is an insult too far and suicide seems like the only way out. But he doesn’t have much luck completing the task. In his befuddled state of mind, he answers the door to a gun-toting stranger, Bruce, who mistakes him for Scott. Bruce takes Jamie captive and is surprised to discover that his 'hard man' routine does little to unnerve his straight-faced hostage.  

Synopsis

Dear Wendy is a story about the young loner Dick who lives in the poor mining town of Estherslope. When he happens upon a small handgun one day, he finds himself strangely drawn to it, despite his fervent pacifist views. Together with his newfound partner he soon convinces the other young outcasts in the town to join him in a secret club he calls The Dandies. A club based on the principals of pacifism and guns. Despite their firm belief in the most important Dandy rule of all - never draw your weapons - they soon find themselves in a predicament where they realise that rules are made to be broken.

Synopsis

A father faces the moral dilemma of protecting his son who has committed a crime. Hard decisions are made and protecting his son questions his own morality.