Projects in genres: Drama

Synopsis

A maniac is on the loose, viciously murdering young women and hiding their bodies. Jake Summers has been having a passionate affair with the beautiful wife of his best friend, Chad. When she is brutally murdered, Jake helps him to claim the life insurance money. But heartless insurer L T Harvey reminds them that the corpse is missing - no body means no proof and no pay-out! Fuelled with anger, Jake visits video-maker Vic Travis and the two men concoct a scheme, both brilliant and dangerous. They will stage the next serial murder to create convincing video evidence - the vital proof they need. With Jake's ex-girlfriend Sarah agreeing to play the part of the victim, the con is on - or so one would think. Unconvincing performances and bad props are the least of their problems as Sarah soon sets her sights on upping the insurance premium for a bigger pay-out. As tempers flair, greed and deception begins to divide the three performers. But there is a fourth player lurking in the shadows and the knife he is holding is all too real. Suddenly the deranged killer is much closer than any of them could have possibly imagined.

Synopsis

With extraordinary special effects and animatronics from Jim Henson's Creature Shop (Lara Croft 2, Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, Doctor Doolittle, 101 Dalmations), and in the tradition of E.T the Extra-Terrestrial and Free Willy, MEE-SHEE: The Water Giant is the ultimate family adventure movie!   After a helicopter crash in a remote Canadian lake, Sean Cambell (Bruce Greenwood - I, Robot, Thirteen Days), an oil company trouble-shooter is called in with his high-tech mini-submarine to help retrieve a unique drill head. For his disappointed ten-year-old son Mac, the news means postponing yet another Florida vacation with his father. But when they arrive at Mrs Coogan's (Phyllida Law - Emma, Time Machine) guesthouse, Mac soon learns of a legendary creature that supposedly lives in the lake! Utterly intrigued, Mac teams up with a cute little Native-American girl called Pawnee and they go in search of the monster, urged on by the sight of a woman known as 'Crazy Norma' (Rena Owen - The Crow: Wicked Prayer, Once Were Warriors) - throwing whole salmon into the water to 'feed the creature'.   When Mac is trekking through the woods by the lake, he slips and falls in to the water and nearly drowns. Amazingly, he is rescued by something huge, which buoys him up to the surface. Convinced that it was the creature, Mac locates his cave and finally comes face to face with the huge, frightened water giant, MEE-SHEE! And a very special friendship begins.   Within days, a rival oil company arrives in an attempt to steal the drill, and soon these money hungry villains realise that the drill is not the only prize from the lake they need to take home with them. Mac must find a way to save his newfound friend, but first he must convince his father that the creature is real, which is not as easy as he'd hoped.   In a dramatic climax with MEE-SHEE, Mac and his father in grave danger, is there anything else lurking in the lake to come to their rescue?   MEE-SHEE: The Water Giant is an epic family adventure film in the very finest tradition, combined with some of the most magical special effects ever created!

Synopsis

When the England manager has a heart attack, football's top brass turn to Mike Bassett (basically no one else wanted the job). Bassett is the sort of old fashioned manager who writes his team on the back of his cigarette packet. Even with troubled football genius Tonka Tonkinson back from retirement and off the booze, England lose Mike's first two games in charge. His team struggle to a goal-less draw in the final qualifying match but, thanks to a fluke result elsewhere, England qualify for the finals in Brazil. In South America things go from bad to worse. The results are pathetic, the team captain is arrested and Tonka has a fling with a beautiful woman… who turns out to be a man. However, inspired by the words of Rudyard Kipling, Mike makes an impassioned plea for the country to get behind him - fans, press, players - even his wife. The rousing words stir the team… but even though they play the game of their lives, the scores are still level with five minutes remaining. Bassett makes his final, brave, and some would say stupid decision - to bring on Tonka. Fired up, Tonka comes off the bench to try to restore pride to the nation.

Synopsis

Sandeman (Richard Harris) is the biggest and most feared crime lord in the economically depressed and ravaged city of Liverpool. But an unexpected event is about to cause his kingdom to crumble. For when his beloved wife Mandy (Lynn Redgrave) is shot dead in a mugging incident, Sandeman is convinced it was really premeditated murder. Consumed by grief and determined to learn the truth behind his wife's shocking death, Sandeman's rage only agitates other long festering rivalries and bitter resentments. And most of those emanate from inside his close-knit family. Broken and at a loss without Mandy, Sandeman decides his time is up and hands over all the money from his illegal empire to his three daughters. However, ex-drug addict Jo (Emma Catherwood), the youngest and Sandeman's favourite, has already turned her back on the family business and doesn't want anything to do with the dirty money. Brothel owner Kath (Louise Lombard) is the eldest daughter and she wants more than her fair share. Together with corrupt Detective Sergeant Puttnam (Aidan Gillen) she puts a revenge plan in motion that has a devastating impact on the entire family. Football club owner Tracy (Lorraine Pilkington) knows her father is expecting a mystery shipment from Amsterdam and intends to become a major player in the huge deal at whatever the cost. And that cost is going to be great for everyone. From Kath's husband Dean (Paul McGann) and her young son Boy (Reece Noi) to Tracey's sadistic spouse Jug (Jimi Mistry) and investigating Customs and Excise officer Quick (Tom Bell)- no one will remain untouched by the jealous, dangerous and lethal enmity erupting between the Sandeman sisters.

Synopsis

Set in Australia in the early 19th century, the film is based on the true story of the bushranger Ned Kelly, who staged a series of daring bank robberies, forming a group of outlaws known as the Kelly Gang. Kelly's shoot out with the police triggered a massive manhunt that turned him into a folk hero and legend.

Synopsis

Craig is a college student with a business plan. He and six friends have broken into a derelict asylum to stage the party of the year - and get rich in the process. With DJ Lux on the decks, Lee's spectacular light show and sexy Victoria pouring the drinks, how can they fail? But as the team set up, things start to go horribly wrong. Sarah becomes convinced that they are not alone, and as the panic rises the asylum begins to take on a life of its own. Walls disappear, they reappear and the group are forced further and further into the mysterious depths of the building - where something ancient and sinister is waiting for them. The quest for fun is about to become a race to stay alive.

Synopsis

Non Compos Mentis (Not of Sound Mind) is the chilling story of disturbed office worker Rob (Chris Brooklyn) who lives alone in semi-darkness in a house he has insulated against the realities of the outside world by covering all the windows in newspaper. Unable to form a relationship on a 'normal' level, Rob instead inhabits a fantasy world of his own creation, fuelled by his isolation and prodigious appetite for pornography. Things become a little more 'real' for Rob when he meets Michelle (Biba Lille West), the girl of his dreams. However, all is not as it seems, and the dream becomes a nightmare when Michelle turns out to be the catalyst that sends Rob on a downward spiral of lust, murder and extreme sexual deviance.

Synopsis

A Jeep travels along a nighttime freeway; Senga Wilson (late 30s) is behind the wheel, tired, drawn & tense. In the passenger seat is her daughter Nat (15), there is a mother daughter tension in the air; Senga is starting to fall asleep and Nat insists they pull over. Just before they rejoin the freeway, Senga stops at an ATM, while Senga has her back turned, Nat invites a young girl backpacker into the car knowing it will annoy her mother. A few more miles, having dropped off the backpacker Nat's father rings to say Nat's birthday gift has been left behind and once again the two pull off the freeway to wait for him. The gift is tickets to a concert that Senga has forbidden Nat to attend, the three have a terrible fight and Senga rips up the tickets, Nat screams at her and runs. Senga calms down and starts to search for Nat to apologise. She sees Nat with the backpacker and a strange couple climbing into an RV. Senga screams and rushes after Nat, it's too late she has gone. Senga runs to her Jeep and sets off after the RV and moments later the backpacker's belt tightens around her throat, in front of them a silver fuel tanker suddenly brakes, Senga swerves and hits the central divide. The door opens and the backpacker climbs out leaving Senga slumped unconscious, blood dripping from her temple.

Synopsis

One For The Road is a British anti-buddy movie exploring the frailty and weakness of male bonding. A black comedy, following the lives of four men who meet on a rehabilitation course for drink drivers who have lost their licences. Jimmy is young, ambitious and desperate to sell his late father's business; Paul has been salesman of the year three times running; Richard is a retired millionaire property developer and Mark, likable and honest, is a marijuana dependant taxi driver come part-time philosopher. Very quickly they realise the course is the networking opportunity of a lifetime as Paul, Mark and Jimmy plot to relieve Richard of some of his wealth. However, unbeknown to them, he is savvy to their plans and is always one step ahead. An innovative black comedy, the film pushes the boundaries of digital video technology as it follows the events of the four men on a week long course, bonding over the idiocy of Role Play, the battlefields of Paintball, nights of drinking and impotent passion, and an end of course celebration party round the pool at the millionaire's mansion.

Synopsis

Dean, sensitive and intelligent, lives with his mum on an estate out of town. They're very close and she's doing everything she can to ensure that he doesn't end up like the other kids on the estate. But when Dean's friend Charlie-boy, is released from his latest spell inside, it's not long before the two of them are in trouble again. Dean is arrested for being in a stolen car, and is given two months in a young offenders institute. Meanwhile, when Sam plans an armed robbery on a South London estate, his mate Danny goes along with it. But later they're arrested and are each sent down for two years. Once inside, Sam becomes a bully and joins in the ritualistic taunting of the weaker, new inmates. He targets Dean, who has become weak and vulnerable - although the prison officer, Mike, tries to help Dean and keep an eye out for him as much as he can, it ends in tragedy.

Synopsis

Paradise Grove is the first film by award-winning TV and theatre director Charles Harris. A new British Independent movie, a bittersweet coming-of-age story set in a Jewish old age home in North London, it is also, remarkably, the first contemporary Jewish movie to be made in the UK for ten years. Paradise Grove is a film with a distinctive and unusual voice. Starting with deceptively gentle comedy, it woos us with a colourful parade of sharply observed characters, each with their own quirks and eccentricities, before building to a moving climax with a strong emotional punch.

Synopsis

Paris Skylight is an offbeat romantic drama about five friends, ordinary people leading a bohemian lifestyle over a hectic week in modern day Paris, and the way their lives are touched and changed forever by Shuko, a tourist visiting from Japan.