Projects in genres: Drama

Synopsis

Billy Elliot is a coming-of-age story of Billy, who through his unexpected love of dance, embarks on a journey to self-discovery in the world of picket lines, cultural stereotypes, family crises and a headstrong ballet teacher.

When eleven-year-old Billy stumbles across a local ballet class that comes to share the village hall with his boxing club, something in the magic of the movements captures his imagination. Meanwhile, Billy's father and older brother, both on strike, struggle to put food on the table and finally explode when they discover Billy has been squandering his boxing money on less than manly pursuits.

Billy's ballet teacher eventually persuades him to accept free private training, telling him she wants him to audition for the Ballet School, but when the audition comes Billy is tragically forced to miss it as a result of his brother's scuffle with the police.

Distraught by his family's lack of understanding, Billy unleashes his feelings in a dance meant only for his friend Michael to see, but is caught mid-routine by his father. Rooted to the spot by the power and animation of his son's talent, he solemnly agrees to ensure Billy finally makes it to London for the gruelling audition.

Synopsis

A young man lies motionless in a country lane. He relives events in his mind, and all becomes clear.

Synopsis

Three young men, all cursed with two left feet, pursue three beautiful women. A mystical cupid-like cab driver, Jimmy, aids the course of true love with words of wisdom for Eddie; lost clues for Fergus and Salsa lessons for Frankie as they embark on a series of adventures against a background of Salsa, Latin and Easy-listening tunes.

David Kane's follow-up to his sleeper hit This Year's Love owes its existence to actress Jennifer Ehle. During the making of that film, she dragged Kane along to a salsa class and, to the jiving sounds of Celia Cruz, the late Tito Puente and their Cuban and Colombian companeros, Kane came up with Born Romantic.

Produced by Michele Camarda, who worked with Kane on both films, the film revolves around the romantic adventures of six young salsa enthusiasts - including David Morrissey as a musician, Jimi Mistry as an incompetent thief, Olivia Williams as an art restorer and Jane Horrocks as a record shop assistant - who are guided by a cab driver-cum-cupid (Adrian Lester).

Synopsis

The story centres on Bridget, a 30-something 'singleton', convinced that everyone is getting it right except for her. Her ambitions are few - she would like to lose weight and find true love - but seemingly unattainable. Her romantic life is in a state of perpetual crisis.

While her friends Jude, Sharon and Tom provide her with hopeless advice, Bridget finds herself torn between two men, her charming, sexy, but dangerous boss Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy an old family friend, who seems at first to be aloof and dull, until his true self is revealed.

Bridget's unsuccessful attempts to control her chaotic life and to develop inner poise are charted by her hilarious and sometimes poignant diary entries.

Synopsis

Based on the best-selling novel by Louis de Berniers.

The idyllic beauty of Greece's Mediterranean coast has been invaded by Italy, bringing legions of soldiers to the once tranquil island of Cephallonia. Captain Corelli (Cage), an officer with an irrepressibly jovial personality and passion for his mandolin, initially alienates a number of villagers. In particular, he infuriates the village doctor, Iannis (Hurt) and his beautiful and educated, strong-willed daughter Pelagia (Cruz) whose home he shares during the occupation. Corelli's charm and decency, together with his desire to have a quiet and peaceful war, eventually wins over their friendship. When Pelagia's fiancee, local fisherman Mandras (Bale) heads off to battle, the relationship between Corelli and Pelagia grows stronger. As the war advances ever closer, Corelli and Pelagia are forced to choose between their allegiance to their countries and the love they feel for one another - a love which must overcome tremendous odds, and endure the inevitable sacrifice which accompanies eternal devotion.

Synopsis

Supermarket checkout girl Dianne Clarke embarks upon a campaign as a modern day Robin Hood, with no inkling of the chaos she is about to create. Within just a few days the Friendly Saver where she works will be brought to its knees. Double-check your receipt!

Synopsis

In modern New York, an old old lady called Angela beats off a mugger (Edge), and tells him of a time when the gold coins she has hoarded were used to buy revolutionary bullets for Balkan heroes.

In Arizona, 1900, two brothers (Luke and Elijah), tussle over the same girl (Lilith). She is the beauty in the local bordello, a diva with stars in her eyes and gold in her heart.

Macedonia, 1912, Mercenary commandos and nationalist rebels fight for this corner of the dying Ottoman empire. This is the Wild East, where the old century is bleeding into the new, and it's a dirty, dirty war.

Synopsis

Enigma is a love story set in the gripping and thrilling world of codebreaking and espionage.

When a young man invents the first computer that deciphers secret German U-boat codes during World War II, he falls in love with the girl who tries to give his secret to the enemy.

Synopsis

Jimmy Spud is not your average eleven-year-old Newcastle lad. Keener on understanding the mysteries of the Universe than playing football, his plan to become an angel comes to fruition when he meets and is befriended by the Angel Gabriel.

Jimmy's angelic aspirations are not, however, welcomed by his long-suffering family. The feather-covered costume that he wears to carry out his angelic duties - including the dramatic rescue of a young Scout from drowning - doesn't help either.

When his Dad falls seriously ill, Jimmy decides to use his celestial powers to try and save him. The Spuds need a small miracle to make things better.

Synopsis

A high-octane action thriller set in the post-apartheid South African ghetto.

Through themes of racial identification and reflections on Hollywood-style violence, Hijack Stories mixes social commentary and humour while looking at the most painful and violent aspects of South African society.

Sox Moraka (Tony Kgoroge) is a talented actor and part of the rising black middle class in Johannesburg. He fled poverty in Soweto to become a well-known television personality for South Africa's new "Rainbow Nation". Sox acts and lives the part, dating his blond co-star and living in a penthouse flat in the white suburbs. While hosting music video shows, the ambitious thespian dreams of becoming an action hero - the African Wesley Snipes. The possibility of landing a role as popular TV gangster Bra Biza sends Sox back to the ghetto to rediscover his roots. Bumbling along in an unfamiliar, violent world, he meets the street-wise Grace, who introduces him to notorious gangster and old school friend Zama Zama or the General as he is endearingly tagged by his posse. The posse consists of Fly, the kamikaze getaway driver, and Joe, a disillusioned activist whose prophetic asides about South Africa's current state provide a constant morality check. They decide that Sox is truly in need of 're-education' and so begins his crash course in the seductive, yet deadly, finer points of gangster life. One terrifying night, Sox learns that gangster life isn't all game play and, as a result, each of the characters' lives will change forever.

Synopsis

Three men meet in the pub that's been their local for 40 years. Only today someone's missing - or is he? Vic slides a box on the bar and takes out the urn of Jack Dodd's ashes, 'for one last look-in'. But why? Jack doesn't know. Or does he? As the men make their way to the sea, stopping at pubs, at Canterbury Cathedral, at the places that hold special meaning to them, they wonder - and they remember. The war, the children, the affairs, the disappointments and the ordinary triumphs. Like an emotional mystery, Last Orders slowly reveals who Jack Dodds was, and by the journey's end, like his friends, we find ourselves missing him too.

Synopsis

A rare collaboration between BBC Films and BBC Documentaries, Last Resort is a moving love story which deals with the controversial issue of asylum seekers.

Tanya, young and naîve, leaves Moscow with her street-wise 10-year-old son Artiom, to meet her English fiancé. But after he fails to turn up at the airport, Tanya and her son find themselves virtually imprisoned in a deserted seaside resort where all refugees are forced to live. They have no passports, no money, no rights.

Desperate to escape a nightmarish world of misfits and no-hopers, Tanya forges an unusual alliance with amusement arcade manager Alfie, an alliance which soon develops into something more. But is he just another man who will let her down, or will Tanya and Artiom finally escape?

'Paul Pawlikowski was given free rein to select the subject matter and devise the drama. He used improvisation, documentary methods and a documentary-sized crew. The end result is high-quality, low-cost film-making that has a power and individuality rarely found in more conventional drama,' says producer Ruth Caleb.