ITV1 screens “Marian, Again”
Marian, Again one of our TV productions shot on the Island in May is due to be shown on ITV1 on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th September 2005 at 9pm as a two-part series.
Fade to Black – our latest film
Now that filming on Severance and Stormbreaker has finished on the Island, our next film Fade to Black has started shooting on the Island. The film is set in 1940’s Italy and tells the story of Orson Welles following the break-up of his marriage to Rita Hayworth.
Release dates for two local productions
Two of our films are being released in September. On A Clear Day is due for UK release on 2nd September whilst Revolver is being released on 22nd September.
Severance – our latest film
Severance has started production on the Island after filming the first half of their shoot in Hungary. The film tells the story of a group of colleagues whose team-building weekend goes horribly wrong.
On A Clear Day premiering at Edinburgh Film Festival
On A Clear Day, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier in the year is due to premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival as part of a host of UK, International and World Premieres to grace this year’s festival which runs from the 17th – 28th August. The film, which also opened the 17th Galway Film Festival along with another Isle of Man Film production, Boy Eats Girl, is set in Scotland and tells the story of unemployed Frank who decides to combat depression by swimming the English Channel. For more information, please see the EIFF website.
“Stormbreaker” – cast announced
Alex Pettyfer has landed the year’s hottest role as Alex Rider in Stormbreaker. The action-adventure film’s stellar cast includes: Sarah Bolger, Damien Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okenedo, Missi Pyle, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Walters and Mickey Rourke. It is due to start shooting on the Island Sunday 3rd July. For further information, please see the press release.
Our recent productions
Filming for Marian, Again is coming to a close whilst Lassie is due to commence filming on the Island on 17th June. The cast of Lassie has recently been announced with Peter O’Toole and Samantha Morton both starring in the Charles Sturridge movie. For further information, please see the press release. Meanwhile, pre-production is ongoing for Stormbreaker – our biggest budget production to date due to start filming on the Island in the Summer. Stormbreaker is the the eagerly-awaited big-screen debut of 14-year-old special agent Alex Rider, hero of Anthony Horowitz’s chart-topping series of novels about a reluctant teenage superspy. For further information please see our press release or the Alex Rider website.
Manx films showing on TV
Four Manx films are showing on Sky over the course of the next month. Blackball is premiering on Friday 10th June at 8pm and Suzie Gold is premiering on Monday 13th June at 8pm on Sky Movies One. Meanwhile Five Children and IT and Churchill: The Hollywood Years are showing on Sky Box Office from 8th June.
Chromophobia selected for closing gala at Cannes
Martha Fiennes’ film Chromophobia, shot on the Isle of Man in August and September last year, has been selected for the prestigious closing gala screening at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Chromophobia is the only UK film to be selected by the Cannes selection committee for the 2005 Festival. Cannes selection traditionally features the work of classic filmmakers and it is therefore, a huge honour for an Isle of Man film to be selected against massive competition, not just from the UK but from worldwide submissions. For more information, please see the press release
Finley the Fire Engine
As part of the continuing development of the Island’s film and media industry, a major pre-school animation series is currently being created at Balley Beg animation studios in Douglas. Balley Beg Studios is currently in production on 78 episodes of Finley the Fire Engine – a 3D computer animated television series to be broadcast throughout the world. The studio has employed world-class staff, mainly from Los Angeles, all of whom are well positioned to educate children both in the animation process and in relevant career prospects.
Balley Beg Studios hopes to run a competition for young children to create a “helpful truck” who will appear in a future episode of the series. Details should appear in the local media shortly.