Insight Media Fund previously provided finance for Boiling Point
- was written by actor Ross McCall. This is his directorial debut.
- Boiling Point: single-take film, shot in 2 days was last to wrap before lockdown
- Both films co-produced by Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films
14 September 2020: Samahoma Media Advisors today announces that it has negotiated financing for two new British feature films from Insight Media Fund.
Having provided completion money (not previously announced) for Boiling Point, it has now signed off a deal allowing Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films to collaborate again, on their first post-lockdown feature Ire. Additional financing will be provided by Ascendant Films.
Principal photography on Ire starts on 19th September with the majority of filming to take place in London. The cast is also announced today as Craig Fairbrass, Stephen Odubola, Jason Flemyng, Ulrich Thomsen, Rosie Sheehy, Thomas Dominique, Morgan Watkins, Robin Laing, Hamza Siddiqui, Uché Gabriel, and Hector Bateman-Harden.
Ire is a co-Production between Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films in association with Bromantics. Producers are Bart Ruspoli (Ascendant Films), Hester Ruoff (Burton Fox Films), Stefan D’Bart (Bromantics).
Bob Clarke, CEO, Samahoma Media Advisors, explains why Ire and Boiling Point are among its first financing investments for Insight Media Fund: “Bart and Hester have shown they can pull together strong, original properties which attract Talent and can be delivered swiftly within the health and safety constraints of the Covid madhouse rules of the game without breaking the bank – de risking the Fund’s investment and getting more content to audiences more quickly…what’s not to like?”
IRE: filming starts 19th September
Ire tells the prison life of an institutionalised and violent criminal (Craig Fairbrass), incarcerated for murdering his wife. His routine life is disrupted when his estranged daughter asks to meet her father and a 19-year-old (Stephen Odubola) – serving his first sentence in a maximum-security prison – is placed inside as his cell mate. We follow, as a lifer navigates his struggle against redemption and his inner turmoil.
The film is the directorial debut of actor Ross McCall who also wrote the script: “I wrote Ire after I completed my last film, About Us, a story of love. Ire was the polar opposite, and I wanted to capture the true feeling of incarcerated life within the prison system. Having researched and visited various prisons in the US, I started leaning towards coming back to the UK to make a film that showed the realistic and guttural voices inside a troubled structure. Bart Ruspoli (producer) and I worked together on Band of Brothers and have been looking for something to do together ever since. I’ve brought in Stefan Cuipek (Guns Akimbo, Slumdog Millionaire) to DP, Suzanne Smith and Sarah Trevis to bring in our cast.”
Commenting on the announcement, Bart Ruspoli said: “Following the success of Villain earlier this year, we’ve been looking for a ‘companion piece’ to go alongside it. Ross McCall has an incredible vision for the film, and we’re excited to pair rising star Stephen Odubola, with such industry veterans as Craig Fairbrass, Jason Flemyng and Ulrich Thomsen.”
“In these uncertain times we’re incredibly lucky to have partners such as Samahoma Media Advisors who are championing independent cinema and are determined to make sure it continues to thrive even now,” added Hester Ruoff.
Describing the enhanced safety measures, Stefan D’Bart: “We’re adhering to all COVID-19 protocols to make sure all our cast and crew stay safe. This is a new way of making films, something we must all get used to, so we can get the British Film Industry back to pre-covid levels.”
BOILING POINT: post-completed during COVID-19 lockdown
Boiling Point was a one-take production with its expected shoot schedule halved to two days, in order to complete filming before lockdown commenced. Shooting wrapped just five days before the pandemic forced the government to shut down the film industry, making it the last film to be on set. Nearly all of the post was completed remotely during lockdown.
The feature film stars Stephen Graham, reprising his role from Boiling Point short, which was nominated for Best British Short at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards. The project was written and directed by Philip Barantini, who also helmed the feature.
Boiling Point also stars Ray Panthaki alongside Jason Flemyng, Malachi Kirby, Vinette Robinson and Hannah Walters. It was made in association with Matriach Films, which was set up by Stephen Graham and his partner Hannah Walters in 2019.
- Samahoma Media Advisors (www.samahoma-ma.com) is open to hearing from rights owners with strong ideas looking for debt or equity funding, typically in the £50K to £300K range.
- Ire is a co-Production between Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films in association with Bromantics. Producers are Bart Ruspoli (Ascendant Films), Hester Ruoff (Burton Fox Films), Stefan D’Bart (Bromantics).
- The sales agent for Boiling Point is Charades who has just been meeting prospective buyers at the Venice Film Festival.