THE UNCERTAIN KINGDOM: FILMMAKER SELECTION

Today the final 20 directors selected for the short film project The Uncertain Kingdom have been announced.

Academy Award winner Orlando Von Einsiedel (The White Helmets, Evelyn), BIFA winner Carol Salter (Almost Heaven), BAFTA and International Emmy winner Guy Jenkin (Outnumbered), Dazed 100 listed Iggy LDN (Black Boys Don’t Cry) and IWC Schaffhausen Award winner Hope Dickson Leach (The Levelling) are among the directors chosen for the ground-breaking project.

The line-up of directors also includes a number of filmmakers working across roles: actor/director David Proud, actor/writer/director/producer Ray Panthaki, choreographer/director Lanre Malaolu, theatre practitioner/filmmaker Alison Hargreaves, and BAFTA nominated storyteller Rebecca Lloyd-Evans whose work crosses audio and film.

The list of filmmakers includes four former Screen Stars of Tomorrow: actor/writer/director Antonia Campbell-Hughes (2011), writer/director Rubika Shah (2017) and producers Helen Simmons (2018) and Yaw Basoah (2016).

(See below for complete list of filmmaking teams).

The Uncertain Kingdom brings together established and emerging filmmakers to create 20 short films, each offering a flash of insight into the state of the nation at this turbulent time.

The films will represent regions throughout the UK, encompass a range of themes including climate change, migration, homelessness, sexuality, cultural identity and interracial relationships. The shorts will include fiction, documentary, animation, dance and experimental films, and a variety of genres.

Films begin shooting this summer and will be delivered in October. The Uncertain Kingdom will be exhibited in a national tour through winter 2019-2020, handled by Verve Pictures. The tour aims to initiate conversations and debate by placing the films at the centre of community events throughout the U.K.

The Uncertain Kingdom was conceived by director and exec-producer John Jencks and will be produced by Isabel Freer and Georgia Goggin.

Asked about the selected filmmakers and their films John Jencks said “I’m thrilled with every single filmmaker who’s joined The Uncertain Kingdom and I can’t wait to share their films with audiences across the country.”

Full list of filmmaking teams 

Alison Hargreaves, writer/director/producer. Alice Whittemore, producer.
Antonia Campbell-Hughes, writer/director. Marie-Thérèse Mackle, producer.
Carol Salter, director/producer. Fleur Nieddu, co-producer.
David Proud, director. Justin Edgar, writer/producer.
Dominika Ożyńska, director. Imogen Kimber, producer.
Ellen Evans, director. Alice Hughes, producer.
Guy Jenkin, writer and director. Ryan Bennett, producer.
Hope Dickson Leach, writer/director. Wendy Griffin, producer.
Iggy LDN, director. Ibrahim Salawu, writer.
Jason Bradbury, director. Yaw Basoah and Brett Webb, producers. Edward Cripps, writer.
Jason Wingard, writer/director. Hannah Stevenson, producer.
Lab Ky Mo, director. Chi Thai, producer. Ming Ho, writer.
Lanre Malaolu, director, writer and choreographer. Alistair Payne-James, producer.
Orlando von Einsiedel, director. Matthew Wenham, producer.
Paul Frankl, writer/director. Amy Binns, producer.
Ray Panthaki, writer/director. Ben Jacques, producer.
Rebecca Lloyd-Evans, director. Kate Vogel and Kat Mansoor, producers.
Rubika Shah, writer/director. Jessie Mangum, producer.
Sophie King, director. Helen Simmons, producer. Sian Docksey, writer.
Stroma Cairns, director. Imogen West and Sorcha Bacon, producers.
Quotes

“This is perfect brief for a film set in Northern Ireland in 2020.  Its people have always searched for an identity somewhere in between British influence and the mystique of Mother Ireland, and in these uncertain times we are in a unique place to illustrate that” Marie-Thérèse Mackle, producer

"Often in times of uncertainty and decline we eventually see a rebirth – something has to change. The Uncertain Kingdom gives us the opportunity to voice our concerns through a medium that has the power to capture audiences’ imaginations and give people something to think about and something they can relate to." Amy Binns, producer

"We’re thrilled to be part of the The Uncertain Kingdom family and to bring our film to life with their help and support. It is a great opportunity to say something about the UK today and we hope our film will shine a light on another side of British life.” Rubika Shah, writer and director

“Cinema can provoke a deep sense of empathy, something that feels increasingly scarce in these divided times. As part of The Uncertain Kingdom, we’re excited to explore both the barriers that enrage us and the human connections that give us hope.” Jason Bradbury, director, and Edward Cripps, writer

“The more I grow, the more I understand it’s my responsibility as an artist to attempt to challenge the environment around me. The Uncertain Kingdom has the potential to not only entertain and inspire, but to offer up those challenges. It’s an honour to be working amongst such an eclectic group of filmmakers whose work I admire and appreciate.” Ray Panthaki, writer and director

“I’m really excited to make this film with the backing of Uncertain Kingdom. They have actively welcomed raw, unapologetic storytelling and perspectives, allowing filmmakers to push their artistic voice to the extreme in order to grow.” Lanre Malaolu, director and choreographer

“The Uncertain Kingdom is an opportunity to express a point of view at a time of change within the UK.  I’ve always thought it was important to ask questions of a viewer as well as entertain.” Jason Wingard, writer and director

“As technology advances and our future becomes increasingly more unstable and harder to predict, it's important that filmmakers share thoughts on this crucial time in history. That's why I think that the conversations that will be created from The Uncertain Kingdom project will strike a huge chord with many people.” Iggy LDN, director

“In times of uncertainty, films can help us to reflect on who we are as a society. This is important for film makers and audiences alike because it opens up a conversation about where we go next and what we want to become. We’re delighted to be a part of this conversation through the Uncertain Kingdom project.” Matt Wenham, producer

“In such unsettled and unclear times, it is vital to harness the power of storytelling - to cast its clarifying light. The Uncertain Kingdom understands this and has brought together a diverse group of storytellers to collectively illuminate our visions.” Rebecca Lloyd-Evans, director

“These are strange days - certainly in my lifetime so to have the opportunity to capture a small bit of this strangeness with my camera and to be part of a collective of different voices and visions is very exciting!” Carol Salter, director

“Uncertain Kingdom is a fantastic chance for us as filmmakers to reflect on the divisive world we find ourselves in today. The arts are at their most powerful when they can provoke discussion through character and story rather than just politicians’ quotes, so we're really excited to be part of this collective.” Helen Simmons, producer


Website
www.theuncertainkingdom.co.uk