BFI Unveils 2025 ‘Great 8’ Projects Heading to Cannes, Including Features Starring Maria Bakalova, Stephen Graham and George MacKay

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The British Film Institute and British Film Council have revealed the selection of movies that will feature in their yearly “Great 8” roster, showcased at Cannes.

The characteristics of both novice and emerging filmmakers will be presented and shown to potential buyers and festival organizers during Cannes. All eight pieces will be accessible for distribution at the market.

2022 marks the eighth year of the Great 8 initiative, a program that’s been made possible through the collaboration between the BFI and British Council, with additional support from BBC Film and Film 4. Previously, films such as Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” Rungano Nyoni’s “I Am Not A Witch,” and Rose Glass’s “Saint Maud” have been chosen for this initiative.

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This year, we are in the eighth year of the Great 8 project, a joint effort by the BFI and British Council, with help from BBC Film and Film 4. Previously, films like Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” Rungano Nyoni’s “I Am Not A Witch,” and Rose Glass’s “Saint Maud” were among those selected for this program.

Briony Hanson, Director of Film at the British Council, stated that the 8th edition of Great 8 underscores the vibrancy of UK cinema. The upcoming lineup is something to be proud of, she added. This selection highlights a diverse array of fresh UK talent, featuring thought-provoking social commentary as well as humorous content. Voices from England, Scotland, and Wales can be heard, and there’s a substantial number of stories focusing on communities that have been historically underrepresented. There’s plenty to look forward to here, and we are eager to showcase this selection to our international counterparts during Cannes.

See the Great 8 line-up for 2025 below:

Animol”

UK Drama Director: Ashley Walters
Writer: Nick Love
Producers: Thomas Hawkins, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, Nick Love, Ashley Walters
Cast: Tut Nyuot, Vladyslav Baliuk, Stephen Graham, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Sekou Diaby
Production Companies: Sky, Film4, BFI, Joi Productions, Rogue State Productions, SLNda
Distributor: Bankside Films

Summary – The story, titled Animol, revolves around a 15-year-old named Troy who is falsely accused of a murder. He’s placed in a notorious Youth Detention Center where survival proves challenging due to everyone trying to exploit him. Amidst the turmoil, Troy discovers an unexpected ally in Krystiyan, another young inmate, both of whom are grappling with the same volatile situation.

Ish” (U.K.) – Coming-of-Age Drama
Director: Imran Perretta
Co-Writers: Imran Perretta and Enda Walsh
Producers: Dhiraj Mahey, Bennett McGhee
Starring: Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana, Avin Shah, Sudha Bhuchar, Joy Crookes, Arman Mohammed, Is’haaq Hasan Haque, Hasnain Shah
Production Companies: Primal Pictures in collaboration with Home Team and Good Chaos
Financiers: BBC Film, British Film Institute (BFI)
Additional Support: Calculus Media, Out of Order
Distributor: Film Constellation

Ish” portrays the journey of two close friends, Ish and Maram, as they approach adolescence. In a world where racial profiling casts a persistent watch over brown boys, their friendship is tragically severed by an unsettling police stop-and-search incident. As Ish navigates his maturation, he learns that letting go can be the most challenging aspect of growing up.

Mastering the Depths: Breathing Underwater”
UK/Ireland/Netherlands Production
Director: Rebekah Fortune
Writer: Richard Brabin
Starring: Rory Kinnear, Maria Bakalova, Ezra Carlisle
Additional Cast: Zubin Varla, Sudha Bhuchar, Sarag Arya, Robert Ryan
Producers: Jack Tarling, Patrick O’Neill
Co-Produced by: A Shudder Films and Wildcard, in collaboration with KeyFilm & One Wave Films, and with Eiru Films.
Financial Backing: Screen Ireland, UK Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru Wales, WRAP Fund, Netherlands Film Fund, Dias Feld, Finite Films, Bankside Films, Three Point Capital.
Distribution: Bankside Films

Eight-year-old Leo, a curious and imaginative boy, has an extraordinary best friend – a colossal half-sculpture, half-mythical shark that mysteriously crashed through his house’s roof when his father, Peter, found the courage to express the unsaid. Leo lives in a world filled with unanswered questions: why do adults behave so oddly? Where has Mum been for five years? And will Dad ever emerge from his cloudy state of mind or at least remember to buy groceries?

Peter is either engrossed in grand, eccentric art projects or barely communicative, leaving Leo to fill the silence with vivid daydreams and secret conversations with the shark. However, the serene calm is disrupted when Anya enters their lives: a spirited au pair whose bold energy and warmth bring back color to their world and bring healing to their lives. Her honest answers to their questions challenge the silence they have lived in for so long.

As a cinephile, I’d rephrase that as follows:

“Hailing from Wales/U.K., I recently came across an intriguing alternative period drama titled ‘Madfabulous.’ This captivating production is directed by Celyn Jones and penned by Lisa Baker. The talented team behind it includes Sean Marley, Nadia Jaynes as producers, along with a stellar cast consisting of Callum Scott Howells, Ruby Stokes, Rupert Everett, Paul Rhys, and Siobhán McSweeney. This cinematic gem is the brainchild of Mad as Birds, Ffilm Cymru Wales, and Creative Wales. For distribution purposes, it’s represented by Mad as Birds.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’d sum up this captivating tale in my own words:

The Rebel Marquess: A Tale of Scandal and Self-Expression

In the heart of 1890s North Wales, I find myself immersed in the extravagant life of Henry Paget, a flamboyant aristocrat fresh from France. Upon his arrival to claim his noble inheritance, he stirs up a storm among the upper-class elite with his outrageous theatrics and unapologetic eccentricities. The townsfolk watch in amusement as the new Marquess shakes up their stagnant society.

Accompanied by his spirited cousin Lily and loyal butler Gelert, Henry embarks on a journey to carve out his own identity as the Fifth Marquess amidst the cold ambition of his calculating cousin Neville and the relentless pursuit of the ruthless Lord Penrhyn. Navigating through suffocating traditions, scheming relatives, and the lingering specter of his estranged father, Henry and Lily must find a way to break free from their shackles and redefine what it means to be aristocracy in this tumultuous era.

UK Drama Thriller
Director/Writer: Paul Wright
Producers: Kate Byers, Alex Thiele, Linn Waite, Marie-Elena Dyche, Lowri Roberts
Starring: George Mackay, Rosy McEwen
Production Companies: Early Day Films, 65 Wilding Films, Meraki Films, Rapt, BBC Film, Screen Scotland, Ffilm Cymru Wales
Distributor: Blue Finch Films

This is a UK-based drama thriller written and directed by Paul Wright. The production involves Early Day Films, 65 Wilding Films, Meraki Films, Rapt, BBC Film, Screen Scotland, Ffilm Cymru Wales, and it stars George Mackay and Rosy McEwen. Blue Finch Films will handle the distribution of this movie.

Overview – The story, titled “Mission,” delves into the human psyche, portraying Dylan (played by George MacKay), a character feeling isolated, as he ventures out to taste life’s intense highs and lows. Strained in his relationship with his sister Claire (Rosy McEwen), Dylan embarks on an exhilarating quest for self-discovery. This journey is both uplifting and nerve-wracking.

Drama Set at Sea” – Directed and Written by Helen Walsh. Produced by David Moores, David A Hughes, with Mike Goodridge and Chris Clark serving as Executive Producers. Starring Barry Ward, Lorne MacFadyen, Liz White, Henry Lawfull, and Celyn Jones. Production by Red Union Films. Available for sales through Red Union Films and Good Chaos.

Storyline – For more than half his life, Jack has been married to Maggie. He spends his days working on the mussel beds in North Wales alongside his younger brother Dyfan and Dyfan’s three sons. Jack had always expected that their son Tom would carry on the family business after finishing school, but Tom resists this path, causing friction within the family. The situation becomes even more complicated with the arrival of a transient worker, Daniel, who openly expresses his affection for Jack. In this small, rural community where life centers around Church and fishing, Jack finds himself in a difficult predicament. On The Sea is a moving, sensual, and at times heart-wrenching tale that delves into themes of masculinity, identity, and longing.

“Withdrawal” – Ted Evans is the director and writer of this British thriller. The producers are Michelle Stein, Jennifer Monks, and Alex Usborne. The main cast includes Anne Zander, James Boyle, Sophie Stone, Ace Mahbaz, and Anna Seymour. This production is presented by BFI, BBC Film, and Creative UK under the banner of The Fold and 104 Films Production. XYZ Films handles the sales for this project.

Overview: Matt, who was brought up in a secluded deaf society, starts noticing flaws in his seemingly perfect existence when the mysterious Eva enters the scene. This newcomer challenges Matt to reconsider the truth about his identity. Is he ready to uncover the secrets hidden beneath his supposedly ideal community and confront the sacrifices required to uphold it?

Titled: “The Son and the Sea”
UK Drama Directed by Stroma Cairns
Written by Imogen West and Stroma Cairns
Produced by Imogen West and Kelly Peck
Starring Jonah West, Stanley Brock, Connor Tompkins, and Grant Lindsay
Production companies include BBC Film, In The Company Of, Studio Cloy, Moment Film Group, Creativity Media, Creativity Capital
Available for Sales through Studio Cloy and In the Company Of.

Summary – Jonah (26), an energetic yet flighty individual with ADHD, frequently stumbles, while his friend Lee (26) consistently scales new heights. Following another setback and under duress to meet his great-aunt, who has dementia, Jonah plans a visit for himself, Lee, and potential relief from his self-made turmoil. Although the northeastern coast of Scotland wasn’t quite what Lee anticipated, it exudes a certain rugged beauty and mystery. There, they encounter Charlie (26), who is Deaf and struggling to tidy up after his shady twin brother. Through the blossoming friendship that transcends their linguistic differences, the trio forges a bond that inspires them to leave behind their youthful ways, find the courage to be exposed, and discover that happiness can still exist amidst loss.

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2025-05-06 02:51