The Little Film Company announces today the acquisition for worldwide sales the newly filmed version of Shakespeare’s most iconic play HAMLET, starring Maxine Peake (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING), directed by Margaret Williams (WRITTEN ON SKIN, Royal Opera House/BBC – winner of five awards including the Gramophone Contemporary Award and the Diapason d’Or). Sarah Frankcom, award-winning Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre (MASQUE OF ANARCHY, PUNK ROCK, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE), directed the stage production.
Following the highly successful theatrical run at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, Picturehouse Entertainment opened HAMLET across the UK on 23 March in over 300 cinemas to stunning reviews, noting the strong and intense performances and the fresh take on the popular classic.
The strong, poignant production depicts intense family drama and the power of grief. Maxine Peake’s fierce and textured Hamlet imbues the role with anger, indignation and purpose. Filmed with eight cameras by an expert team, the film captures the intensity of the stage production with all the polish and care of a feature film.
HAMLET also stars John Shrapnel as Claudius/Ghost (PHEDRE, with Helen Mirren at the National Theatre; MACBETH, with Kenneth Branagh, 2016), Barbara Marten as Gertrude (THE MILL, VERA), Gillian Bevan as Polonia (LONDON ROAD, TEACHERS), Katie West as Ophelia (WITHOUT YOU, and the Royal Exchange production PUNK ROCK), and Thomas Arnold as Horatio (CALL THE MIDWIFE, WOLF HALL and ENDEAVOUR). The film is executive produced for Genesius Pictures by Julian Gleek, Quidem Productions LTD by Ralph Bernard and Simon Cooper, Royal Exchange Theatre by Fiona Gasper, and produced by Anne Beresford and Debbie Gray (NORTHERN SOUL, Winner - NME 2015, Best Film).
HAMLET will screen in the Marché du Film on Monday, May 18, 5:30pm, Lerins 1.
“To bring such a daring, new take on this much-loved piece of work to the buyers in Cannes is a real pleasure. Maxine Peake is outstanding, the staging is wonderful and for this all to be translated onto the big screen is masterful,” states Robbie Little, co-president of The Little Film Company.
Debbie Gray had major success in 2014 with the BAFTA-nominated film NORTHERN SOUL, which reached number ten at the UK box office and number one in the DVD chart. The Little Film Company and Genesius Pictures are now working on The More You Ignore Me written by Jo Brand and to be directed by Keith English. Also Genesius Pictures and Quidem Productions are working closely together on further productions with the Little Film Company to be announced shortly .
With offices in London and Los Angeles, The Little Film Company, is a worldwide film sales and marketing company that also theatrical distributes, finances and executive produces independent motion pictures and consults for diverse media companies.