Instead of buying environmentally questionable Christmas cards, this year we decided to do what we do best and make a film. Written and directed by BAFTA-winner Keri Collins, Exmas is a short Christmas rom-com about two people who meet outside their office Christmas party, both trying to decide whether to call their ex-lovers. Shot on a long and cold December night and post produced over the last week, we’re very pleased to present our latest short just in time for the last Christmas post. You can watch it here.
Radiator Receives Rave Reviews
The reviews keep coming in for our first co-produced feature Radiator which premiered earlier this year at Picturehouse Central, and we couldn’t be happier with the critics’ reception:
The Guardian – 4 STARS – “Absorbing, subtle, and outstandingly acted... tremendously intelligent" - PICK OF THE WEEK
The Sunday Times – 4 STARS – “Fresh and surprising” – PICK OF THE WEEK
The Times – 4 STARS – “A harshly compelling melodrama that floats between Michael Haneke's Amour and the plays of Samuel Beckett"
The Independent – 4 STARS – “Delicately crafted and moving”
The Observer – 4 STARS – “Richard Johnson is mesmerising... Gemma Jones is exceptional”
The Standard – 4 STARS – “The hilarious script as nuanced and heartbreaking as a great novel... the performances are sublime"
Empire– 4 STARS - “Moments of heartbreaking sadness and dark, laugh-out-loud comedy"
The Daily Express – 5 STARS – “One of the best British films of the year”
The Huffington Post - 5 STARS - "Compelling, sensitive, poetic, a gem. A great surprise. Wonderful cinema"
The film is currently screening at Picturehouse cinemas nationwide.
Radiator At Picturehouse Cinemas
x is delighted to announce that its first feature co-production Radiator will be screening at Picturehouse Cinemas from 27 November.
Produced by Turnchapel Films and Rattling Stick, and co-produced by x and Halo, Radiator is a moving personal debut from director Tom Browne, which tells the story of retired couple Leonard (Richard Johnson) and Maria (Gemma Jones) in a moving portrait of family love, in all its complicated, heart-breaking and life-affirming incarnations. The film is particularly poignant as it features the last screen performance from the brilliant Richard Johnson, who sadly passed away in June.
The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival and has since picked up several awards, including the Audience Award at Glasgow Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at Dallas International Film Festival.
Edinburgh Premiere For The Incident
Tonight sees the world premiere of BAFTA-nominated Jane Linfoot's debut feature The Incident at Edinburgh International Film Festival. Backed by the BFI Film Fund and Creativity Capital, the film was produced by Caroline Cooper Charles and Sarada McDermott for Universal Spirits and Square Circle Productions. x provided all the visual effects, and the film was edited by Matthew McKinnon here at xHQ.
The film follows the story of a couple facing their inner demons after ignoring the plight of a teenager in trouble – an incident that totally disrupts their normal life. Linfoot, quoted in Variety, says she wanted to make “an emotionally haunting piece which challenges audiences to remember we have a moral obligation to protect all children who are vulnerable, not just our own.”
Girl Like You Wraps
In the early hours of this morning we wrapped on our new short, Girl Like You, starring Prabjot Kaur, Alannah Olivia, Rukku Nahar, and Bessy Naidhu.
Directed by Rajinder Kochar and written by Sharmila Chauhan, Girl Like You is a story about teenage friendship, betrayal and how a young woman on the cusp of sexual exploration learns she must live and love on her own terms.
The film is produced by Paul Harry Thomas and Terese Bröchner Christensen, and was commissioned by Film London as part of its London Calling scheme.
Fragments Of May Selected For Krakow Film Festival
x is very pleased to announce that Fragments Of May – directed by Maria Pia Fanigliulo and produced by Paul Harry Thomas – has been selected from over 3,000 entries to receive its world premiere as an Official Selection for the 55th Krakow Film Festival.
The KFF is one of the oldest film festivals in Europe, recognised by FIAPF, FIPRESCI and FICC. The films awarded at Krakow are automatically eligible for the European Film Awards and the Oscars in the short films categories.
Inspired by Emily Dickinson’s early poems about life, and David Foster Wallace's very first short story, which visualises depression as living on a different planet to Earth, Fragments Of May splits the eponymous lead character into two halves: one struggling in London; the other trying to recover from depression in a youth clinic – until events lead the two storylines to collide.
Kuishi Na Tembo
It’s an exciting time here at x with the completion of our first wildlife film.
Commissioned by The Wildlife Connection, one of the leading conservation organisations in Africa, Kuishi Na Tembo (Living With Elephants) was shot entirely in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania.
Directed by conservationist Andrea Pawel and beautifully shot by wildlife photographer Sam Stewart, this educational film follows two children as they embark on an adventure around the national park, learning to live safely alongside these incredible creatures. You can view the full film here.
x Wins Film London Commission - Girl Like You
x has been commissioned by Film London to produce new short Girl Like You as part of its London Calling scheme.
Directed by Rajinder Kochar and written by Sharmila Chauhan, Girl Like You is a story about teenage friendship, betrayal and how a young woman on the cusp of sexual exploration learns she must live and love on her own terms.
The film will be produced by Paul Harry Thomas and Terese Bröchner Christensen.
Four New Films Previewing At BAFTA
x is proud to announce a special screening of its latest collection of short films at BAFTA on January 15:
Crocodile (Dir: Matt Harris-Freeth | Prod: Paul Harry Thomas)
Fragments of May [previously Trillaphon] (Dir: Maria Pia Fanigliulo | Prod: Paul Harry Thomas)
Boldly Gone (Dir: Mark Buchanan | Prod: Paul Harry Thomas)
Old Habits (Dir: The Brothers Lynch | Prod: Mike Morrison & Paul Harry Thomas)
Please note that this is a private screening. If you have not received an invitation but would like to attend, please get in touch.
We hope to see you there.
Graham Clayton-Chance Joins Roster
x is pleased to welcome Graham Clayton-Chance to its roster.
Graham's films have screened at many international film festivals, including Berlin, Edinburgh, London, Rotterdam, and One Dot Zero – and he has previously been commissioned by the UK Film Council, the Arts Council of England, and the Scottish Arts Council.
Graham has made commercial films for international organisations such as Dentsu, Monocle, The Guardian, BBC Films, Mini, American Express, Lexus, and Hermes. You can view some of his work here.