UK outfit Bankside has boarded world sales on Brides, the debut feature from acclaimed theatre director and Screen Star of Tomorrow 2023 Nadia Fall, as production wraps.
The film, which shot in Wales, Turkey and Italy, stars newcomer Ebada Hassan and Layla’s Safiyya Ingar as two teenage girls in 2015, in search of freedom, friendship and belonging, who run away from their troubled lives in a seaside town with a misguided plan of travelling to Syria.
Nicky Bentham produces through London-based Neon Films, alongside Marica Stocchi of Rome-based Rosamont. Catryn Ramasut and Alice Lusher of Cardiff’s ie ie productions are co-producers. Suhayla El-Bushra wrote the script.
The film was supported by the BFI and Ffilm Cymru Wales, both awarding National Lottery funding, and Welsh Government via Creative Wales, Great Point Media, the Italian Ministry of Culture Minority Co-production Fund, Friuli Venezia Giuila Audiovisual regional fund and Rai Cinema.
Brides was developed by the BFI and won Chopard’s Breaking Through the Lens Action Grant in 2023.
Fall is the CEO and artistic director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, and was a former associate artist at the National Theatre.
”With Brides I wanted to evoke both the thrills and anguish of adolescence: from the electricity of first love, die-hard friendships, and euphoric risk-taking to heartache, often crippling embarrassment and isolation,” said Fall. “Our girls are outsiders and are desperate to find somewhere to belong. As we all grapple with the horror of war and conflict on a world stage, the pain-on-loop on social media, I hope that this story will resonate deeply.
”Shooting my first feature in three different countries was an incredible adventure and I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful cast and crew on the journey. I absolutely can’t wait to share our story.”
Executive producers include Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green for Bankside Films, Emma Duffy and Lizzie Francke for the BFI, Kiah Simpson for Ffilm Cymru Wales, Cassidy Uggla, Matt Murphie, Sawsan Asfari and Susan Simnett.
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