Michelle Stein and Jennifer Monks, producers of Moin Hussain’s Venice Critics’ Week entry Sky Peals, are launching UK production company The Fold.
Stein was named a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2009 (as Michelle Eastwood); she has produced features including Brian Welsh’s Bifa-winning In Our Name in 2010, and Hussain’s shorts Naptha and Real Gods Require Blood.
Monks was recently a co-producer on Charlotte Regan’s Sundance premiere Scrapper, and Naqqash Khalid’s Karlovy Vary title In Camera.
The Fold banner aims “to produce high quality authored work from unique creative voices to serve the UK and global market” according to the producers. The duo previously ran their own companies Escape Films and Pencil Trick Productions.
The company is based in Liverpool, and can bring in potential financing for projects from the Liverpool City Region Film & TV Fund.
The Fold has seven feature films in various stages of development. First among them is Retreat, the debut feature from d/Deaf director Ted Evans, which came through the low-budget iFeatures scheme in 2017 and is aiming for a summer 2024 shoot. A drama about an all-deaf commune, the film will feature extensive sign-language.
Further feature projects include untitled features from The Favourite writer Deborah Davis; from 2021 Screen Star of Tomorrow Genevieve Barr; from Kara Smith, who has written for series including Netflix’s Lockwood & Co.; and from author and playwright Rory Gleeson.
The company is also developing the next film from 2018 Screen Star Hussain; plus There Will Be Love (working title) from Liverpool-based filmmaker Mike Forshaw, developed with the BFI; and Present Perfect from Zhannat Alshanova, whose short films have played Cannes and Sundance, developed with Film4.
The Fold will also work in series production, with a slate supported by the BBC’s Small Indie Fund. Projects in development include Offcuts by comedy writer Andy Yerlett; Lily by playwright Lizzie Nunnery; and Toxic from Kefi Chadwick, which is a co-production with Gina Carter and Stephen Fry’s Sprout Pictures.
Monks and Stein will also act as co-producers for UK and international productions looking to access regional funding and production support.
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