Starred Up sets UK release date

Prison drama Starred Up, which last week led the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) nominations with eight nods, is to be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on March 21 2014 distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures

It is the story of a young man, Eric (Jack O’Connell), who is prematurely transferred from a young offenders’ institution to adult jail for being too violent. As he struggles to assert himself against the prison officers and the other inmates, he has to confront his own father Nev (Ben Mendelsohn), a man who has spent most of his life in jail.

As Eric forges allegiances with other prisoners, and learns that his rage can be overcome through his work with prison therapist Oliver (Rupert Friend), he discovers the new rules of survival. But there are forces at work that threaten to destroy him.

The film is directed by David Mackenzie, the UK filmmaker behind Young Adam, Hallam Foe and Perfect Sense, from a screenplay written by first-time scriptwriter Jonathan Asser, who has a background in the prison system working as an innovative therapist.

The title comes from the process of prematurely upgrading a teenager from a Young Offenders’ Institution to Adult Prison.

The film was shot on location in Crumlin Road Prison in the UK earlier this year.

It debuted at Toronto in September and screened at the London Film Festival last month.

The film is a Film4 presentation in association with Creative Scotland, Quickfire Films, Northern Ireland Screen and Lip Sync Productions.

Executive producers are Katherine Butler, Sam Lavender, James Atherton, Jan Pace, Norman Merry, Peter Hampden and David Mackenzie.