UK outfit Soda Pictures is to release new Northern Soul movie SoulBoy under its recently launched distribution fund, Soda Film Fund.

The film, a premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival this week, will go out theatrically in September and across all platforms in the early autumn, following a summer of previews at key film festivals, music festivals and an exclusive all-nighter event in the spirit of the film.

SoulBoy, previoiusly known by the title Souled Out, is set  in 1974 against the backdrop of the Northern Soul movement.

It is directed by Irish filmmaker Shimmy Marcus and stars Martin Compston, Nichola Burley Felicity Jones and Alfie Allen.

SoulBoy is produced by Christine Alderson of Ipso Facto Films and Natasha Carlish of Dreamfinder Productions, in association with Screen West Midlands through their Advantage Media Production Fund, Stoke-On-Trent City Council and Molinare. The film is co-Executive Produced by Mark Vennis and Gary Phillips of Moviehouse Entertainment who are also in charge of international sales and by Eve Gabereau and Edward Fletcher of Soda Pictures who will handle the UK and Irishrights.  

“We have been involved from script level and it is great to see it through to audiences,” Soda’s Gabereau said. “We are very excited about the possibilities of reaching people for this film via other channels than just cinema screens.”  She continues: “although the traditional theatrical space will be a vital component of the film’s success, we think that given the avant-garde nature of Northern Soul it makes sense to also position it as alternative content and get it out along the lines of gigs and club nights, and through digital platforms such as iTunes and FilmFlex.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the term Northern Soul. The movement is seen today as the percursor to disco and acid jazz, a cousin to funk and even a mentor to breakdancing and streetdancing.

Following its Edinburgh world premiere tomorrow (June 19) there will be a Soul Night at the Traverse Theatre. The film will also feature in the Latitude, Big Chill, Vintage at Goodwood and Summer Madness Festivals in July and August, and be part of a Northern Soul All-Nighter Weekend hosted by DJ Russ Winstanley to take place in Stoke-on-Trent on August 21st and be recorded live to be broadcast into club nights across the UK and Ireland. It will be on general release from 3rd September. The soundtrack is out in June.

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