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THE WEE MAN Wins Big at BAFTA

Carnaby International is proud to congratulate THE WEE MAN for taking
home a BAFTA for Best Film – voted for by the audience – at the 2013
Scottish BAFTAs.

The Wee Man, from the producers of A Lonely Place to Die and Rise of the Footsoldier, features exceptional performances from Martin Compston, nominated for Best Actor, and Daniel Kerr, winner of The BAFTA New Talent Award. The cast also includes Stephen McCole and John Hannah.

The film is a high-paced gangster-action thriller based on a true story that charts the rise of Scotland’s most feared gangster, Paul Ferris, who turned to violence and crime as a teenager in the 1980s as a way of surviving in the impoverished area where he was raised and eventually grew to become a major figure in the criminal underworld.

For further inquiries and to request a screener please contact Tania Sarra, Director of International Sales, at tania@carnabyinternational.com.

Language: English

Running Time: 105 minutes

Avails – World, excluding: Benelux, Canada, Former Yugoslavia, Middle East, Scandinavia, Turkey, UK & Eire, USA, Australia & New Zealand.

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Carnaby International marks market debut with PANZER 88

Carnaby International makes its market debut with the $40 million dollar action fantasy film written and directed by cinematographer Peter Briggs – the screenwriter of HELLBOY, teaming with the producers of Academy Award winning STAR WARS, ALIEN and BLADE RUNNER.

Producer Gary Kurtz said, “I am very pleased to be working with the Carnaby team on PANZER 88. They have enthusiastically supported the project from the beginning. I look forward to working closely with Carnaby on all aspects of the marketing and distribution of the film. I knew instinctively hearing Peter Briggs tell me the story of PANZER 88 that I had to, simply had to make this movie. Same instinct that got me working on STAR WARS.”

Peter Briggs stated, “I’m deliriously pleased with the way Carnaby integrated seamlessly with the creative core of Gary, Ivor, Priscilla, Alex, and myself on PANZER 88. Bringing to bear the undeniable A-list class and commercial know-how of the producers of STAR WARS and ALIEN, and the technical wizardry of Richard Taylor’s 5-time Academy Award winning Weta Workshop, Carnaby are launching to market what I think is one of the most extraordinary supernatural action movies that has emerged from this or any other past AFM. Carnaby know they have a commercial and genuinely thrilling project in PANZER, and their bold and clear strategy grabs you by the jugular the moment you walk through the front door of Loew’s.”

Ivor Powell commented: “With Carnaby, we have been fortunate enough to find a team that share our passion in PANZER 88. I’m confident that the Carnaby team’s sales expertise will be brilliant for the project. These past few weeks have proved an exciting roller coaster for all of us as the Carnaby team shifted into overdrive for our AFM debut. It was exciting to witness everything coming together.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with such an accomplished and talented team of people,” said Sean O’Kelly, CEO of Carnaby. “We’ve had an amazing response from buyers who have really responded to the concept of PANZER 88. It’s a film that delivers the entire package.”

Cast is being finalized with the producers in discussion with Jay Baruchel, Gary Oldman, Thomas Kretschmann and Liev Schreiber.

PANZER 88 is produced by Gary Kurtz, Oscar-winning producer of STAR WARS, STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, AMERICAN GRAFFITI and Ivor Powell: ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, THE DUELLISTS. Special Effects are engineered by Weta Workshop: (5 time Oscar-winning) AVATAR, THE HOBBIT, LORD OF THE RINGS, DISTRICT 9, KING KONG, with VFXPrime Focus: WORLD WAR Z, TREE OF LIFE, X-MEN FIRST CLASS, TRON LEGACY, AVATAR.

PANZER 88 is set to start shooting in the UK and Canada in late 2014.

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Benfleet film company up for three Scottish Baftas

A BENFLEET film production company hopes to be toasting success when it heads off to an awards ceremony.

Gritty crime drama The Wee Man has been nominated for three awards at the Scottish Baftas, due to take place in Glasgow on November 17th 2013.

The film follows the story of Paul Ferris, played by actor Martin Compston, as he descends into a life of crime in Seventies Glasgow.

Made by Carnaby International, which is based in High Road, Benfleet, the film has already picked up Scottish Bafta New Talent Award, in March, when actor Daniel Kerr was named best newcomer.

The Wee Man has been nominated for best film, best actor (Martin Compston) and the audience award for best film.
Terry Loveday, executive producer of Carnaby International, said he was “really excited about the nominations”

and described the film as being about bullying.

He said: “Ferris is tormented by a family of notorious bullies as he is growing up.

“Then one day he finally snaps and despite his father’s advice and in the knowledge the police can do nothing to help he decides to take on his tormentors.”

The movie was filmed in 2011 and released last year.

Mr Loveday added: “The film has really gathered momentum.

“Making the film was interesting.

We were not allowed to film in Glasgow because the police would not let us have access, so much of the film was shot in Bromley-by- Bow, in east London.

“We are looking forward to heading to the awards later this month.”

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Carnaby links up with ex-Stealth chief

UK producer Carnaby International has partnered with the former CEO of Stealth Media to launch film and TV production, distribution and sales arms.

Sean O’Kelly, one of three co-founders of Stealth Media, will head the new divisions of Carnaby International, having left Stealth earlier this year.

Carnaby Film Distribution will encompass theatrical, digital, TV and DVD releases, with plans to distribute six to eight theatrical films each year.

Carnaby Film Sales, meanwhile, will focus on the worldwide sales of Carnaby International productions as well as third-party content.

O’Kelly, CEO of Carnaby Film Sales and Carnaby Film Distribution, said there was a gap in the market that left local independent filmmakers struggling to find homes for their films, and Carnaby’s new businesses would attempt to fill it.

“We have an aggressive growth plan in place with significant financial support for the next five years. We’re looking to acquire high-end commercial and quality content for both UK theatrical distribution and international sales,” added O’Kelly.