BFI London Film Festival Unveils ‘My Name Is Leon,’ ‘Hong Kong Mixtape’ and More for LFF Works-in-Progress Showcase

Malachi Kirby
AP

By K.J. Yossman – Oct 4, 2021 6:00am PT

BFI London Film Festival has revealed its line-up for its second Works-in-Progress showcase, including a documentary about Hong Kong’s draconian National Security law and a TV narrative feature starring Sir Lenny Henry and Malachi Kirby (pictured above).

The showcase will take place on Oct. 9.

It consists of seven recently completed or in production/post-production audio-visual projects from emerging British talent made for cinema, television and immersive platforms.

The audience will include international buyers, festival programmers and, via a secure digital platform, a number of other industry professionals.

The talent selected for the workshop will also, with assistance from the British Council as well as the BFI LFF, get an opportunity to network with various industry players such as buyers, commissioners, producers and programmers via a number of initiatives including a reception for new talent and a producers’ lunch.

2021 marks the workshop’s second year. Last year’s projects included Marley Morrison’s “Sweetheart” and “The Score” from Malachi Smyth.

As well as the workshop, this year’s LFF will see the Buyers & Sellers event return in person, enabling international sales agents to mingle with U.K. buyers, and NETWORK@LFF, which will offer events and masterclasses for a 12-strong group of U.K.-based writers, directors and producers.

“International Industry engagement with the LFF has been increasing over the last five years, and we were keen to use this moment to highlight some of the impressive emerging talent in the U.K.,” said BFI London Film Festival director, Tricia Tuttle, in a statement.

“It’s vital that independent filmmakers and moving image creatives in the UK are connected to counterparts from across the globe, for co-investment and distribution, but also creative enrichment. And we are looking forward to sharing these diverse and vibrant new projects, and their talented creators, with our invited Industry both in person and at the online showcase.”

This year’s Works-in-Progress showcase features:

– Hong Kong Mixtape (documentary): Director San San F Young set out to document how creatives – including rappers, dancers and illustrators – are navigating Hong Kong’s new draconian National Security Law.

Dir/scr San San F Young, prod Nikki Parrott.

– Medusa Deluxe (narrative feature): A competitive hairdressing competition sets the scene for a murder mystery.

Dir/scr Thomas Hardiman, prods Mike Elliott, Louise Palmkvist Hansen and Lee Groombridge, starring Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Clare Perkins, Darrell D’Silva, Debris Stevenson, Harriett Webb, Kae Alexander, Kayla Meikle, Lilit Lesser, Luke Pasqualino, Nicholas Karimi and Heider Ali.

– Pretty Red Dress (narrative feature): A competitive hairdressing competition sets the scene for a murder mystery.

Dir/scr Dionne Edwards, prod Georgia Goggin, starring Natey Jones, Alexandra Burke, Temilola Olatunbosun.

– Consensus Gentium (XR project): An interactive film about Big Tech experienced entirely on mobile devices.

Dir/scr Karen Palmer, prod Tuyết Vân Huỳnh, starring Miriam Teak-Lee, Zachary Hing, Tolu Kingba, Sorcha Farnan, Keon-Martial Phillip, Dean Christie.

– Mosaic (XR project): Young people with roots in South-West Asia and North Africa tell their stories in this art-based archival film project.

Dirs Eleanor Nawal and Layla Madanat, prod Sarah Hamed

– All Points North (documentary): An exploration of Yorkshire’s industrial and immigrant landscape.

Dir Glen Milner, prods Ben Hilton, Glen Milner.

– My Name is Leon (TV narrative feature): A mixed-race boy in the 1980s navigates the foster care system against a backdrop of Birmingham’s race riots.

Dir Lynette Linton, scr Shola Amoo, prod Carol Harding, starring Cole Martin, Monica Dolan, Malachi Kirby, Olivia Williams, Lenny Henry, Poppy Lee Friar, Shobna Gulati, Christopher Eccleston.

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/bfi-london-film-festival-works-in-progress-showcase-1235080118/#recipient_hashed=7d486629a1598f203e486191a1026eb142029be5e70511e3e48835302225fd29