Saxon

SAXON’s UK release

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:13:19 +0000

At last, Saxonites the world over can mark a special date in the calendar: Monday 8th December 2008. This is the day when SAXON the film will be released officially, following more than three years of perseverance, pain, generosity of spirit, talent, good luck and hard work by all concerned. It’s the moment when the blockbustered retailers come up for air – fresh air. It’s also when lots of people do their Christmas shopping. But for those wise ones who like to plan ahead, the DVD will soon be available to pre-order from the usual media stores, online, or direct from distributors Peccadillo Pictures.

Right now, the wheels of industry must spin very hard indeed…

*DVD EXTRAS: shooting and editing of new interview footage, post-production work on special short, preparation of trailer, stills sequence, animation and music tracks
*PR + MARKETING: press packs, online presence, mini adverts, interviews, design, deals
*DISTRIBUTION: printed and wrapped packs available online and instore; streaming and downloading; rental
*SAXON THE BOOK: typesetting, proofing and printing; marketing; distribution (eg bookshops, book fairs, online and direct purchase from the publishers CB Editions)
*LAUNCH event – watch this space

The story continues…

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:17:33 +0000

SAXON was nominated Best UK Debut Feature at the East End International Film Festival, and it was the first film in the entire festival to be sold out, weeks before screening, with a waiting list for returns on the night. The buzz attracted BBC London to the venue and director Greg Loftin appeared in exclusive interview on BBC London News.

SAXON’s producer Elise Valmorbida appeared in Moviescope Magazine’s feature ‘One to Watch’, and soon will appear in interview as part of Movie Mogul’s documentary about micro-budget Britfilms. The first-time producer recently received her Trailblazer trophy, courtesy of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Skillset UK.

Production of SAXON THE BOOK is underway. Commissioned by award-winning guerrilla publisher CB Editions, the beautifully produced volume includes the film’s original screenplay, production stills, cast and crew credits, review extracts and the full story of how – against the odds – this guerrilla film was made and achieved success.

More about the film’s release and book publication in the next news posting…

East End International Film Festival

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:43:56 +0000

Following recent festival successes in Edinburgh, Israel and Europe, the much anticipated English premiere of guerrilla film SAXON is happening – at the East End International Film Festival. Past big-name premieres here include films by Danny Boyle, Julian Cole, Julian Temple, Richard E Grant’s Wah Wah and the Oscar-winning documentary Born into Brothels. Click here to visit the East End Film Festival website.

The SAXON screening at 8.30pm on 21st April is followed by a Q&A session with writer-director Greg Loftin and lead actors Sean Harris, Sarah Matravers and Michelle Connolly. The film’s cast, crew, private investors and journalists are attending this ’sneak preview’ event. SAXON is slated for general release in summer 2008, via distributors Peccadillo Pictures.

For info about the Rich Mix cinema,
visit http://www.richmix.org.uk/
For tickets to SAXON’s English premiere,
phone 020 7613 7490

WINNER: BEST EUROPEAN DRAMATIC FEATURE

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:12:51 +0000

SAXON won the top award – BEST EUROPEAN DRAMATIC FEATURE – at the European Independent Film Festival held in Paris (14-16 March 2008).

This is wonderful news for all the people who made SAXON happen with a homeopathically small budget, plenty of talent, tons of hope and hard work – fuelled by the generous support of friends, family, neighbours and strangers who dived in and are strangers no more!

THANKS TO ALL FRIENDS OF SAXON. YOU ARE THE WINNERS!

Postcard from Paris

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:13:24 +0000

From Brooklyn to Bucharest, and quite a few places in between, film-makers and film-goers converged on the landmark Bibliothèque Nationale de France for the ECU European Independent Film Festival.

Official selection SAXON travelled to Paris, along with other features, shorts and documentaries, newly dubbed with French subtitles. The SAXON Q&A session in the Directors’ Room was a mini-fest of enthusiasm. Audiences favoured the casting (from Sean Harris to lesser-known actors such as Divian Ladwa), the surreal aspects of the film, and the arresting combination of humour and menace. French viewers readily understood the British world of SAXON as a parallel to their own cité housing projects.

With festival successes and UK theatrical release slated for summer 2008, Sillwood Films will seek agency/distribution in France and elsewhere in Europe.

SAXON in Europe!

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:59:06 +0000

The latest purring black-cat luck for SAXON: official selection for the European Independent Film Festival, known as ‘Europe’s Sundance’! With dramatic features from Poland, Kosovo, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Spain and the UK, the European Film Fest just happens to take place in the land of Lumière this year. Paris welcomes SAXON writer-director Greg Loftin with an exclusive directors-and-press-only boat cruise along the Seine. May the spirit of L’Atalante and Les Amants du Pont Neuf be with him! Then follows a press conference (with skyscraping views of Paris) and a weekend of intense screening activity at the Bibliothèque Nationale, from 14th–16th March.

SAXON is scheduled for its European outing – with French subtitles – on Saturday 15th March.

For more FilmFest info, click here: http://www.ecufilmfestival.com/

To see SAXON’s new cinema trailer on the FilmFest website, click here: http://www.ecufilmfestival.com/interactive/

SAXON in Israel!

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:22:32 +0000

SAXON was chosen from literally hundreds of new British films to feature in the British Film Festival in Israel (15th-26th January 2008). As an unexpected bonus, the director and producer were invited to attend the Festival as guests of the British Council. The SAXON duo was given a warm welcome by an impressive British Council team and a host of other cinephiles, including the founder of the Jerusalem Cinematheque Lia van Leer, FF program director Avinoam Harpak, Cinematheque director Ilan de Vries and Aviva Meirom, familiar to international audiences from the extraordinary feature documentary SLIM PEACE. SAXON had three successful Cinematheque outings – in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – all with Hebrew subtitles. On the closing night of the Festival (just before BRICK LANE) SAXON screened to a packed 370-seat auditorium. The Q&A sessions were upbeat. Despite its very very British bent, SAXON travels well.

Miracle workers

elise@sillwoodfilms.co.uk — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:00:00 +0000

Alas, no prizes (yet) for SAXON, apart from the Trailblazer award. But The Edinburgh International Film Festival and Michael Powell Award nomination are glittering achievements, considering SAXON’s scarce resources and outsider chances. Not to mention how much press coverage the film has received – most of it hugely positive. This year the film awards industry, even the independent sector, has been dominated by a few well-made features with well-upholstered budgets and the occasional big name too. Many film festivals and many cinemas will only accept a 35mm print – which SAXON’s makers can’t afford. There is no official funding scheme in the UK for a 35mm blow-up, even though there is a fund for further copies once one has been made. £25,000 is all it takes. Any miracle-workers out there?

TOP AWARD NOMINATION

admin — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:42:54 +0000

HOT OFF THE PRESS:
SAXON has been nominated for THE MICHAEL POWELL AWARD for BEST NEW BRITISH FEATURE. There are eleven films in competition, many of them with well-upholstered budgets and famous actors, so SAXON supporters are kindly requested to cross fingers so hard it hurts. All religions, superstitions and rational/irrational belief systems accepted.

SAXON in Scotland!

admin — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:42:13 +0000

Edinburgh International Film Festival’s artistic director has officially selected Britfilm SAXON for the 2007 programme and awarded first-time producer Elise Valmorbida the honour of Trailblazer – one of only ten such sparklers in the UK.

SAXON’s premiere happens at 21.45 on 22^nd August. There’s a second chance to catch it at 21.45 on 24^th August. We’d love you to come along, laugh, cry, clap if you dare and (regardless of all your emotions) carefully fill in the ratings card with the best marks in town, so SAXON stands a chance of winning the Audience Award.

Check out http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/films/saxon/