The producer of Focus Features’ “Polite Society” has launched his next project with “Lollipop,” the fiction debut of Daisy-May Hudson, starring Posy Sterling, TerriAnn Oudjar and newcomer Idil Ahmed.
The film, which has wrapped after a five-week shoot in London, is the first major title for new sales agent and financier Architect, set up by former Embankment Films executives Callum Gray and Max Pirkes. The company will launch the title at this month’s European Film Market, which runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival.
A BAFTA breakthrough, Grierson and BIFA nominated documentary director, Daisy-May Hudson’s previous film was the acclaimed documentary “Half Way”.
“Lollipop” follows Molly (Sterling), a young woman who has just been released from prison and is struggling to regain custody of her children from the state. When they bump into their childhood friend Amina (Ahmad), both women soon realize that their only chance is to join forces and take destiny into their own hands.
Produced by “Polite Society” producers Cecilia Frugiuele and Olivier Kaempfer of Parkville Pictures (“Inappropriate Behavior,” “Cameron Post’s Miseducation”), “Lollipop” is financed by BBC Films and the BFI.
Architect will look after the worldwide sales of the film. The organization was recently launched by Gray and Perks along with Patrick Fisher and Richard Condell of Creativity Capital.
In “Halfway,” Hudson filmed his family’s experiences living in a homeless hostel for over a year in 2013. After successfully raising £10,000 through crowdfunding, he used the funds to make the film – turning 250 hours of raw footage into his feature. Feature length documentary. The film was nominated for Best Documentary at BIFA and the Grierson British Documentary Award. He was also awarded BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brit Award in 2016 for his work. Hudson previously worked as a journalist at VICE where she ran her own series called “Superhuman”.
BAFTA-nominated casting director Lucy Purdy (“Afterson,” “Rocks”) was responsible for sourcing the unconventional cast for “Lollipop.”
Says Pardee: “I was drawn to working with Daisy-May because she moves from the heart and tells difficult stories with compassion and love. It was a pleasure to cast ‘Lollipop.’ brought together the timers, many of whom had experienced the stories we were hearing. There was no greater joy than collaborating with Posy and Idil. Posy, a veteran actor long overdue a break he Deserved, and Adele, a complete first-timer, is brave enough to step up to the occasion and make it her own.”
Sterling’s theater credits include Kleinbrake’s “Sweet Box” at the Royal Court and “Belonging” at the Arcola Theater and Lyric Hammersmith. Alexander Zeldon’s production of “Faith, Hope and Charity” and Roseanne McBurn’s “The Taxidermist’s Daughter.” Her previous film credits include Nora Fungscheidt’s “The Outer,” starring Cyrus Ronan and Stephen Delaney.
Odger’s previous film credits include Sacha Pollack’s “Silver Haze” and Mark Evans’ “Trauma.” TV credits include the BAFTA-winning show “Top Boy”, BBC Two’s “Grass” and BBC Three’s “Killing Time”.
Producers Frugiuele and Kaempfer said of Hudson: “Daisy-May is the kind of voice that rarely comes along. From the moment we saw her beautiful feature doc ‘Halfway,’ we knew it was her.” is a special filmmaker. We were deeply moved to immerse ourselves in his vision and unique style of filmmaking, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience this life-affirming and empowering film. can.”
(Photo, L-R: Daisy May Hudson, Posey Sterling)
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