Mongrel International announced today that it has acquired international sales rights to THE LEVELLING written and directed by Hope Dickson Leach, starring Ellie Kendrick, Jack Holden, Joe Blakemore and David Troughton, and produced by Rachel Robey of Wellington Films. The film will premiere in the Discovery section of TIFF with other notable upcoming festival premieres to be announced shortly.
In THE LEVELLING trainee veterinarian Clover Catto (ELLIE KENDRICK) returns to the farm where she grew up after hearing news that her brother Harry has died in an apparent suicide. Finding the family home in ruins following recent floods that devastated the Somerset area, Clover is forced to confront her difficult father Aubrey about the farm, the livestock and, crucially, the details surrounding Harry’s death. As the funeral approaches, Clover's discoveries send her on an emotional journey and a reckoning with the land, her family and herself.
Creative England, the BFI, BBC Films and Oldgarth Media financed THE LEVELLING through iFeatures, Creative England’s talent development and low budget feature film initiative, designed to support emerging filmmakers make their first full feature film.
“THE LEVELLING appealed to us because it is so extraordinarily authentic, capturing the profound pathos engendered by familial misunderstanding and barriers. As viewers we just pray that father and daughter will have another chance, a new start” says Mongrel International President Charlotte Mickie. She adds: “I also loved all the details of farm life, the movie really gives you a visceral sense of the demands a farm makes on knowledge, experience, physical stamina and above all, emotion. Farmers are stewards of life - this movie never lets you forget that.”
“I’m delighted that the Toronto International Film Festival have invited us to present the world premiere of our film THE LEVELLING in their exciting Discovery section. For the film to have its first audience filled with global cineastes is an exhilarating prospect. I look forward to every moment of my time there.”says Director Hope Dickson Leach.
Producer Rachel Robey added: "I’m extremely proud to be presenting THE LEVELLING at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival in what promises to be a wonderful edition of the festival. Hope Dickson Leach is an important new voice in cinema and I’m excited to be sharing her magnetic debut feature film with an international audience. I’m also thrilled to be once again working with Charlotte Mickie and her team to represent THE LEVELLING internationally; we could not have a better fit for the movie and I know that we are in the safest of hands”.
Mongrel International
Mongrel International, an operating division of Mongrel Media, acquires and sells films worldwide. In keeping with the parent company’s mandate, Mongrel International focuses on the best in Canadian and world cinema. For over 20 years, as a leading independent distributor, Mongrel Media has specialized in bringing carefully curated, culturally relevant and beautifully crafted films to Canadian audiences. Mongrel International is now doing the same for audiences around the world.
iFeatures
iFeatures is a national film funding programme which supports new and emerging filmmakers and focuses on stories from across the English regions. A further three films were greenlit in April 2013. The Goob, Norfolk and Spaceship. It is funded by Creative England, the BFI and BBC Films with a professional development programme is supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund.
iFeatures began in Bristol in October 2009 when filmmaking teams across the UK were asked to submit their ideas for a feature film set in the city. Just over a year later, three films were greenlit. In the Dark Half, Flying Blind and 8 Minutes Idle have since all had their theatrical releases.
The 3 edition of iFeatures was launched in 2014, with three films being greenlit for production in 2015.Lady Macbeth and The Levelling are complete and about to start their festival circuits, with Apostasy shooting later this year. www.ifeatures.co.uk
Creative England
Creative England invests in and supports creative ideas, talent and businesses in film, TV, games and digital media. We aim to grow the brightest, the best, and those with the most promise so that individuals and businesses can achieve their full creative and commercial potential. We help identify future opportunities to grow the economy and generate jobs. www.creativeengland.co.uk
BFI
With over £50 million of Lottery funding to invest each year, the BFI is the UK's largest public investor in film, and the BFI Film Fund supports first-class British filmmaking from talent and project development, through production, to audience development across exhibition, distribution and international sales.
Highly anticipated films backed by the BFI include this year’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’or winner I, Daniel Blake directed by Ken Loach and the Jury Prize award winning American Honey by filmmaker Andrea Arnold; John Michael McDonagh's War On Everyone which premiered at this year’s Berlin Film Festival; Gurinder Chadha’s Viceroy’s House; Colm McCarthy’s The Girl With All The Gifts which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival; Mercedes Grower’s Brakes; and Pete Travis’ City of Tiny Lights.
Films supported by the BFI include Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise starring Tom Hiddleston; Sarah Gavron’s critical and box office hit, Suffragette; John Crowley’s BAFTA-winning and Oscar® nominated Brooklyn; James Spinney and Peter Middleton’s Notes on Blindness, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is on release in the UK; Sean McAllister's A Syrian Love Story, BAFTA-nominated and Grand Jury prize winner at Sheffield Doc/Fest; Yorgos Lanthimos’ BAFTA-nominated The Lobsterwhich premiered In Competition at Cannes 2015; Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years which won Silver Bear awards for Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay at the Berlin Film Festival and went on to be BAFTA and Oscar® nominated.
The BFI is the lead organisation for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:
- Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema
- Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations
- Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK - investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work
- Promoting British film and talent to the world
- Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences
BBC Films
BBC Films is the feature filmmaking arm of the BBC. It aims to make strong British films with range and ambition, bringing the best of British talent to audiences. BBC Films is firmly established at the forefront of British independent filmmaking and co-produces around eight films a year, working in partnership with major international and UK distributors. Christine Langan is the Head of BBC Films, responsible for the development and production slate, strategy and business operations. www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms
Creative Skillset
Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, as part of its film skills strategy, is funded by the National Lottery via the BFI and through the Skills Investment Fund, which comprises industry and government co-investment. The film skills strategy focuses on addressing the vital skills and training needs of the industry to deliver maximum economic and cultural return: creating jobs, strengthening skills, building skills for the future and ensuring world-class film education. www.creativeskillset.org/film