Manchester-based movie director Simeon Halligan is heading to Cannes Film Festival next week to promote his latest feature film, White Settlers.
White Settlers, starring Pollyanna McIntosh and Lee Williams, is a nightmarish story of a couple who escape from city life to live in an isolated Scottish cottage.
They soon discover their presence is most unwelcome – which is usually how these things go.
The film was shot entirely in Manchester and the Peak District, while post-production was carried out at MediaCityUK-based firms Timeline and Carbon Digital.
Simeon, who directs films for Manchester’s annual film festival, Grimmfest, said: “Despite limited investment and resources, we received so much brilliant support from the region’s top film and TV talent, that it enabled us to produce a Hollywood quality feature film on the fraction of the cost.”
The film will screen on May 16 in Cannes, France, and will be represented by Metrodome International who have previously handled films such as Lesbian Vampire Killers and Dog Soldiers.
“We screened the finished film to a number of international sales companies, many of whom wanted to represent the film at Cannes, but we felt Metrodome International put up the best offer,” Simeon added.
The film’s producer, Rachel Richardson-Jones, will be joining Simeon at the event where the film will be viewed by distributors and film festival programmers worldwide.
Rachel said: “Already people want to come on board our next movie, pledging investment and involvement because they love what we’ve done with White Settlers.”
Both Simeon and Rachel will be looking to promote their next film at the festival.
Rachel said: “We plan to start the next film this summer, it’s a very funny comedy horror that will star the cream of new British comedians.”
White Settlers will be released in the UK later this year.
