UK Film Council provide £1m backing to ‘Venus’

The UK Film Council has announced its support for 'Venus', the latest feature film from the acclaimed director, Roger Michell.
The film reunites Michell with screenwriter and author Hanif Kureishi and draws on a stellar cast, ranging from Academy and BAFTA Award winner Peter O’Toole, to Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave and exciting newcomer Jodie Whittaker.
The UK Film Council has awarded £1million for the feature film, which is being produced by Free Range Films for the UK Film Council’s Premiere Fund, FilmFour and Miramax Films.
The film will be distributed by Miramax in the US and Buena Vista in the UK. International sales are handled by The Works.
Venus is a wry and affectionate coming of very-old-age story. Maurice (O’Toole) and Ian (Phillips) are old friends, veteran English actors who never hit the big time. Now in their seventies, they continue to work (Maurice, for example, is playing a corpse in a television drama) but their comfortable routines and banter over breakfast in a favourite café are disrupted by the arrival from the provinces of Ian’s grand-niece, Jessie (Whittaker). She quickly tries her great-uncle’s patience. But Maurice is taken with the girl, and proceeds to show her the cultural sights of the capital. Maurice tries to teach Jessie something about life, but in the process he is surprised to discover how very little he actually knows now that his own life is drawing to a close.
Michell’s work includes 'Notting Hill', 'Changing Lanes', 'The Mother' and 'Enduring Love'.
Hanif Kureishi’s screenplays include the Oscar-nominated 'My Beautiful Laundrette', 'Sammy' and Rosie Get Laid', 'My Son the Fanatic' and most recently, 'The Mother'.
(SP)