Casting confirmed on new talent initiative 4Stories
Category: News ReleaseBAFTA winner Chanel Cresswell (This is England, Trollied, The Aliens, My Name is Lenny, Murdered for Being Different, The Split), BAFTA winner Wunmi Mosaku (The End of the F***ing World, Damilola, Our Loved Boy, Kiri, Guerrilla, Luther), Alexandra Roach (No Offence, Utopia), Ria Zimitrowicz (Three Girls, Mr Selfridge), Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty, Indian Summers, Misfits) and Nadine Marshall (Save Me, National Treasure, Second Coming) star in three films written and directed by new talent.
Joining the cast are Carryl Thomas (Family Affairs, Le Grand) Cyril Nri (The Bill, Cucumber, Jellyfish) and Richard Harrington (Hinterland, Requiem, Poldark, Bleak House, Larkrise to Candleford).
4Stories (3x30) will debut with three thematically linked female written and led half-hour dramas, with filming taking place in Cardiff.
Tell Me, written by Rose Lewenstein and directed by Dionne Edwards, centres around the friendship between Ashley (Chanel Cresswell) and Becca (Alexandra Roach). Free-spirited Ashley refuses to grow up, enabled by sensible flatmate Becca. When she is forced to confront a reality she tried to bury in her past, Ashley’s life begins to unravel. Will their relationship be able to overcome this?
Through the Gates is written by Georgia Christou and directed by Stella Corradi. Aimee (Ria Zmitrowicz) has spent most of her young, chaotic life in and out of prison. Tessa (Wunmi Mosaku) is the disillusioned parole officer in charge of Aimee’s welfare after her release, living her own life of organised chaos. Although from different worlds, both are trapped in cycles they can’t escape. Can they help each other find a way out?
A Mother’s Love is written by Janice Okoh, directed by Anwar Boulifa. The lives of young mum Josephine (Nadine Marshall) and her 11 year old son Ishmael (Keajohn Jennings Dillon) are shattered
when he witnesses a gangland crime on their estate and is asked to testify against the killer. Under threat, they find sanctuary in the middle class home of Josephine’s sister Claudia (Carryl Thomas) and her disapproving husband Patrick (Cyril Niri). When Josephine starts to have doubts about her son’s account, she is torn between wanting to believe him and the facts she is confronted with. Will she speak out, or will she be lulled by the promise of a better life, in exchange for Ishmael’s key testimony?
Beth Willis, Head of Drama at Channel 4, says: “We are delighted to launch 4Stories with work from three bold and original writers – and brought to life by such exciting new directorial talent. We’re passionate about supporting new and emerging talent and were blown away by the scope and ambition of these contemporary, original films.”
Philip Trethowan, Executive Producer, BlackLight TV says: “After the success of Ellen we are delighted that Channel 4 have given us the opportunity to introduce six more new writers and directors to the industry. The fact that we are joined by such a high calibre of cast is testimony to the strength of the scripts and the vision of the directors”.
4Stories is a major emerging talent initiative from Channel 4. Executive produced by Philip Trethowan, Ben Bickerton and Produced by Lisa Walters at Blacklight TV (a Banijay UK company), the project is exclusively reserved to writers and directors, yet to gain an original broadcast drama credit. 4Stories encourages talent currently under-represented in television drama – women, disabled people, BAME and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the objective to showcase talent, and kick-start promising careers for the successful applicants. Three emerging writers and directors were selected from a large number of applications, to bring their unique vision for the films to life. 4Stories is the evolution of the Channel 4 talent initiative Coming Up, which most recently launched the career of writer Sarah Quintrell, and director Mahalia Belo with the BAFTA and Broadcast award winning film Ellen, also produced by Philip Trethowan and Ben Bickerton.