UK Film Council's development fund backs range of genres

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Adam Minns in London 24 April 2003 04:

Onegin director Martha Fiennes is to tackle terrorist-themed psychological thriller Revolving Door after securing development support from UK funding body the Film Council.

The project, awarded £63,000 in National Lottery support, is set during a terrorist alert and follows a British intelligence operative and a high-class escort girl as they try to outwit each other. George Tiffin is to write the script, with Paul Arnott producing.

Well-known UK producer Andrea Calderwood, whose credits include Once Upon A Time In The Midlands, has also secured funding worth £30,210 for Girls At War.

To be directed by Andrew Dosunmu from Biyi Bandele's script, the project is set in post-independence Nigeria against a backdrop of bold street humour, fashion and ‘hi-life’ music. France's Dominant 7 and South Africa's Jeremy Nathan are co-producing.

Of the other projects to receive funding from the £5m a year development fund, Rent-A-Wife is a thriller written by award winning novelist Marcel Theroux, while writer Jim Cartwright is working with Helkon SK and Karen Katz of Coded Pictures on One Wish.

Oscar Van Heek of Oscar Films is producing Little Sisters, the story of two rival girl gangs in a Scottish seaside town, while producer Jolyon Symonds and writer Mark Chappell have secured backing for comedy A Family Business.

"Appealing to a wide range of audiences these projects demonstrate the development fund’s continuing commitment to all genres of film," said fund head Jenny Borgars.