Boiling Point

Source: Vertigo Releasing

‘Boiling Point’

Philip Barantini’s UK drama Boiling Point, starring Stephen Graham, has secured distribution in key global territories through Paris-based sales agent Charades.

Vertigo Releasing has acquired UK and Ireland rights to the feature, which was shot in one take, and plans to release the film theatrically later in 2021.

Further deals have been closed for France (UFO), Spain (Filmin), Canada (Mongrel), Portugal (Cinemundo), Lebanon and Gulf (Empire), Australia and New Zealand (Rialto), and Japan (Cetera). A US deal is understood to be under negotiation.

Graham, whose credits include The Irishman, Rocketman and TV drama The Virtues, stars as the head chef at one of London’s top restaurants. Set on the last Friday before Christmas, the leading chef has to handle the combined pressures of his own personal demons with a surprise visit from health and safety inspectors on the busiest night of the year. The cast also includes Jason Flemyng, Ray Panthaki, Malachi Kirby and Vinette Robinson.

The feature is based on a 2019 BIFA-nominated short of the same name, which also starred Graham and was directed by Barantini, who co-wrote the script with James Cummings.

It marks the second feature to be directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Barantini after gangster thriller Villain, which was distributed by Vertigo Releasing in the UK in early March 2020.

Filmed in one take, the shooting schedule of Boiling Point was halved to just two days, in order to complete filming before the first lockdown began. It wrapped just five days before the pandemic forced all production in the UK to shut down in March 2020.

The production is lead produced by Bart Ruspoli and Hester Ruoff at Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films in association with Graham’s production banner Matriarch Productions, Bromantics, Alpine Films, Urban Way and Barantini’s Three Little Birds Pictures. Finance was provided by White Hot Productions and Samahoma Media Advisors who negotiated finance from Insight Media Fund.