Ashley Walters’ feature directorial debut Animol and Celyn Jones’ second feature, Madfabulous, are among the eight projects taking part in the 2025 Cannes Great 8 online showcase of UK feature films from first-and second-time UK filmmakers.
Animol is written by Nick Love, with Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor among the producers. It is a BFI, Film4 and Sky-backed coming-of-age story that takes place within the confines of a young offenders’ institution. Stephen Graham, with whom Walters’ co-starred in Netflix series Adolescence, is among the cast.
Madfabulous is Jones’ second film following The Almond And The Seahorse. Set in the 19th century, it is inspired by the flamboyant life of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey, Henry Paget. Callum Scott Howells stars with Rupert Everett and Siobhán McSweeney, with backing from Ffilm Cymru Wales.
Footage from all the titles will be introduced by their filmmakers and screened online exclusively to buyers and festival programmers from May 1 and throughout the festival. There is no physical component to the showcase.
Great 8 is funded and produced by the BFI and British Council, with support from BBC Film and Film4.
Great 8 2025 line-up
Animol (UK)
Dir. Ashley Walters
Scr. Nick Love
Prods. Thomas Hawkins, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, Nick Love, Ashley Walters
Prod cos. Joi Productions, Rogue State Productions, SLNda
Backers: Sky, Film4, BFI
Cast: Tut Nyuot, Vladyslav Baliuk, Stephen Graham, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Sekou Diaby
Sales: Bankside
Ish (UK)
Dir. Imran Perretta
Scrs. Imran Perretta, Enda Walsh
Prods. Dhiraj Mahey, Bennett McGhee
Prod cos. Primal Pictures in association with Home Team, Good Chaos
Backers: BBC Film, BFI, Calculus Media, Out Of Order
Cast: Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana, Avin Shah, Sudha Bhuchar, Joy Crookes, Arman Mohammed, Is’haaq Hasan Haque, Hasnain Shah
Sales: Global Constellation
Learning To Breathe Underwater (UK-Ire-Neth)
Dir. Rebekah Fortune
Scr. Richard Brabin
Prod. Jack Tarling, Patrick O’Neill
Prod cos. Shudder Films and Wildcard production in co-production with KeyFilm and One Wave Films and in association with Eiru Films
Backers: Screen Ireland, UK Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru Wales, WRAP Fund, Netherlands Film Fund, Dias Feld, Finite Films, Bankside Films and Three Point Capital
Cast: Rory Kinnear, Maria Bakalova, Ezra Carlisle
Sales: Bankside
Madfabulous (UK)
Dir. Celyn Jones
Scr. Lisa Baker
Prods. Sean Marley, Nadia Jaynes
Prod cos. Mad As Birds
Backers: Ffilm Cymru Wales, Creative Wales
Cast: Callum Scott Howells, Ruby Stokes, Rupert Everett, Paul Rhys, Siobhán McSweeney
Sales: Mad As Birds
Mission (UK)
Dir/scr. Paul Wright
Prods. Kate Byers, Alex Thiele, Linn Waite, Marie-Elena Dyche, Lowri Roberts
Prod cos. Early Day Films, 65 Wilding Films, in association with Meraki Films and Rapt
Backers: BBC Film, Screen Scotland, Ffilm Cymru Wales
Cast: George Mackay, Rosy McEwen
Sales: Blue Finch Films
On The Sea (UK)
Dir/scr. Helen Walsh
Prods. David Moores, David A Hughes
Prod co. Red Union Films
Cast: Barry Ward, Lorne MacFadyen, Liz White, Henry Lawfull, Celyn Jones
Backers: N/A
Sales: Red Union Films/Good Chaos (executive producer)
Retreat (UK)
Dir/scr. Ted Evans
Prods. Michelle Stein, Jennifer Monks, Alex Usborne
Prod cos. The Fold and 104 Films Production
Backers: BFI, BBC Film and Creative UK
Cast: Anne Zander, James Boyle, Sophie Stone, Ace Mahbaz, Anna Seymour
Sales: XYZ Films
The Son And The Sea (UK)
Dir. Stroma Cairns
Scrs. Imogen West, Stroma Cairns
Prods. Imogen West, Kelly Peck
Prod cos. In The Company Of, Studio Cloy, Creativity Media
Backers: BBC Film, Moment Film Group, Creativity Capital
Cast: Jonah West, Stanley Brock, Connor Tompkins, Grant Lindsay
Sales: Studio Cloy
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