News

Break Out Pictures and Conic are partnering on UK-Ireland distribution of Pat Collins’ Irish feature That They May Face The Rising Sun.

Break Out Pictures will distribute the film in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; with Conic releasing the film in England, Scotland and Wales. It will land in cinemas on April 26, 2024 in all territories.

That They May Face The Rising Sun debuted at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2023. It is an adaptation of John McGahern’s acclaimed final novel of the same name. The story follows a couple who return from London to the small...

Karen Hassan is terrific as an Irish woman fleeing sex work, but her powerful screen presence is not matched by the film around her

This melodrama set in Yorkshire stars Karen Hassan – a performer with terrific screen presence – as an Irish woman called Alison; she is trapped by her past into working in a brothel with an assortment of other luckless women, some of them trafficked in from abroad. The man who first got her on the game is her own father (Sean McGinley), who she still visits for a line of coke in his seedy trailer every now and again.

One day, shy tech wiz Sam (Aaron Cobham), a man with his own sad backstory, is compelled by a debt owed to the brothel’s vicious owner Max (Neil Bell) to install secret cameras in the rooms so Max and his henchman Barry (Theo Ogundipe) can spy on the workers and clients.

Keith Farrell won best director for the film at last month’s festival.

Munro Film has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Wait For Me, the debut feature of UK-based filmmaker Keith Farrell.

Munro will release the film in cinemas on June 2 this summer, with filmmaker and cast events for local audiences in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Lincolnshire where Wait For Me was filmed.

The film had its world premiere at Manchester Film Festival last month, where Farrell won best director.

It is produced by Thea Burrows and Margot Douglas for Manchester-based production company Old Hall Films, who struck the deal...

Stars: Hannah Emily Anderson, Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Sean McGinley, Jessica Reynolds, Don McKellar, Geraldine O’Rawe, Anna Cummer, David LeReaney, Tom Carey | Written and Directed by Thomas Robert Lee

Folklore horror is an interesting sub-genre for fans. With the release of The Witch the bar was set high for “witchcraft” films that came after it to hit. This is often unfair as many don’t really deserve to be compared to the film. This is somewhat the case of Blood Harvest.

A devout community find themselves plagued by bad luck, dying animals and dying animals they feel cursed. Is the person to blame Audrey Earnshaw (Catherine Walker) the daughter of an outcast of the village?

The reason I say that it is unfair to compare Blood Harvest with The Witch is that they are two separate beasts. Where The Witch focuses on the destruction of a family by forces that...

The Curse Of Audrey Earnshaw Screening in Limited Theaters Friday, October 2, 2020 Available on VOD + Digital Written/directed by: Thomas Robert Lee Starring: Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley, and introducing Jessica Reynolds as Audrey Earnshaw Set against the autumnal palette of harvest season in 1973, The …

The post Trailer Debut: The Curse Of Audrey Earnshaw appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

In the social distancing era of Covid-19, Fantasia International Film Festival is coming online with a virtual edition taking place August 20th–September 2nd, and the first wave of programming has been revealed, including Neil Marshall’s The Reckoning, Brea Grant's 12 Hour Shift, Lars Damoiseaux's Yummy, and Tezuka's Barbara from Makoto Tezuka.

The recent Chattanooga Film Festival was a very well-received online experience, and we're excited to see what Fantasia has in store for attendees enjoying the fest from home.

It's important to note that screenings will only be viewable to those who live in Canada, and you can learn more by visiting The Hollywood Reporter and Fantasia's website.

Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more coverage of Fantasia 2020, and check out the full first wave announcement below:

Press Release: Tuesday June 9, 2020 // Montreal, Quebec -- The Fantasia International Film Festival will be celebrating its 24th edition...

Catherine Walker, newcomer Jessica Reynolds star in story of mother-daughter suspected of witchcraft.

Epic Pictures and Canadian producer Gianna Isabella of Gate 67 Films have completed principal photography on The Ballad Of Audrey Earnshaw, which Epic will launch to international buyers in Cannes next month.

Catherine Walker (A Dark Song), Sean McGinley (Braveheart), Jared Abrahamson (American Animals), Hannah Emily Anderson (Jigsaw), and newcomer Jessica Reynolds star in the tale of a young woman and her domineeting mother who live as pagans on the fringes of a Protestant settlement.

Hysteria and the increasing threat of violence mounts within the community when a...

Ahead of its opening on February 26th, the first trailer has landed for The Truth Commissioner directed by Declan Recks (Eden). Filmed on location in Belfast, Derry and Dublin, the film is adapted from David Park’s award winning novel of the same name and looks behind the rhetoric surrounding the Northern Ireland peace process. Synopsis: Set in a post-troubles Northern Ireland, The Truth Commissioner follows the fictional story of Henry Stanfield (Roger Allam, V for Vendetta), a career diplomat who has just been appointed as Truth Commissioner to Northern Ireland. Co-starring Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall), Sean McGinley (The General), Conleth Hill (‘Game of Thrones’), Ian McElhinney (‘Game of Thrones’) and Tom Goodman Hill (The Imitation Game), the story revolves around the lives of three men who are directly or indirectly involved in the disappearance, 20 years earlier, of 15-year-old Connor Roche. Though Stanfield starts bravely, he quickly uncovers some.

Network: Netflix

Episodes: 16 (hour)

Seasons: Three

TV show dates: May 28, 2013 -- present

Series status: Ending

Performers include: Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, Laura Donnelly, Bronagh Waugh, Niamh McGrady, Michael McElhatton, Ben Peel, Frank McCusker, John Lynch, Ian McElhinney, Archie Panjabi, Stuart Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Valene Kane, Emmett J. Scanlan, Bronágh Taggart, Karen Hassan, Jonjo O'Neill, Nick Lee, Colin Morgan, Brian Milligan, Séainín Brennan, and Sean McGinley.

TV show description:      

This crime drama is set in Northern Ireland and follows senior investigating officer Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson). She must temporarily leave her position to enter the Police Service of Northern Ireland to oversee the progress of a murder investigation that has gone on for too long -- Operation Musicman.

When she discovers exactly what is going on in the case, she must work with the local detectives to find...

Production commences on political thriller starring Roger Allam.

The Truth Commissioner, a political thriller set around the Northern Ireland peace process, has begun principal photography this week in Belfast and Dublin.

The adaptation of David Park’s 2008 novel, directed by Declan Recks (Eden), will film for five weeks across locations spanning Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland as well as Dublin and other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Historic locations will include Derry-Londonderry’s Guildhall setting for the Bloody Sunday enquiry and Belfast’s Stormont Castle - seat of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The cast, led by Roger Allam (The Queen, The Thick of it), includes Sean McGinley, Tom Goodman Hill, Conleth Hill, Ian McElhinney, Bird Brennan and Barry Ward.

Carnaby International handle sales and took the upcoming title to Berlin’s European Film Market (Efm) last month.

Set in a post-Troubles Northern Ireland, the film follows the fictional story of Henry Stanfield (Allam), a career...

Owen McDonnell in Single Handed. Co. ITV

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ITV have announced that Owen McDonnell is set to return to our screens as Jack Driscoll in the hit drama Single-Handed. The first season of the show was shown on the channel after being bought from Irish network Rte. The second season is co-produced by ITV and Rte. Simone Lahbib, Sean McGinley and Matthew McNulty are the other prominent members among the cast for season two of the show. Filming took place in Connemara earlier this year and the second season begins where the last season left off with Jack Driscoll struggling to cope as a lonely cop in the west of Ireland.

The first episode begins with Jack being called to investigate the murder of Seamus Devlin, an elderly recluse. He soon corners a suspect and calls his deputy Finbarr back from paternity...

Bosnian war drama As If I Am Not There received three Ifta awards for Best Film, Director and Script for the film's Irish writer/director Juanita Wilson at tonight's Ifta awards, celebrating the Irish film and television industry.

Martin MCCann was named Best Actor for 'Swansong - Story of Occi Byrn', while Amy Huberman was got Best Actress for 'Rewind.'

Pierce Brosnan and Saorise Ronan took home the supporting honours at the awards with Brosnan winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'The Ghost', while Ronan's part in The Way Back earned her the supporting actress honour.

In the international categories, 'The Social Network' won the best international film, with its star Jesse Eisenberg winning Best Actor. Annette Bening took Best Actress for 'The Kids Are All Right'.

Winners Of The 8th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Industry...

CBC, a Canadian TV network, announced that Republic of Doyle's second season will premiere January 12 at 9 Pm.

The show is a comedy following a private detective, Jake Doyle (Allan Hawco), from St-John's, Newfoundland. In the second season, viewers don't know if Jake's father, Malarchy (Sean McGinley), will come back. Will Christian (Jonathan Goad) return? Can Jake clear him? And are Jake and Leslie (Krystin Pellerin), a constable of the St-John's police department, really over? Is “The One” for Jake gone for good?

Also returning to the Republic are the people that Jake can’t live with — or without: colleague (and defacto stepmother) Rose Miller (Lynda Boyd); vandal turned P.I. apprentice Des Courtney (Mark O’Brien); and enterprising niece Tinny (Marthe Bernard).

The first season of the TV series Republic of Doyle - which will return for a second season this January on the TV network CBC - will be on DVD on November 26.

Meet Jake Doyle - rogue, charmer, drinker, brawler, emotionally unavailable, immature - and the handsome P.I. hero of Republic of Doyle. Jake (Allan Hawco) is a new breed of private investigator, cracking cases - and the occasional head - in contemporary St. John's, Newfoundland. His hometown is changing in a big way, transforming from a small seaport to a booming oil town, and where there's cash, there's trash - and lots of it. With his father and partner-in-crime-solving Malachy Doyle (Sean McGinley) by his side, Jake is ready to take on whatever mystery turns up on the Doyle doorstep.

The show also stars Lynda Boyd, Rachel Wilson, Krystin Pellerin, Marthe Bernard, Mark O'Brien and Bob Cole.

CBC, a Canadian TV network, has announced that its original police comedy series Republic of Doyle will be heading to Australia.

While no Australian premiere date has been announced for this Canadian TV series, it's confirmed that Republic of Doyle has been acquired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australia's public TV network.

In this TV series that takes place in St-John's, Newfoundland (an Atlantic province of Canada), we follow Jake Doyle (Allan Hawco), a private detective, and his dad, Malachy (Sean McGinley). Together, they try to crack cases that give headaches to the police department of St-John's. In his daily life, Jake has to deal with a wife, Nikki (Rachel Wilson), that he has divorced from and constable Leslie Bennett (Krystin Pellerin).

Other regular members of the cast include Lynda Boyd, Marthe Bernard, Mark O'Brien and Bob Cole.

Finally, a second season is currently in production and is very...

Yesterday, CBC, a Canadian public TV network, announced that production has begun on the second season of the comedy police TV series Republic of Doyle. The second season will premiere in January 2011 on CBC.

In this TV series that takes place in St-John's, Newfoundland (an Atlantic province of Canada), we follow Jake Doyle (Allan Hawco), a private detective, and his dad, Malachy (Sean McGinley). Together, they try to crack cases that give headaches to the police department of St-John's. In his daily life, Jake has to deal with a wife, Nikki (Rachel Wilson), that he has divorced from and constable Leslie Bennett (Krystin Pellerin).

Other regular members of the cast include Lynda Boyd, Marthe Bernard, Mark O'Brien and Bob Cole.

Finally, note that CBC has ordered 13 episodes for the second season, which is one more than the first season.

Toronto -- The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday renewed the Newfoundland-based comic drama "Republic of Doyle" for a second season.

The crime series from creator Allan Hawco and Take the Shot Productions features the Newfoundland actor playing the titular role of detective Jake Doyle, who runs a detective agency with his father Malachy, played by Irish actor Sean McGinley.

"Republic of Doyle" seizing the public broadcaster's last 9 p.m. slot will mean the axe for the action drama "The Border" from White Pine Pictures after three seasons. The Sofia Milos and James McGowan-starring drama about an elite Toronto immigration and customs tactical team also airs on Ion Television stateside.

The renewal of "The Republic of Doyle" also means no series pickup for the CBC pilot "Tangled," a one hour action adventure from Shaftesbury Films.

Kirstine Stewart, executive director of network programming at the CBC said increasing competition among indie...

Stephen Rea, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, admits there are American dramas that are culturally alien to him and require research. But that's not an issue in the plays of Sam Shepard, one of Rea's favorite playwrights. Indeed, Rea has been featured in Shepard's work in Dublin, London, and New York for more than 30 years. Rea is currently co-starring in Shepard's "Ages of the Moon," now playing Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company. "When you're acting in it, you feel more like a musician than an actor," Rea says. "You don't feel hidebound by mere character and situation. The performances are freer and more open because of it. At the same time, this play requires such precision and concentration. There's nowhere to hide."Set in rural Kentucky, the two-hander (also starring Irish actor Seán McGinley) is a dark, comic piece about two old friends who are lost souls. They reminisce,...

The Tiger’s Tail (2007) Direction and Screenplay: John Boorman Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Kim Cattrall, Ciarán Hinds, Sinéad Cusack, Briain Gleeson, Sean McGinley Brendan Gleeson, Kim Cattrall in The Tiger’s Tail One might initially be surprised to find that John Boorman’s latest film, The Tiger’s Tail, has all but gone straight to DVD in the United States. Surely the [...]...

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce that Academy Award®, Golden Globe Award® and Tony Award® nominee Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me) and Sean McGinley (the film On a Clear Day) will reprise their starring roles in the American premiere of The Abbey Theatre's production of Sam Shepard's Ages Of The Moon. The American premiere of Moira Buffini's award-winning play Gabriel will mark the final main stage production of Atlantic's 2009-2010 season at the Linda Gross Theater. Previews will begin in April toward a May 2010 opening. Dates and casting will be announced.

In Sean McGinley’s “The Great Buck Howard,” which opened over the weekend via Magnolia Releasing, Buck Howard had spent his days in the limelight. His mind-boggling feats as a mentalist extraordinaire - not to be confused with those of a mere magician - earned him a marquee act in Vegas and 61 appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. In his own humble opinion, his talents go far beyond simple sleight of …...

Mar 20, 2009 Sean McGinley's The Great Buck Howard tells the story of a man whose form of entertainment has gone the way of the dodo, vaudeville, and the career of Steven Seagal and yet feels old-fashioned in its own right, the kind of comedy/coming-of-age story with a wide demographic appeal but no direct hook to a target audience that doesn’t get made that often any more. The Great Buck Howard is likely to slip through your movie-going cracks and has clearly been a problem for Magnolia, as they've held onto it for well over a year, ...Read more at MovieRetriever.com...

• The last edition of Sundance saw wallets not being opened and checkbooks go ink free. Indeed the market place has changed in terms of domestic pick-ups, and aside from Focus Features nabbing Hamlet 2, more than anything else, the Park City film fest saw window shopping attitudes. Among the titles that were without a mommie and/or daddy were the recent Cannes film festival closer What Just Happened? and Bristol Bay Productions/Playtone Pictures’ The Great Buck Howard. Magnolia Pictures have announced that they have picked up director Sean McGinley's ensemble piece starring Tom Hanks in a minor role and John Malkovich in the starring role of Buck Howard. With plans to release the picture this fall, this is about a faded mentalist who in his prime was a marquee act in Vegas and was featured 61 times on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. He’s now living

...

NEW YORK -- Twenty-eight pilots will compete next month at the New York Television Festival, organizers said Monday.

The third annual festival will be held Sept. 5-9 at New World Stages in Manhattan. Organizers said they received a record number of independent pilot submissions this year. Independent pilots that debuted at the festival in the past two years include "Split the Difference" (NBC) and "Criss-Cross" (A&E) as well as the reality series "Off the Hook" (Versus).

The official selections are "The Agency", a supernatural dramedy executive produced by Sean Jaques and Corydon Wagner; the puppet sitcom "Apartment 413", executive produced by Tamra Malaga, Josh Cohen and Tony Colon; "The Band", a teen drama executive produced by Kevin A. Calhoun and Loretta De Stefano; "Carpeted Afterhours", a sketch comedy executive produced by Alan Callaghan; "Chance Your Hand", a workplace comedy executive produced by Luke Heywood and Tim Pass of New South Wales, Australia; "Codeword Secret", an action comedy executive produced by Barry Gribble; "Deal With It", a workplace comedy executive produced by Stephen Muterspaugh and Michael Kary; "Dear Harvard", a teen drama executive produced by Anne Jarmain; "Ex-Pats: Bangalore", a dramedy executive produced by Kevin Napier; "Fabulous Flowers", an educational/do-it-yourself series by Bill Dougherty; "Family Values", a family sitcom executive produced by Mike Shapiro and Rob Kutner; and "Fat Broke and Horny", a character comedy executive produced by Sean McGinley.

Screened

Locarno International Film Festival

LOCARNO, Switzerland -- Irish director Gaby Dellal's first feature, "On a Clear Day", is the kind of drama that British television used to do so well, a well-constructed, smartly observed story of ordinary people learning how to communicate with one another.

With a Scottish setting and a cast led by veteran experts Peter Mullan and Brenda Blethyn and featuring ex-Hobbit Billy Boyd, the story of a laid-off 55-year-old who attempts to swim the English Channel should find an appreciative audience in sports fans and baby boomers.

It's not really a sports movie, but the challenge that laid-off Glasgow shipbuilder Frank (Mullan) takes on is one that all athletes and would-be athletes will respond to, and the family drama is wryly told.

Made redundant when building at his shipyard dwindles, Frank discovers that a lifetime of hard work has left him unable to communicate with his devoted wife, Joan (Blethyn), and especially his son Robert (Jamie Sives).

Key to their alienation is the death by drowning of another son, Stuart, when he was 7. Robert is a very un-Glaswegian househusband, looking after his own two sons responsibly while his wife works, and he thinks his father looks down on him for it. He also believes his father blames him for his brother's death.

Fit and strong, Frank decides on a whim that swimming the English Channel is something he could do, and he is encouraged by his mates, stalwart co-worker Eddie (Sean McGinley), meek Norman (Ron Cook), stoic chip-shop manager Chan (Benedict Wong) and happy-go-lucky Danny (Boyd), who sees him as the father he never had.

As he goes into serious training, Frank elects not to tell his family, but that furthers the number of secrets held and makes worse his relationship with Robert. Joan, meanwhile, has a secret of her own as she tries to pass the test to become a bus driver.

Screenwriter Alex Rose crafts his portrait of working-class life with affection but without gloss. The underlying theme of Frank's guilt over being unable to save his son is played in sensible tones. The subtleties in the emotional ties between Frank and his wife, his son, his grandchildren and his friends are calibrated and portrayed with insight and humor.

There are potential pitfalls in one or two scenes in which Frank observes a handicapped child spending every ounce of determination to complete one lap of the swimming pool, but they are shrewdly navigated.

Locations in Glasgow and Dover are put to very good use, and Stephen Warbeck's music appealingly underscores the film's goodhearted intentions.

ON A CLEAR DAY

Forthcoming Prods., InFilm Prods.

Credits:

Director: Gaby Dellal

Screenwriter: Alex Rose

Producers: Dorothy Berwin, Sarah Curtis

Executive producers: Bill Allan, Steve Christian, Leonard Crooks, Nick Hill, Andy Mayson

Cinematographer: David Johnson

Production designer: Mark Leese

Editors: Robin Sales, John Wilson

Composer: Stephen Warbeck

Cast:

Frank: Peter Mullan

Joan: Brenda Blethyn

Danny: Billy Boyd

Eddie: Sean McGinley

Norman: Ron Cook

Chan: Benedict Wong

Rob: Jamie Sives

Angela: Jodhi May

Mad Bob: Paul Ritter

The Observer: Shaun Dingwall

No MPAA rating

Running time -- 98 minutes...

Not to be confused with Enyedi Ildiko's Hungarian film of the same name, "Simon Magus" is an English-language production starring Noah Taylor as a tragically unbalanced village scapegoat in a fictional tale set in the 19th century. The shrinking Jewish population of a Polish town seeking to build a railroad station is fired up by idealism, but they are in danger of persecution, and there's a traitor in its midst.

The creation of Ben Hopkins in his feature debut, "Magus" is a mixture of genres. Both admirable and disappointing, first shown at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, the wide-screen, eminently watchable "Magus" (opening today at the Nuart in West Los Angeles) is destined to lurk around a while at a handful of art houses.

In the New Testament, the Samarian magician Simon is rebuffed by the apostle Peter for trying to buy the power of the Holy Ghost -- thus, the word "simony" was born.

Taylor ("Shine") plays Simon, who has nothing to do with his namesake but is treated meanly by nearly everyone. He is blamed for anything abnormal, as he schizophrenically hears voices and has seeming encounters with the Devil (Ian Holm). Simon is turned against his own people by anti-Semitic gentile Hase (Sean McGinley).

Several stories in "Magus" compete for attention. Dovid (Stuart Townsend) approaches the Squire (Rutger Hauer) about purchasing his land to build the railroad station. Not scared off by Dovid's Jewishness but insisting he learn poetry, the cultivated Squire pencils him in as a future mogul, but Hase, who also wants to build the station, is not to be denied so easily.

Dovid loves widowed shopkeeper Leah (Embeth Davidtz). She believes her rival is younger maid Sarah (Amanda Ryan), but the latter has her eye on the Squire. Simon agrees to convert to Christianity and invites more abuse. He is destined to betray Dovid, but events turn out unexpectedly, and Simon is redeemed -- though no one can claim him as a true friend, and his story is downbeat as a result.

Filmed in Wales and at Shepperton Studios in London, "Magus" is a moody tale, with Shostakovitch's "Piano Quintet in D Minor" setting the pace on the soundtrack. Cinematographer Nic Knowland, production designer Angela Davies and costumer designer Michelle Clapton put in a fine team effort constructing the film's winningly gloomy visual style.

SIMON MAGUS

Fireworks Pictures

Jonescompany

Screenwriter-director: Ben Hopkins

Producer: Robert Jones

Director of photography: Nic Knowland

Production designer: Angela Davies

Editor: Alan Levy

Costume designer: Michelle Clapton

Casting: Susie Figgis

Color/stereo

Cast:

Simon: Noah Taylor

Dovid: Stuart Townsend

Hase: Sean McGinley

Leah: Embeth Davidtz

Sarah: Amanda Ryan

Squire: Rutger Hauer

The Devil: Ian Holm

Running time -- 106 minutes

MPAA rating: R...

Not to be confused with Enyedi Ildiko's Hungarian film of the same name, "Simon Magus" is an English-language production starring Noah Taylor as a tragically unbalanced village scapegoat in a fictional tale set in the 19th century. The shrinking Jewish population of a Polish town seeking to build a railroad station is fired up by idealism, but they are in danger of persecution, and there's a traitor in its midst.

The creation of Ben Hopkins in his feature debut, "Magus" is a mixture of genres. Both admirable and disappointing, first shown at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, the wide-screen, eminently watchable "Magus" (opening today at the Nuart in West Los Angeles) is destined to lurk around a while at a handful of art houses.

In the New Testament, the Samarian magician Simon is rebuffed by the apostle Peter for trying to buy the power of the Holy Ghost -- thus, the word "simony" was born.

Taylor ("Shine") plays Simon, who has nothing to do with his namesake but is treated meanly by nearly everyone. He is blamed for anything abnormal, as he schizophrenically hears voices and has seeming encounters with the Devil (Ian Holm). Simon is turned against his own people by anti-Semitic gentile Hase (Sean McGinley).

Several stories in "Magus" compete for attention. Dovid (Stuart Townsend) approaches the Squire (Rutger Hauer) about purchasing his land to build the railroad station. Not scared off by Dovid's Jewishness but insisting he learn poetry, the cultivated Squire pencils him in as a future mogul, but Hase, who also wants to build the station, is not to be denied so easily.

Dovid loves widowed shopkeeper Leah (Embeth Davidtz). She believes her rival is younger maid Sarah (Amanda Ryan), but the latter has her eye on the Squire. Simon agrees to convert to Christianity and invites more abuse. He is destined to betray Dovid, but events turn out unexpectedly, and Simon is redeemed -- though no one can claim him as a true friend, and his story is downbeat as a result.

Filmed in Wales and at Shepperton Studios in London, "Magus" is a moody tale, with Shostakovitch's "Piano Quintet in D Minor" setting the pace on the soundtrack. Cinematographer Nic Knowland, production designer Angela Davies and costumer designer Michelle Clapton put in a fine team effort constructing the film's winningly gloomy visual style.

SIMON MAGUS

Fireworks Pictures

Jonescompany

Screenwriter-director: Ben Hopkins

Producer: Robert Jones

Director of photography: Nic Knowland

Production designer: Angela Davies

Editor: Alan Levy

Costume designer: Michelle Clapton

Casting: Susie Figgis

Color/stereo

Cast:

Simon: Noah Taylor

Dovid: Stuart Townsend

Hase: Sean McGinley

Leah: Embeth Davidtz

Sarah: Amanda Ryan

Squire: Rutger Hauer

The Devil: Ian Holm

Running time -- 106 minutes

MPAA rating: R...