12/11/2002 - Cash injection for Merchant-Ivory's Independent People, Samuelson Production's Peacock Manifesto and Impact Pictures' You don't know my kids

The latest round of financial support issued by the UK Film Council’s Development Fund, saw a total of £179,050 (Euros 268,000) assigned to six projects.
They include Independent People, written by Academy Award winner, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, (A Room With A View) and produced by Merchant Ivory Production. Independent People is an adaptation of Nobel prize winner Haldor Laxness’ eponymous novel about the epic story of a farmer struggling against malign forces to secure the financial independence he feels is his birthright. Produced by Ismail Merchant, Snorri Thorisson and Paul Bradley, Independent People received £42,000 (Euros 63,000).
The Fund also invested £69,750 (Euros 105,000) in The Peacock Manifesto based on the novel by Stuart David. This tale of a “wannabe” musician who travels around the US in pursuit of his dreams, will be adapted for the big screen by writer Graham Lineham. The film is produced by Josephine Law, Marc Samuelson and Peter Samuelson of Samuelson Productions (The Gathering).
You Don’t Know My Kids, written by Simon Mayle (There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble), and produced by Jeremy Bolt of Impact Pictures (Resident Event) received £27,000 (Euros 40,500). It’s the story of an American who comes to England to propose to a pretty widow, but her kids do anything they can to prevent the wedding.
Another project, Du Cane’s Boys, executive produced by Nik Powell of Scala Production (The Last Resort), was granted £23,800 (Euros 35,700) for its development. Produced by Jake Lushington and written by Kate Gartside, it focuses on the fictional story of two young South African footballers picked to attend a European school of excellence.
Writer Suzie Smith received £6,500 (Euros 9,750) for the development of a comedy, Being Me, set in London’s celebrity circuit, and writer George Webster was awarded £10,000 (Euros 15,000) to develop the animated comedy, Bob’s Ark.

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