17/07/2007

The Full Monty star Robert Carlyle will play the lead in writer-director Justin Kerrigan’s new feature I Know You Know. The film is due to start shooting in Cardiff this autumn.

The coming-of-age film depicts the relationship between a father and son, where the son is thrilled by the knowledge that his father is a spy. Things change dramatically when reality intrudes.

Kerrigan shot to prominence with his successful Human Traffic that looked at the late 90s club scene. He won a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Director for the film.

Sally Hibbin, whose previous credits include Stephen Frears’ Liam and Ken Loach’s Carla’s Song, is producing the film. “This is the first film that I’ve made in Wales. I have been particularly pleased with the support that we have received and I am looking forward to filming in Cardiff later this year,” she said.

The film has the financial backing of the Film Agency for Wales – an agency funded by the Arts Council of Wales and the UK Film Council, amongst others.

Pauline Burt, chief executive of the Film Agency said, “Justin is a considerable talent and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to facilitate his next project getting made. His story is original, touching, evocative and has, in our opinion, the potential to travel significantly at an international level. This is one of six features that we’re currently supporting with production finance – each of which is distinctive, with writers, directors and/or producers that we’re particularly keen to back, and who we believe should have a platform in the wider film industry”.

The Agency in the meantime has invited funding pitches for an annual international film event for Wales based on either film adaptation or film music. With the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, the Film Agency has allocated up to £180,000 for 2007-09, to include the delivery of a pilot event in 2007-08 and a full-scale event in 2008-09.