Aml Ameen,

FIRST LOOK from the set of IDRIS ELBA's directorial debut feature YARDIE

Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Craig Grobler 0 Comments

The Establishing Shot's First Look from the set of Idris Elba's directorial debut feature Yardie Idris Elba is on fire at the moment with a growing fan following, roles in heavily anticipated films including Nikolaj Arcel's adaptation of The Dark Tower, Hany Abu-Assad's The Mountain Between Us and Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok and Aaron Sorkin's Molly's Game. 

     As well as acting he has made the transition to fully fledged Producer with projects that include the multi faceted 100 Streets shot around Battersea, Sky TV's Guerrilla and the harrowing Beasts of No Nation as well as the upcoming TV film for Luther, the role that initially garnered him a fan following.

    Elba shows no signs of slowing down as he adds another feather in cap taking over directorial duties on his first feature film an adaptation of Victor Headley's Yardie. You have to respect the guy for continually choosing projects that mean something to him.

     With Yardie not only is Elba giving some fresh talent like Aml Ameen their shot but some of my favourites are involved including the always good Stephen Graham and writer Brock Norman Brock, a character in his own right as well as the guy who gave Nicolas Winding Refn and Tom Hardy's Bronson a particular English flair.

     Based on the cult crime novel Yardie by Victor Headley, the first in a trilogy that includes Yush! and Excess. The novel itself has it's own endearing backstory - as the book was initially sold through street shops via word of mouth rather than traditional distribution channels.

     Yardie tells the story of the rise to power of Jamaican drug baron D in the back streets of London - but as we should have learnt by now these stories are as much about the heady rush and high of bucking the odds as they are - a cautionary tale of a life no one really comes to terms with as they suck everyone around them down.

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON IDRIS ELBA’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT YARDIE

STUDIOCANAL announced today that principal photography has begun on the feature adaptation of Victor Headley’s cult novel YARDIE.

Golden Globe and SAG winner Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) will make his feature film directorial debut, with Aml Ameen (The Maze Runner, The Butler) starring in the lead role as ‘D’. YARDIE will shoot on location in London and Jamaica for seven weeks.

Additionally, Stephen Graham (the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, This Is England, ‘Little Boy Blue’) will play the role of Rico, while Idris Elba will star as Piper.

The film will introduce exciting new Jamaican talent including Shantol Jackson as Yvonne, Sheldon Shepherd as King Fox and Everaldo Creary as Jerry Dread.


First Look Yardi Idris Elba on set with Aml Ameen
First Look Yardi Idris Elba on set with Aml Ameen [+]

Idris Elba commented:

“I am interested in making human stories with characters that are either, full of grace or flawed. In YARDIE the audience will see a film that hopefully means something to the people.

I’m honoured to able to shoot it in my home town of London and as a guest in Jamaica.”

YARDIE follows the story of a young Jamaican named ‘D’ (Ameen) who, on arriving in early 1980s London, unexpectedly finds the young man who assassinated his revered brother back in Jamaica ten years before. His quest for justice explodes into a violent street war that could end up killing him and his loved ones.


YARDIE has been adapted for the screen by Brock Norman Brock (Bronson) and Martin Stellman (Babylon, Queen and Country). It is produced for Warp Films by Robin Gutch (’71, Hunger) and Gina Carter (Heartlands, Dead In A Week, Snow Cake).

YARDIE is financed by STUDIOCANAL, BFI, BBC Films and Screen Yorkshire. Universal Music are partners in the film and their Island Records label will be releasing the soundtrack. Executive producers are Dan MacRae and Danny Perkins for STUDIOCANAL, Mary Burke and Ben Roberts for BFI, Joe Oppenheimer for BBC Films, Hugo Heppell for Screen Yorkshire, Mark Herbert for Warp Films, and Idris Elba.


Yardie
A young Jamaican’s rise from the streets of London to the top of the drug-dealing underworld. Based on Victor Headley's iconic novel 'Yardie'.

Director:
Idris Elba

Writers:
Victor Headley, Brock Norman Brock, Martin Stellman

Stars:
Aml Ameen, Stephen Graham, Idris Elba, Shantol Jackson, Sheldon Shepherd, Everaldo Creary



THE ESTABLISHING SHOT: FIRST LOOK FROM THE SET OF IDRIS ELBA'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT FEATURE YARDIE - ON OUR RADAR

0 comments: