Archive
Day of the Flowers gets nominated
Jonathan Rae, producer of ‘Day of the Flowers‘, has contacted us today with great breaking news. The film has just been nominated for The Michael Powell Award for Best New British Feature Film, at this years Edinburgh International Film Festival (20 June – 1 July).
Named in homage to one of Britain’s most original filmmakers and inaugurated in 1990, the Michael Powell Award is sponsored by the UK Film Council. Rewarding imagination and creativity in British filmmaking.
Directed by John Roberts, and starring Eva Birthistle, Carlos Acosta and Charity Wakefield, ‘Day of the Flowers’ tells the story of two young, strong-willed Scottish sisters, one a left-wing activist, the other a most popular-girl-in-school type, take their late father’s ashes to Cuba, the site of many family legends of his service to the Revolution. Arriving in Havana, the two women promptly lose the ashes and go through a series of misadventures – both romantic and dangerous – to try to retrieve them. A colourful and wryly humourous tale of cross-cultural misunderstandings and lost illusions.
In competition for the award is:
Berberian Sound Studio – Peter Strickland
Flying Blind – Katarzyna Klimkiewicz
Future My Love – Maja Borg
The Imposter – Bart Layton
Life Just Is – Alex Barrett
One Mile Away – Penny Woolcock
Pusher – Luis Prieto
Shadow Dancer – James Marsh
Small Creatures – Martin Wallace
We are really proud to have created the title sequence for the film. Congratulations go out to all those involved.
Good luck from Richard and Dean at www.richard-morrison.co.uk
Face to Face with Mark Powell
Over the last 20 years Mark Powell has been recognised as one of the world’s most iconic and influential bespoke tailors of our time. Born in Poplar, east London, he has dressed countless of iconic celebrities such as George Clooney, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Paul Weller from the worlds of film, television, music and sport.
Instead of our normal quick chats at Bar Italia, Mark invited me around (not to buy a suit, more of a face to face catch up) to the shop located in Marshall Street, in the heart of Soho.
Along with me was actress Annabel Wright and together with Mark’s assistant Shivaun, the chatter revealed how busy Mark was and that he was always on the move.
With the 65th Cannes Film Festival well underway the conversation swiftly focussed to fashion on the red carpet. Mark is no stranger to these events and has dressed many celebrities for the occasion. He told us that he had just tailored the suit for Sean Bean for the premier of ‘Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White‘, which was held at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
He expressed that he thought the Venice Film Festival was a more glamorous affair, adding, “I’ve dressed Naomi Campbell for events like this many times. The other day she was wearing a really beautiful dress I must say, she did look really good”.
The conversation then moved on “There’s some very good stuff coming up. In September I’m doing a load of stuff with Mitch Winehouse, who absolutely is a darling, darling, darling of a man and a proper Londoner“. He told us “Mitch is doing a big thing in New York, appearing on a whole load of shows like ‘Jay Leno’ dressed by me”. Mark is also going over there to do a big trunk show and will be attending the Amy Winehouse Inspiration Awards and Gala Dinner, held by the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Mentioning that he also dresses Amy’s fiancé, film director mate Reg Traviss, who came to public attention in the UK in 2006 for the film ‘Joy Division’. “Reg is a really really talented guy and looks great in my stuff. He’s got the great big quiff, he’s a great guy”.
We talked about Soho and the characters past and present seen about. Mark picked up on this and mentioned that he dresses his good friend Martin Freeman, who was currently away in New Zealand filming Peter Jackson’s new film ‘The Hobbit’. He told us of how Martin was always in Bar Italia and often popped into to see him at the shop for a chat. “He said the other day he was missing Soho and me. The film is going to be major for him. He’s a lovely fella”. In an interview with the Mail Online Martin commented “I love all that ‘Ray Davies circa 1966’ style – sort of English dandy. And I love the cut of Soho tailor Mark Powell’s suits. Being a mod is about attention to detail and a love for clothes. Mark and I meet on that level and he knows my taste.”
Mark is next due to re-launch his website in the next couple of weeks. “We are very excited about this and it’s looking really good so far. Richard Wilding at Wilding & Friends is doing the site for us. It’s what he does as well as being a photographer. It should be great when done and we hope our customers will like this too”.
65th Cannes Film Festival
The red carpet gets rolled out again for the 65th time for Cannes Film Festival. This years is set for another hedonistic two weeks with probably too much Rosé. Soho is now official empty with many escaping the constant pouring of rain to soak up the mediterranean sun. Now’s the time to book a table at Soho House!
It doesn’t look like much for the English to shout about this year accordingly to what is in competition for the Palme d’Or (Golden Palm).
However, the ‘Welcome to the Punch‘ boys Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh will be flying the flag and giving a big push for their new feature film. Good luck boys!
I will be keeping a look out for any hot news of the week.
Jim Clark – Dream Repairman
Message: “Richard, please could you go down to the cutting room of ‘The Killing Fields‘ and meet Jim Clark.” From David Puttnam.
I don’t recall clearly what our first exchange of pleasantries were – but I do have a visual memory of entering Jim’s cutting room as I was announced in by Bryan, his trusted assistant. A feeling of orderly calm, with light music playing in the background with an array of trim bins holding the strips of 35mm shot footage ready for selection. Jim was sat at the ‘Steinbeck’ considering his latest selection.
I must have made the right impression on our first meeting, as we continued to meet after on ‘The Mission, The Frog Prince, Memphis Belle, Meeting Venus and Copycat.
In Jim’s book ‘Dream Repairman‘ he cuts and splices together a rich life in the movie business – a great read and such a personal pleasure for me to have worked with on some of his greats.
“Jim Clark’s book is witty, wise and wonderfully well written. Anybody remotely interested in the past fifty years of British cinema should lap it up.” David Puttnam.
“Jim Clark is a master at his craft and ‘repaired’ my film as a director in ways that were beyond my knowledge or comprehension. Read ‘Dream Repair Man’ and you’ll understand what I mean. I will be grateful to him for life.” Gene Wilder.
Dark Shadows Screening Tonight
Staking my seat before sun down tonight for the Cast and Crew Screening of Dark Shadows, at the Odeon Leicester Square, London. I’ll be attending along with Philip Bulcock, who is one of the actors in the film.
Dark Shadows opens everywhere this Friday. I look forward to chewing garlic popcorn with you all then.
The spirit of Soho by Sam Tootal
A guy comes up to me in Sainsbury’s the other month, and says “Hi Rich”, I go “Hi” back, but have no idea who this man is! Then he says “You have no reason to remember, my name is Sam Tootal and I was a runner for you when you were shooting the title sequence for High Fidelity“. We laugh and chat on as you do, with Sam telling me about his two new pieces on Soho featuring ‘Bar Italia‘ and ‘Mark Powell‘.
A few days later, I was in my usual seat in Bar Italia and Mark Powell walked by and ‘doffed’ his hat to me as he usually does. It reminded me to do as promised and to click on to Sam’s site. To my great surprise and delight, I found that his two Soho pieces were delicately handled and captured the spirit of Soho.
It is my pleasure to show them below for you all to see and enjoy, as I did.
To see more of Sam’s work, please visit www.samtootal.com
Richard Morrison with The Morrison Studio 