British comedian Simon Amstell’s debut feature Benjamin will be available on VOD on August 25th. The romantic comedy is a charming, laugh-out-loud look at one man’s land mined road to success and love.
Benjamin, a mess-of-a-filmmaker juggles the anxieties and excitement of his upcoming film premiere with the fear and awkwardness of a burgeoning romance. Gangly and neurotic, and always ready with a self-defensive quip, indie film director Benjamin (Colin Morgan, The Happy Prince, Merlin) nervously prepares for the premiere of his sophomore feature when he meets and falls hard for Noah (Phénix Brossard, Departure, Little Joe), a young French musician. Will Benjamin’s insecurities get int he way of success and happiness? Will his film be a critics-savaging disaster and he, a one-hit-wonder? Amstell peppers this entertaining tale with hilariously deadpan one-liners and a scene-stealing cast of supporting actors including Joel Fry (Game of Thrones) as Stephen, Benjamin’s manic-depressive stand-up comedian best friend. Jessica Raine as Billie, his unbearable piblicist, Jack Rowan as Harry, his egocentric bi lead actor; and Anna Chancellor (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Pride and Prejudice) as his patient producer.
Simon Amstell’s funny, charming and overpoweringly personal comedy is a nervous romance, in which both parties get to be Annie Hall … a miraculously heartfelt love story, sweet and poignant in all its awkwardness.
– The Guardian
Benjamin Official Trailer
About the director
Simon Amstell is a British comedian, television host, screenwriter, director and actor. Simon began his career on television as the host of Channel 4’s popular music and pop culture program Popworld. He then went on to host the hit comedy show Never Mind the Buzzcocks for which he won two British Comedy Awards as well as a Royal Television Society Award for Best Entertainment Performance.
In 2009, BBC2 commissioned Simon to write and star in Grandma’s House. The critically acclaimed show went on for two seasons and won a British Comedy Award.
As well as continuing his stand up career, touring internationally and making Do Nothing which was broadcast on BBC2 and Numb, which can now be seen on Netflix, Simon has directed two short films, Something More, chosen for Channel 4’s Random Acts and William, a short produced by Tiger Aspect productions. In 2017 Simon directed a mockumentary for the BBC iPlayer entitledCarnage. The film is set in a future and looks back at a time when human beings ate other animals.
Festivals
2018 – BFI London Film Festival (World Premiere)
2019 – Cleveland International Film Festival
2019 – Frameline (San Francisco)
2019 – NewFest (New York)
2019 – Glasgow Film Festival (Scotland)
2019 – Queer Screen Film Festival (Sydney) (Closing Night Film)
2019 – OUTShine Film Festival (Fort Lauderdale)
2020 – Melbourne International Film Festival