Four Lions (2010)

Popularity:

Up 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Christopher Morris

Writers:

Christopher Morris (written by) &
Sam Bain (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 April 2011 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Four incompetent British jihadists set out to train for and commit an act of terror.

Plot Keywords:

Muslim | Crow | Bird | Exploding Animal | Accidental Shooting

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Riz Ahmed	...	Omar
Arsher Ali	...	Hassan
Nigel Lindsay	...	Barry
Kayvan Novak	...	Waj
Adeel Akhtar	...	Faisal
Julia Davis	...	Alice
Craig Parkinson	...	Matt
Preeya Kalidas	...	Sofia
Wasim Zakir	...	Ahmed
Mohammad Aqil	...	Mahmood
Karl Seth	...	Uncle Imran
Waleed Elgadi	...	Khalid (as Willliam El-Gardi)
Alex Macqueen	...	Malcolm Storge MP (as Alex MacQueen)
Shameem Ahmad	...	Chairwoman
Jonathan Maitland	...	Newsreader (as Jonny Maitland)
Marcus Garvey	...	Marathon Policeman
Darren Boyd	...	Sniper
Kevin Eldon	...	Sniper
Adil Mohammed Javed	...	Nabil
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Negotiator
Toby Longworth	...	Heimlich Man
Danny Ashok	...	Phone Shop Assistant
Will Adamsdale	...	Alex
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Friend	...	Pret Server (uncredited)
Ian Hughes	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Mark Morrell	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Christopher Morris	...	Commentator on end credits (uncredited)
Reece Noi	...	Shoulderboy (uncredited)
Chris Wilson	...	Police Inspector (uncredited)

Directed by
Christopher Morris		(as Chris Morris)

Writing credits
Christopher Morris		(written by) (as Chris Morris) &
Sam Bain		(written by) &
Jesse Armstrong		(written by)
Simon Blackwell		(additional writing)

Produced by
Angus Aynsley	....	executive producer
Carole Baraton	....	executive producer
Peter Carlton	....	executive producer
Will Clarke	....	executive producer
Rita Dagher	....	executive producer
Mark Findlay	....	executive producer
Mark Herbert	....	producer
Afi Khan	....	associate producer
Caroline Leddy	....	executive producer
Alex Marshall	....	executive producer
Faisal A. Qureshi	....	associate producer
Rebekah Wray Rogers	....	line producer: additional photography (as Rebekah Wray-Rogers)
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Derrin Schlesinger	....	producer

Cinematography by
Lol Crawley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Billy Sneddon

Casting by
Des Hamilton

Production Design by
Dick Lunn

Art Direction by
Julie Ann Horan

Set Decoration by
Duncan Wheeler		(as Ducan Windram-Wheeler)

Costume Design by
Charlotte Walter

Makeup Department
Hannah Booth	....	hair stylist
Hannah Booth	....	makeup artist
Vikki Lawson	....	hair designer
Vikki Lawson	....	makeup designer
Fiona Lobo-Cranston	....	hair stylist
Fiona Lobo-Cranston	....	makeup artist
Magi Vaughan	....	hair stylist: additional photography
Magi Vaughan	....	makeup artist: additional photography

Production Management
Michelle Camp	....	post-production supervisor
Vicky Chapman	....	unit manager: additional photography
Tracey Josephs	....	head of production: Film4
Fiona Lamptey	....	production manager: Film4
Rebekah Wray Rogers	....	production manager (as Rebekah Wray-Eogers)
Barry Ryan	....	head of production: Warp Films
Jack Suckling	....	unit manager
Alex Sutherland	....	production manager: Spain
Emma Zee	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Cathie	....	second assistant director
Louisa Dance	....	third assistant director: crowd
Samuel Donovan	....	second assistant director: additional photgraphy
Joe Geary	....	first assistant director
Richard Harris	....	third assistant director: additional photography
Simon Hedges	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Ian Hughes	....	third assistant director (as Ian 'Pebbles' Hughes)
Ainara Trigueros	....	third assistant director: Spain
Tom White	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Roxanna Arefpour	....	art department assistant: Spain
Paul de Csernatony	....	property master
Samantha Harley	....	stand-by art director (as Sam Harley)
Lisa Kenny	....	art director: additional photography
Lisa Kenny	....	assistant art director
Mike Roberts	....	dressing props
Paul Robinson	....	stand-by props
Chris Swan	....	property master: Spain
Duncan Wheeler	....	buyer (as Duncan Windram-Wheeler)
Neil Griffiths	....	dresser (uncredited)
Neil Griffiths	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Russell Lee	....	props (uncredited)
Anthea Nelson	....	designer: additional photography (uncredited)
Paul Robinson	....	standby art director: additional photography (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jim Allen	....	sound maintenance
Adam Armitage	....	sound effects editor
Stuart Bagshaw	....	foley editor
Darren Banks	....	sound effects editor
Oliver Brierley	....	sound effects editor
James Feltham	....	post-production sound coordinator
Alex Fielding	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer (as Alexander Fielding)
Nigel Heath	....	sound re-recording mixer
Malcolm Hirst	....	sound recordist
Stefano Mascitti	....	synchronization
David Mitchell	....	sound recordist: additional photography
Rebecca Morgan	....	sound maintenance: additional photography
Dani Munoz	....	boom operator: Spain
Keith Partridge	....	foley mixer
Stefan Podolczuk	....	trainee sound editor
Alex Sawyer	....	dialogue editor
Barnaby Smyth	....	foley artist
Chris Sturmer	....	dolby sound consultant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Paul Gorrie	....	special effects supervisor
Mike Kelt	....	special effects supervisor
Juan Ramón Molina	....	special effects: Spain (as Juan Ramon Molina)

Visual Effects by
Avtar Bains	....	lead visual effects compositor: Framestore
Martin Bovingdon	....	cg modeller: Framestore
Jason Burnett	....	visual effects compositor: Framestore
Kevin Curtis	....	elements shoot: Framestore
Anthony Gibbs	....	animator: Framestore
Anthony Gibbs	....	digital designer: Framestore
Timothy Greenwood	....	lead visual effects compositor: Framestore (as Tim Greenwood)
Max Horton	....	colourist
Katie Isaksen	....	roto artist: Framestore
Pete Jones	....	visual effects production assistant: Framestore
David Lochhead	....	cg animator: Framestore
Sharon Lock	....	digital designer: Framestore
James Long	....	visual effects data operator: Framestore
Alix Ludlam	....	visual effects compositor: Framestore
Savneet Nagi	....	visual effects compositor: Framestore
Darran Nicholson	....	lead visual effects compositor: Framestore
Adam Parry	....	animator: Framestore, Superfad
Adam Parry	....	digital designer: Framestore, Syperfad
Simon Whalley	....	visual effects producer: Framestore
Will Yarrow	....	visual effects compositor: Framestore
Adam Hawkes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Andy Merchant	....	stunt performer
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator
Chris Newton	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Ainley	....	electrician
Jacqui Bellamy	....	additional still photographer
Richard Bevan	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, additional photography
Ole Bratt Birkeland	....	camera operator: "b" camera, marathon unit
Daniel Chaytor	....	lighting trainee
Jess Doxey	....	second assistant camera
Francisco Durban	....	assistant camera: Spain
Steven Gardner	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jessica Greene	....	second assistant camera: additional photogrphy
Joel Guy	....	camera trainee
Hannah Kenworthy	....	camera trainee
James Little-Hales	....	steadicam operator
Andy Lowe	....	gaffer
Lee Martin	....	rigging gaffer
Terry Maskell	....	electrician
Derrick Peters	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Matt Risby	....	cameraman: epk
Dean Rogers	....	still photographer
John Taylor	....	steadicam operator
Marc Tempest	....	grip (as Marl Tempest)
Simon Tindall	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Simon Tindall	....	director of photography: second unit
Alex Veitch	....	camera trainee
Erik Wilson	....	director of photography: marathon unit
Martyn Culpan	....	additional electrician (uncredited)
Lee Howarth	....	stand-by rigger (uncredited)
Fabian Wagner	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Martin Gibbons	....	casting assistant
Syd Hampson	....	extras casting
Kimberley O'Neill	....	casting assistant
Mohsan Qureshi	....	extras casting
Kerry Smith	....	casting assistant
Emma Stafford	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Juani Cabrera	....	costume assistant: Spain
Carmen Cristea	....	costumer
Lisa Phillips-Dodsworth	....	costume assistant: additional photography
Fraser Purfit	....	costumer
Doina Raducut	....	costumer
Hannah Walter	....	costume supervisor: additional photography

Editorial Department
Matthew Bristowe	....	digital intermediate producer
James Cundill	....	online editor
Dan Dolan	....	digital intermediate film recorder
Richard Etchells	....	senior on-line editor
Matthew Gray	....	assistant editor (as Matt Gray)
Max Horton	....	digital intermediate colorist
Scott Liddle	....	digital intermediate film recorder
Jason Rayton	....	assistant editor: additional photography
Ben Setterfield	....	digital intermediate film recorder
Cliff Thomas	....	arri coordinator
Mandy Miller	....	post-production paperwork (uncredited)

Music Department
Phil Canning	....	music supervisor
Jonathan Whitehead	....	composer: Trailer Music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Peter Connelley	....	unit driver
Craig Hudson	....	driver: facilities
Karl Jones	....	unit driver
Ian Kitchingman	....	driver: camera car
Paul Pearson	....	unit driver

Other crew
Tim Adams	....	production runner
Reno Antoniades	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Angie Bailey	....	unit nurse
Natalie Bass	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Colin Batchford	....	security
Penny Brockhurst	....	auditor: Shipleys
Mike Brookes	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Neil Calder	....	completion bond: Film Finances UK
Vicky Chapman	....	assistant location manager: marathon unit
Sue Clark	....	animal supplier and coordinator: Timber Tops
Nalika Da Silva	....	production runner
Harry Dixon	....	head of business affairs: Film4
Samuel Donovan	....	script coordinator
Libby Durdy	....	representative: Warp Films
Jacqui Edwards	....	archive consultant
John Ensby	....	laboratory contact
Jim Ferguson	....	unit nurse
Juan Fernández	....	location manager: Spain
Nick Ginerver	....	unit nurse
Ally Gipps	....	representative: Warp Films
Richard Godfrey	....	location manager: second unit
Robin Gutch	....	representative: Warp Films
Silvia Gómez	....	production coordinator: Spain (as Silvia Gomez)
Dan Hillsdon	....	production accountant
Ruth Hodgson	....	completion bond: Film Finances UK
Tommy Husband	....	representative: Warp Films
Steve Joberns	....	auditor: Shipleys
Gareth Jones	....	post-production accountant
Jen Kenwood	....	representative: Warp Films
Richard Knight	....	location manager
Tor Kristoffersen	....	production runner: additional photography
Sam Lavender	....	development executive: Film4
Sharon Lock	....	title designer: Framestore
Paco Lozano	....	crowd fixer: Spain
Imran The Man	....	field consultant
Cristina Martin	....	production assistant: Spain
Charles McDonald	....	unit publicist
Helene Michaelides	....	runner
Christos Michaels	....	legal services: Optimum Releasing, Lee & Thompson
Antonio Molina	....	armorer: Spain
Sarah Moloney	....	floor runner
Iain Morris	....	script consultant
Nicola Morrow	....	production coordinator: additional photography (as Nicola Morror)
Veronique Mousnier	....	representative: Optimum Releasing
Stephen Murphy	....	legal services: Optimum Releasing, Lee & Thompson
Javier Navarrete	....	production assistant: Spain
Anna Ortaga	....	first aider: Spain
Raquel Palermo	....	production assistant: Spain
Lisa Parman	....	unit nurse
Linda Pather	....	completion bond: Film Finances UK
Danny Perkins	....	representative: Optimum Rekeasing
Rebecca Pick	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Natasha Pilbrow	....	legal services: Lee & Thompson
Jim Ranyard	....	risk and safety management officer
Sophia Rashid	....	language coach
Rogelio Rodriguez	....	production assistant: Spain
Jen Rooks	....	production assistant: additional photography (as Jennifer Rooks)
Kate Ruddock	....	unit nurse
Rebecca Rycroft	....	script supervisor
Andy Shakesby	....	unit nurse
Niall Shamma	....	finance manager: Warp Films
Mark Shelley	....	armorer
Sudie Smyth	....	completion bond: Film Finances UK
Andrea Sumnall	....	unit nurse
Antoine Taupin	....	production loan: Natixis Coficine
Christopher Vidal	....	production loan: Natixis Coficine (as Christople Vidal)
Matthew Whitney	....	assistant location manager (as Matt Whitney)
Hannah Yarberry	....	unit nurse
Luke Glover	....	runner (uncredited)
Tommy Husband	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jen Kenwood	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sarah Parfitt	....	delivery paperwork coordinator (uncredited)
Russell Smith	....	production counsel (uncredited)

Thanks
Richard Ayoade	....	special thanks
Peter Baynham	....	special thanks
Layla Blackman	....	special thanks
Jake Bussmann	....	special thanks
Jonathan Coleman	....	film made possible thanks to (as Jono)
Stephen Davies	....	film made possible thanks to
Chris Dickens	....	special thanks
Brian Eno	....	special thanks
William Heath	....	film made possible thanks to
Lorraine Heggessey	....	special thanks
Phillip Hylander	....	film made possible thanks to
Armando Iannucci	....	special thanks
Claire Keelan	....	special thanks
Muzz Khan	....	special thanks
Jeremy Kimberlin	....	special thanks
Paul Lashamar	....	special thanks
Amber Loke	....	special thanks
Jonathan Maitland	....	film made possible thanks to (as Jonny Maitland)
Silke Matzpohl	....	thanks
Beatrice McMillian	....	special thanks
Stephen Merchant	....	special thanks (as Steve Merchant)
Prash Naik	....	special thanks
Anthea Nelson	....	special thanks
Lucille Pardee	....	special thanks
Tony Ryan	....	film made possible thanks to
Lorne Sommerville	....	film made possible thanks to
Matt Stone	....	special thanks
Luke Wray Rogers	....	special thanks (as Luke Wray)

Production Companies

• Film4 (presents)
• Warp Films
• Wild Bunch (in association with) (presents)
• Optimum Releasing (in association with) (presents)

Distributors

• Capelight Pictures (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Drafthouse Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (theatrical) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
• Future Film (2011) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Films (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paradiso (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Praesens-Film (2011) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• UFO Distribution (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Alta Films (2011) (Spain) (all media)
• Capelight Pictures (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Magnolia Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnolia Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Midget Entertainment (2010) (Denmark) (all media)
• Noble Entertainment (2011) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Roadshow Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Teleview International (2010) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2013) (2014) (Finland) (TV)
• Zon Audiovisuais (2013) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Framestore (visual effects)
• Superfad (digital design and animation)

Other Companies

• Abbey Catering  catering
• Ace Film Catering  catering (as Ace Catering)
• Amro Facilities  facilities vehicles supplied by
• Anglo American Filming Vehicles  tracking vehicles supplied by
• Barclays Bank  banking provided by
• Celtic Films  production services: Spain
• Extreme Facilities  cameras supplied by
• Film Finances  completion bond
• Film4  funding
• Freeway CAM B.V.  collection account management
• Fresco Film Services  service production support: Spain
• Hackenbacker Audio Post Production  sound re-recording facilities (as Hackenbacker Studios)
• Lee & Thompson  legal services
• Lee & Thompson  legal services: Optimum Releasing
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance brokers
• Natixis Coficiné  production loan (as Natixis Coficine)
• Provision Leeds  cameras supplied by
• Provision Leeds  lighting supplied by
• SDD Global Solutions  legal services: USA
• Shipleys  auditors
• SmithDehn  legal services: USA
• Technicolor  digital intermediate
• Timber Tops  animal supplier and coordination
• Vehicles in Vision  action vehicles supplier

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language throughout, including some sexual references

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English | Urdu | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-13 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #46428)

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Film4

Trivia:

In the UK, the poster states "If you're reading this, find out what's wrong with you" in the small printed credits. As of October 2010, the poster is available in high resolution on the official UK website.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The "lions" travel to London to detonate their devices at the London Marathon. However, the streets clearly show signs for Sheffield traders - including many 0114 (Sheffield) telephone numbers. Additionally, the double decker buses are the wrong color.

Quotes:

Omar:You're confused bro.
Waj:I'm not confused brother! I just took picture of my face, and it's deffo not my confused face.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Special Collector's Edition: Mentiras arriesgadas (#4.2)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Avril 14th

both hilarious comedy and contemporary social commentary

The film can be approached from two angles; as a comedy and as an important contemporary cultural text. As a comedy it succeeded beyond expectations. Part of the pleasure surely came from the spectacle of the event; a sold out screening with cast and crew present along with regional cultural references that resonated infectiously with many in the audience, but this can take nothing away from the many levels of comedy at work within this film. There were elements of overacted screwball comedy; there were underplayed facial expressions and reactions that added a wealth of character and personality to the comedy; further still, there were elaborately constructed situational set pieces. All these elements along with explosively dynamic dialogue that was well delivered combined to send the audience into tears of laughter.

In a separate issue to the comedy there was the cultural commentary, which is always going to draw attention when it is such a taboo subject as Jihad: a word that is often avoided at all costs. The film unapologetically offers a plethora of questions around motivation, meaning and justification which it never falls into the trap of giving patronizing, melodramatic answers to nor does it preach any solutions.

The many characters were all utilised to give different points of views and different perspectives; the main protagonist Omar (Riz Ahmed) was fully fleshed out, with the other characters used to offer differing ideas and obviously the above mentioned comic relief. Omar's brother for instance had such a minor part but raises questions around what he considers a true following of Islam, which he promotes as peaceful, but is then exposed as intrinsically sexist due to the way he practically locks his wife in a cupboard. That being said, Islam itself was to a large extent sidelined and the film much more overtly dealt with identification and senses of belonging for a demographic that has partial but not complete grips on the many angles of where its identity is created; this includes Barry (Nigel Lindsay), the Caucasian convert amongst the group.

Four Lions is easily funny enough to reach a very wide audience, where viewers will be left without answers and therefore forced to discuss these issues, which are too often brushed under the proverbial rug.

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