Adrift in Soho (2019)

London's Soho district, the Fifties. Through the eyes of a Bolex camera, a typewriter and some local lifers a group of friends set out to produce a revolution. Will they succeed? You bet.

Director:

Pablo Behrens

Writers:

Pablo Behrens, Colin Wilson (novel)

Stars:

Owen Drake, Caitlin Harris, Chris Wellington

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Owen Drake	...	Harry Preston
Caitlin Harris	...	Doreen
Chris Wellington	...	James Compton-Street
Emily Seale-Jones	...	Jo
Angus Howard	...	Marcus
Lauren Harris	...	Myra
Olly Warrington	...	Marty
William Chubb	...	The Count
William Jessop	...	The Artist
Martin Calcroft	...	Ironfoot Jack
Warwick Evans	...	Raoul Montauban
Anthony Burrows	...	Free Cinema Filmmaker
Hayley Considine	...	Poetry Reader
Adei Bundy	...	Woman in Cafe
Lara Graham	...	Burlesque Dancer

Storyline

Everyone knows now about the Sixties revolution but it was in London's Soho district in 1950s that the seeds of the Sixties were sown. Where it all began. It was the blast furnace that made it happen. Sometimes not a pretty sight but nothing worth having is borne without the effort of a few looking for change. The 1950s was running its course and a new era beckoned.

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Plot Keywords:

soho london | england uk | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Adrift In Soho re-enacted the anti-nuclear March To Aldermaston of 1959 for the first time on film. This march featured a world-famous peace sign also for the first time.

User Reviews

Clever, Challenging and Beautiful - A Welcome Return To Cinema Verite

This is a very clever film. Set in 1959 in London's Soho "village" it chronicles the history of the place from its faded grandeur of the past through its literary centre of excellence during the era of the "Angry Young Men", on into its descent from a gentle Bohemian laissez-faire to the sharper, more harsh culture of drugs and sex, a further contrast between the birth of CND and the exploitative commercialism of TV advertising and ultimately the self-destruction of the spirit of the area.

Played out through the eyes of an ingénue writer juxtaposed with a louche, vulnerable and ultimately destructive bohemian actor, it is kept rattling along through the medium of an on-going documentary on people and life, and the film never lets up. With a visual style that emulates the gritty reality of the time, this film informs, challenges and shocks in equal measure. It is fascinating in the traditional art-house style and has moments of exquisite cinematic beauty.

The players execute an engaging screenplay effectively, given that in no case, due to the nature of the film, is there any character development beyond that which is before you. These are not easy characters and for me the actors involved, both leads and supporters did an excellent job. But the film is not really about them. They merely serve to point the viewer along the chronicle of the piece.

It is different, intelligent, engaging, challenging and miles away from the mainstream churned-out film-making that is so prevalent today. This harks back to the true art of cinema verite and I loved it. Yes, a bigger budget could have provided a bit more padding, but to say that is to miss the point of the film.

The title is misleading as it points to the ingénue. But ultimately it is Soho itself that is adrift.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 2019 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Southwark Bridge, London, England

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Burning Films, Messina High Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1