Films to watch this summer

Amidst the pandemic, creative content continues to find an audience – and to prove just how essential great stories and fresh voices are to us at the worst of times, as they are at the best of times. Where many of us would have found fun or fulfilment in a night out at the cinema, we now routinely find during a night in with amazing films made available, quite literally, at our fingertips – all it takes is a click of a button to access films made brilliantly by homegrown talent (with resourceful audiences even finding ways of seeing them together remotely). At Creative England we are forever proud to support amazing filmmakers, some of whom are enjoying virtual releases and previews this summer with their latest work – many of them debut features. We’ve compiled a list of those films, along with where you can stream them from the comfort and safety of your home.

White Riot is a spirited cut-and-paste documentary of archive footage and new interviews, telling the story of how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain when a group of artists took on the racist National Front – and won.

This debut documentary feature by Rubika Shah was developed through our Emerging Fund then backed by our Lottery Production Fund. The film won the Grierson Award at LFF and a ‘Generations’ Jury nod at Berlin alongside numerous international festival selections. Following fantastic reviews from the BBC Film Review, Guardian, Screen, Hollywood Reporter and NME, Modern Films is previewing the film through live digital events in the UK before its full theatrical release later this year. Find out more about the virtual events here.

Fanny Lye Deliver’d is a British ‘western’, set on a remote farm in Shropshire in 1657 during the brief Cromwellian ‘republic’ – the story a woman who learns to transcend her oppressive marriage and discover a new world of possibility, albeit at great personal cost.

Thomas Clay’s third film was backed by our West Midlands Production Fund and filmed entirely in Shropshire starring Maxine Peak, Charles Dance and Freddie Fox. It premiered in competition at LFF, Rotterdam and Gothenburg and was released digitally in the UK by Vertigo in July. For more info see here.

Make Up is a psycho-sexual thriller about a young woman in an off-season Cornish holiday park, drawn into a mysterious obsessive spiral when she begins to suspect that her boyfriend has cheated on her.

Claire Oakley’s debut feature was developed and produced through our iFeatures programme, starring BAFTA-winner Molly Windsor. The film premiered in competition at LFF before going on to Rotterdam, SXSW, Gothenburg, Dublin, Glasgow and BFI Flare. Following excellent reviews in Sight & Sound, Screen, Cineuropa and more, it releases in Curzon cinemas and online on 31 July.

Perfect Ten is set near Brighton, telling the story of how an aspiring teen gymnast’s world is turned upside down with the arrival of the half-brother she never knew she had.

Eva Riley’s debut feature was also made through our iFeatures programme and in its leading roles starred young talent brand new to acting. After premiering at LFF, Rome, Seville, Tallin and Glasgow to great reviews, the film will be released in the UK by 606. For more info see here.

Days of the Bagnold Summer, adapted from Joff Winterhart’s graphic novel, is the warm comic tale of a teenager forced to spend his summer listening to heavy metal and trying to get along with his librarian mum.

This debut feature was developed through our Emerging Talent Fund, after we’d supported director Simon Bird’s debut short, Ernestine & Kit. The film premiered at Locarno and details on where it’s currently streaming can be found here.

Lynn + Lucy are two childhood friends navigating adult lives that turn toxic when a suspicious accident befalls Lucy’s new family and Lynn is faced with a moral dilemma that could put herself at risk.

Fyzal Boulifa’s debut feature was developed through our Emerging Talent Fund, premiered at San Sebastian and is currently available to watch here.

So, there you have it. A collection of some great British movies for you to appreciate this summer – we hope that you enjoy watching them as much as we enjoyed helping to bring them to life. Happy binging!

Find out more about Creative England’s work in film and TV here.