EXCLUSIVE: Emmy winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), fresh off horror 28 Years Later, is set to star alongside Harry Melling (The Queen’s Gambit), who is coming off Cannes hit Pillion, in musical love story Stuffed.
Cameras are set to roll September 15 in South Wales on the under-the-radar UK indie feature, about Araminta (Comer), a brooding taxidermist whose secret ambition is to stuff a human specimen. When she meets Bernie (Melling), a lonely man so afraid of being forgotten that he volunteers himself, their pact unexpectedly evolves into a haunting romance.
The film, which marks the debut of writer-director Theo Rhys ad is co-written with writer-composer Joss Holden-Rea, is being launched for world sales at the TIFF market by Cornerstone.
The film expands on Rhys’ short of the same name, which won both the Midnight Jury and Audience Awards at SXSW 2021 and earned a BAFTA nomination in 2022.
Pic is produced by Sam Ritzenberg (Femme) and Dimitra Tsingou (Pig), alongside Myles Payne and Hayley Williams of Agile Films, with Danny Roberts, Jackie Langelier and H.S. Naji of Fresh Fish Films. Adam Knopf is the Welsh co-producer.
The impressive creative team includes cinematographer Wyatt Garfield (A Different Man), Oscar winning editor Chris Dickens (Slumdog Millionaire), production designer Beck Rainford (Apollo 13: Survival), costume designer Holly Rebecca (His House), hair and make-up designer Kat Morgan (The Outrun), production sound mixer Paul Paragon (Road House), and BAFTA nominated casting director Kahleen Crawford (All of Us Strangers).
Original music and lyrics are written and composed by Holden-Rea, with Sarah Bridge (Bridgerton) of 45RPM serving as music supervisor, Eoin Mallon (A Better Man) as vocal director and Osar winner John Warhurst (Bohemian Rhapsody) as executive music producer.
Developed by the BFI, the movie is an Agile Films Production, funded by Fresh Fish Films, the BFI and FFilm Cymru Wales, and Calculus Media.
Executive producers include David Staniland for Agile Films, Sara Schuster for Fresh Fish Films, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Kiah Simpson and Kimberley Warner for Ffilm Cymru Wales, John Glencross and Mariyah Dosani for Calculus Media and Mark Gooder and Alison Thompson for Cornerstone Films.
Fresh Fish Films’ Jackie Langelier, H.S. Naji, and Danny Roberts commented: “We’re thrilled to partner with Theo on his debut feature, Stuffed, which is a musical that is equal parts twisted and audacious. As we start production on our third feature, we are so lucky to be collaborating with filmmakers and producers who share a passion for bold, original storytelling.”
Louise Ortega, BFI’s Senior Production and Development Executive, added: “We’ve been excited by Theo & Joss’s unique vision for Stuffed from the moment we read it and were immediately compelled by its originality and boldness. We jumped at the chance to develop the film with them and are so proud to now support it through to production. Funny, poignant, heartwarming, and endlessly surprising, Stuffed is an accomplished and playful take on what an original independent musical can be. Theo and his producers Sam, Dimitra, Myles and Hayley have built a truly impressive crew of collaborators to create the world of Stuffed, and we’re thrilled to see Jodie and Harry bring these incredible characters to life.”
Comer is represented by Independent Talent, WME and Johnson Shapiro. Melling is repped by Curtis Brown Group, CAA, and Goodman, Genow. Rhys is represented by Independent Talent Group and Entertainment 360.
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