Indie director's debut film to open in 50 UK cinemas - including Rochdale

An independent director’s debut film will be released in 50 UK cinemas later this month – including the Reel cinema in Rochdale town centre.

Director Guy Davies, from Gloucestershire, set and filmed ‘Philophobia’ – a coming-of-age romance which has won 12 festival awards – in his hometown of Stroud.

Philophobia – which means ‘fear of falling in love’ – is a picture of small town adolescence. One week of high school remains for Kai, an aspiring writer, and his friends. How they choose to spend this time awakens sexual desires, costs one of them their life and leaves them all changed forever.

The film stars Joshua Glenister, Harry Lloyd (‘The Theory of Everything’, ‘Legion’), James Faulkner (‘Game of Thrones’), Alexander Lincoln (‘Emmerdale’), Kim Spearman, Jack Gouldbourne, and Grace Englert.

 

 

Mr Davies said: “Philophobia has had a great festival run, winning a dozen awards on the international circuit and will be releasing in several countries worldwide. It’s also a fully independent film, no government or grant money or studio backing. I made it when I was 25 with a grassroots fundraising effort and honestly can’t believe that it’s come this far. I just want to share the film with as many people as possible now.

“The film is set in my home town and shot in the high school I attended as a teenager - it’s inspired by life experience and is about love, friendship, sex and that uncertain transition period in life before becoming an adult.”

A truly independent project, Philophobia was made possible by a dozen Stroud-based investors and spearheaded by production company Fablemaze. Continuing in this indie spirit, the filmmakers have decided to launch their own theatrical release into 32 independent UK cinemas.

Fablemaze producer, Matt Cook added: “We screened Philophobia to festival audiences who were consistently passionate in their response so we were determined to give the film a proper cinema release in the UK.”

Philophobia has won 12 awards on the festival circuit including: San Diego International Film Festival where it won both Best Global Cinema and the Lite Coin Audience Choice award, Best Cinematography at the European Cinematography Awards, Best Feature Film at Lift Off Melbourne Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the Lift Off Global Film Awards in London, Best Film & Best Director at the International Film Festival Wales, The Festival Director’s Award at Cinema on the Bayou and Best Director (Guy Davies) and Best Actor (Joshua Glenister) at The South African Independent Film Festival.

Philophobia opens at Reel Rochdale on Friday 30 October.

Philophobia (Official Trailer 2020) from Fablemaze on Vimeo.