Midlands producer Luke Allen announces the cast for upcoming feature First Christmas, as the project heads to the Cannes Film Market. Just over a year ago, at one of my live nerdy film shows, two guests joined me on stage for a chat, just after I’d played a clip of Nicolas Cage shouting “testicles.” Producer ... First Christmas | British indie lands Mark Addy, Eleanor Tomlinson, Russell Tovey and more
Midlands producer Luke Allen announces the cast for upcoming feature First Christmas, as the project heads to the Cannes Film Market.
Just over a year ago, at one of my live nerdy film shows, two guests joined me on stage for a chat, just after I’d played a clip of Nicolas Cage shouting “testicles.”
Producer Luke Allen and director Keith Wilhelm Kopp had got some work under their belt, but were gearing up for their most ambitious project yet, a festive feature by the name of First Christmas.
Penned by Laurence Guy, I’ve kept in touch with Luke and Keith as they’ve battled to pull together financing, and then attract a cast. And last week, Luke rang me while I was on the school run (he’s got a knack for timing), and told me that not only had he got his cast, he was now taking the project to the Cannes Film Market.
Cast first. Mark Addy, Eleanor Tomlinson and Russell Tovey are the new additions, joining Dean-Charles Chapman, Samuel Anderson, Ian McNeice and Alex Horne.
Samuel Anderson, who Luke then dragged along to another of my shows (thank you!), is also one of the executive producers of the movie.
As per the official logline, “First Christmas is a character-driven, emotionally resonant story set against the backdrop of the holiday season”, and with a good chunk of financing now in place, the team head to Cannes to try and lock down the rest.
The plan, as I understand it, is to get cameras rolling this year as well, with a view to having First Christmas out in the market in 2027. Certainly once the final bit of money is in place, it sounds as though the movie is ready to go, and I’ll be following its progress with interest.
You can find more from Luke and his production company here. And – why not – you can find details on my next live shows here.
More on First Christmas as I get it. Presumably, while I’m dropping the kids off at school…
