Promenade – The new film from John Jencks starring Anna Chancellor, Roger Allam, Richard Katz and more begins filming

John Jencks

Principal photography commences this week on PROMENADE, a playful and innovative who-dunnit directed by award-winning filmmaker John Jencks (Hippopotamus), from a script written by David Wigram (Blood Culture), and produced by Marcie MacLellan (Apostasy, a BAFTA-nominated film).

The exciting ensemble cast includes Anna Chancellor (The Hour), Roger Allam (The Thick of It), Richard Katz (Guardians of The Galaxy), Doon Mackichan (Smack The Pony), John Finnemore (Miranda), Malcolm Kamulete (Top Boy), Lily Loveless (Skins), Purab Kohli (Rock On!!), Emily Coates (The Little Mermaid), Bertie Caplan (Wonka), Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long), Alan McKenna (Belle), Rosie Day (Outlander), Diana Quick (The Death of Stalin), Charley Palmer Rothwell (Dunkirk), Manpreet Bambra (Free Rein), Aoife Hinds (Normal People), Vahid Gold (Emerald City), Jamie Kenna (Blitz), Kola Krauze (Partisan), Gala Botero (Boiling Point), Emma West (Hippopotamus), Julia Watson (Casualty) and Andy Secombe (Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace).

In Brighton on the South coast of England, sharpened by the sting of sea spray, and mellowed by numinous light, a tight-knit community of oddballs and heart-felts live together in a tatty old mansion, the Fletcher Apartments. When a golden feather, the priceless antique mascot of the building, unexpectedly disappears, the residents have a mystery to solve.  Will they find the talisman that previously bound them together, or will their community, now divided against itself, irrevocably unravel?

PROMENADE is fully financed by The Electric Shadow Company, in association with Frank and Lively, and is one of the first UK productions to use the new tax credit.  All rights are available.  Principal photography is underway on location in Brighton with a diverse, LGBTQ+ inclusive and 50% female crew including Cinematographer Katie Swain (Sanditon), Production Designer Byron Broadbent (007: Road to a Million), Costume Designer Danielle Westwood (Rye Lane), Hair & Make-up Designer Regina Meessen (Bonus Track), with casting by Shakyra Dowling (Hammerskjöld).

Director John Jencks has been working in the film industry for over 20 years as a writer, director and producer.  His short film Go Away, Please! (2009) won the Shooting People prize at the London Short Film Festival. Popular credits include The Hippopotamus (2017) – based on Stephen Fry’s novel – and The Crow reboot (2022).  In 2019, John produced The Uncertain Kingdom, an anthology of 21 short films about the UK, which showcases the rich tapestry of British society.

Marcie MacLellan

About PROMENADE, John Jencks says:  “Having spent seven years producing a superhero movie, I wanted to direct a film that was the diametric opposite. Promenade is a community-led film with no single hero. It has over 50 characters and 12 stories, tied together with one overarching plot. It all takes place in a block of flats in Brighton and will be one wild ride!”

Producer Marcie MacLellan is founder of Frank & Lively. Marcie developed and produced the BAFTA-nominated and 6x BIFA-nominated feature film, Apostasy.  In 2018, she was nominated Best Producer by the National Film Awards and Best Debut Producer by BIFA.  In 2018 and 2017, she was long-listed as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by the National Diversity Awards. She currently has several films in development.

About PROMENADE, Marcie MacLellan says: “As a distinct departure from APOSTASY, a quietly intense drama, I am overjoyed to be producing a comedy film with an inclusive, international and versatile team. I’m also incredibly proud to be the first feature film to use the pioneering Call it! app to do my part to help make this industry a happier, safer place to work for everyone.”

The Call It! app is entirely anonymous, monitors and measures workplace culture, and gives cast and crew opportunities to raise concerns regarding bullying, health and safety, working conditions and safeguarding. The production is also delighted to have the services of a Wellbeing Facilitator available to cast and crew throughout the shoot.

Kate Wilson of the Call It! app says: “We are delighted that PROMENADE is using the Call It! app throughout prep, production and post, ensuring every single person working on the film can access support and advice if they need it, and the production can use live data to proactively create a safer, fairer place of work.  This is the future of filmmaking in the UK and we welcome it!”