ISLE OF MAN FILM PRESS RELEASE

“On A Clear Day” Selected as Opening Film for Sundance Film Festival

Out of a total of 2,613 features submitted for consideration, Manx made movie On A Clear Day has been selected as the opening premiere in the World Cinema dramatic competition at next month’s prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

“We are thrilled but not surprised that the film has received such an honour” said Alex Downie, Minister for Trade & Industry. “Like The Libertine which brought Johnny Depp to the Island earlier this year, this film was a casualty of the changes in UK tax laws relating to film. Isle of Man Film championed the project and was instrumental in re-structuring the finance to get the film completed. The positive exposure that this film will generate for the Isle of Man will enable us to build stronger relationships with the production industry in the United States, hopefully leading us to bigger budget, higher calibre productions for 2005."

On A Clear Day features British favourites Brenda Blethyn, Peter Mullan and Billy Boyd. It was made on the Island in June and July this year. Directed by Gaby Dellal, it tells the story of love, loss, mid-life crisis and eventual triumph: “When Frank loses his job in the shipyards after thirty six years he finds he has nothing to fall back on except his swimming which he has done regularly for the past twenty years. He has had a good marriage even though he has closed up his feelings since the death of his son, Stuart, many years previously. His other son Rob is a stranger to him and the two men cannot reconcile their loss. They bottle their grief up individually. With a group of friends to help and hinder him, Frank embarks upon a personal challenge – swimming the Channel! The story is full of comedy and pathos, but culminates with Frank being reborn to be reconciled with Rob and gaining new love for and from his wife”.

Robert Redford’s legendary Sundance Film Festival has been the industry’s major showcase for new talent and independent film production since 1978. Previous films that have benefited from Sundance exposure include The Full Monty, Reservoir Dogs, Blair Witch Project and Sex, Lies and Videotape. The Sundance Film Festival takes place in Utah in the United States from January 20th/30th 2005.