STEPHEN FREARS

VICTORIA AND ABDUL (2017)
Starring Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Michael Gambon and Eddie Izzard. Directed by Stephen Frears.

The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim, a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favour with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes and joyfully reclaims her humanity.

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS (2016)
Starring Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg and Rebecca Ferguson. Directed by Stephen Frears.

The true story of a New York heiress and socialite who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming an opera singer. The voice Florence Foster Jenkins heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else, it was hilariously awful. Her manager and dearest friend, St Clair Bayfield, an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved from the truth. But when Florence decided to give a public concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944, he knew it was only a matter of time before her beautiful dream would be shattered.

THE PROGRAM (2015)
Starring Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons, Dustin Hoffman and Elaine Cassidy. Directed by Stephen Frears.

The film charts the thrilling rise of pro-cyclist Lance Armstrong through the ‘90s and early 2000s, battling cancer, as he and his fellow American teammates dominate and change the quintessentially European sport of cycling. Winning the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times, Lance retires as one of the great sporting heroes of our time, and worth millions of dollars. Sports writer David Walsh is at first charmed by Lance’s charisma and talent, but as he probes further, he believes the world is being sold a lie. After speaking out about his concerns, Walsh finds himself ostracised by the cycling community. As a lone voice he perseveres, but it will be several years before Lance is exposed.

REVIEWS The Program - The man, the myth, the legend, the lies

PHILOMENA (2013)
Starring Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Barbara Jefford, Ruth McCabe, Peter Hermann, Sean Mahon, Anna Maxwell Martin and Michelle Fairley. Directed by Stephen Frears.

The true story of one mother’s search for her lost son. Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a “fallen woman”. When her baby was only a toddler, he was whisked away by the nuns to America for adoption. Philomena spent the next fifty years searching for him in vain. Then she met Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary journalist as cynical as Philomena was trusting. Together they set off for America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son, but also the powerful bond that grew up between Philomena and Martin.

REVIEWS Philomena - A journey worth taking

UNTITLED STEPHEN FREARS PROJECT
Starring Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd and Dustin Hoffman. Directed by Stephen Frears.

The film charts the thrilling rise of pro-cyclist Lance Armstrong through the 90s and early 2000s, battling cancer, as he and his fellow American teammates dominate and change the quintessentially European sport of cycling. Winning the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times, Lance retires as one of the great sporting heroes of our time, and worth millions of dollars. David Walsh, sports writer, is at first charmed by Lance’s charisma and talent. Seven Tours later, and ostracised by the cycling community for speaking out, he believes the world is being sold a lie. A lone voice, it is several years before Lance is exposed.