University News Last updated 12 October 2022
Quintessentially British, a new documentary featuring a stellar cast of cultural and political figures exploring the ‘Great’ in ‘Great Britain’, is released across US cinemas this week.
The feature-length film, directed by Frank Mannion, Senior Lecturer in Film at Birmingham City University, and founder of independent production company Swipe Films, celebrates the history and traditions of the enduring and influential nation of Great Britain through interviews with luminaries including Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Max Hastings.
From Chelsea Pensioners to high-end motoring (including the Aston Martin beloved of James Bond) to Savile Row tailoring, Quintessentially British journeys through the very ‘best of British’ including visits to world-famous locations such as Highclere Castle (the real Downton Abbey), Blenheim Palace, Cambridge University, the Palace of Westminster, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and the House of Lords.
The film also offers little-known insights into the private side of Queen Elizabeth II as well as the new King, Charles III, and his penchant for a particular British bootmaker’s footwear.
“In an era where globalisation and multinational homogeneity appears to rule many Western countries, our film is a deep dive into what marks Great Britain as different – as recognised by our wonderful cast of contributors."
Former Cabinet Ministers, aristocrats, hereditary peers, comedians, and musicians, and the likes of Lady Carnarvon of Highclere Castle, Lord Palmer, Lord Chris Smith, Shakespearean director Sean Mathias, comedian Tom Allen, virtuoso classical musicians Braimah and Konya Kanneh-Mason and Dylan Kawende who crowd-funded his law degree at Cambridge University, all share their thoughts on the very fundamentals of ‘Britishness’ in Quintessentially British.
The film which is released in US cinemas on Tuesday 12 October, in Australia and New Zealand in November 2022 and in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on December 12 2022.
Quintessentially British is directed and produced by Frank Mannion and co-produced by Oxana Popkova, executive produced by Kelly Rogers, edited by Charlie Emseis, with original music composed by James Jones and featuring the work of British classical composer Sir Edward Elgar.
Frank Mannion released his debut film Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, featuring Stephen Fry, to critical acclaim in 2021.
The film is a Swipe Films production, financed by Carlow Castle Films, Kasiyan Knockbeg Enterprises, and the CBS 1A1 Motion Picture Fund in association with Rialto Distribution.
Swipe Films celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022.