Release Date:

2010 (limited release including Palm Beach International Film Festival and the San Diego Film Festival)

Starring:

Stephen Mangan, Rhys Thomas, Rosie Cavaliero, Mark Benton, Lars Arentz-Hansen, Alexander Skarsgard, Helen Baxendale, Patrick Baladi, Zoe Telford

Screenplay By:

Neil Warhurst, Co-writer David L Williams

Directed By:

David L Williams

Produced By:

David L Williams and Andrew Curtis

Awards:

Spirit Award nomination (Warsaw International Film Festival) World Cinema nomination (Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival)

Plot Outline:

A documentary film crew follows the first Carbon Neutral, Vegetarian, Organic expedition to the North Pole. Ever.

An arctic comedy/disaster movie Beyond the Pole is Withnail and I on ice, Touching the Void with Laughs.

Nobody said saving the planet would be easy…but does it have to be this hard?!

Beyond the Pole was screened in Los Angeles on Saturday May 1 at the United Film Festival.

PRESS RELEASE

Beyond the Pole, the comedy feature film from Actress/Producer Helen Baxendale (Friends, Cold Feet), today picked up Best Comedy at the London Independent Film Festival.  Directed and produced by Helen’s partner, David L Williams, and currently in UK cinemas, Beyond the Pole has now won 8 awards in European and American Festivals, at least one in every competitive festival entered.

“It’s so rare for British comedies to win over fans and critics but Beyond the Pole seems to be doing just that.  Critics have compared it to a cross between The Office and Touching the Void, which is very flattering, but in all honesty I don’t think there’s been a film like it.  It’s funny, moving, very dark in places and the performances from the actors are career bests.  I think the industry is gradually waking up to the fact that they’ve got a genuinely independent feature here that is funny and to be cherished and I really hope the actors get the credit they deserve when Bafta season comes round!”

Beyond the Pole stars Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Confetti); Rhys Thomas (Bellamy’s People, Fast Show); Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and Helen Baxendale (Friends, Cold Feet) who also exec produces and is the story of two hapless do gooders who set out on the world’s first Carbon Neutral, Vegetarian, Organic expedition to the North Pole.  “Basically these guys shouldn’t be anywhere near the arctic.  They’ve never done anything like it before, their equipment is rubbish, they’re not even getting on and they’re in the most dangerous environment in the world.  When they meet the cocky Gay Norwegians it turns very dark indeed!” adds Helen.  “Go and see it. It’s funny.”

Beyond the Pole was shot on floating sea ice off the coast of Greenland.

 

What the Press are saying about Beyond the Pole

“a satirical breath of fresh air” VARIETY  (  http://bit.ly/VarietyReviewBeyondthePole )

“uproarious” LONDON STUDENT ( http://bit.ly/ajke36 )

“exceptional…a consistently enjoyable romp”  EMPIRE  ( http://bit.ly/bF6q5l )

“superb…beautifully drawn characters” EYEFORFILM ( http://bit.ly/7knRuy )

“buckets of charm” LITTLE WHITE LIES ( http://bit.ly/cxzllI )

“quirkily endearing” EXPRESS ( http://bit.ly/bFGGht )

“perfectly pitched” FUTURE MOVIES ( http://bit.ly/cxMtwM )

“unique…a great film” BRITFLICKS  ( http://bit.ly/4C388S )

“hilariously intense” SOUND ON SIGHT ( http://bit.ly/5sILkd )

“endearingly silly” TOTAL FILM ( http://bit.ly/9FTV7q )

“very funny” BINA007 ( http://bit.ly/90Nrwr )

“wonderfully insane” DEN OF GEEK ( http://bit.ly/axZAXS )

“a small gem” SCREENJABBER ( http://bit.ly/9t5tct )

“hugely enjoyable” SCREENGEEK ( http://bit.ly/screengeekreview )

FRONT ROW with MARK LAWSON & exec prod Helen Baxendale ( http://bit.ly/99kn4i )

SUNDAY TIMES INTERVIEW with Helen Baxendale ( http://bit.ly/beyondthepolesundaytimes )

BBC BREAKFAST with Helen Baxendale and Stephen Mangan ( http://bit.ly/bWQAeH )

BBC RADIO THE ARTS SHOW with Claudia Winkelman from 49.30 ( http://bit.ly/9FTV7q )

BBC RADIO 5 LIVE with Richard Bacon and Stephen Mangan ( http://bit.ly/bWyivs )

BBC RADIO MANCHESTER with director/producer from 1.03.30 (http://bit.ly/bU3hkg)

CLIMATE RUSH INTERVIEW with director/producer  David L Williams ( http://bit.ly/9trcv7 )

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