Foster (film)
Foster (also known as Angel in the House[1]) is a 2011 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Jonathan Newman, based on his 2005 short film.[2] Part of it was shot at Legoland Windsor in April 2010. The film stars Golden Globe winner Toni Collette, Ioan Gruffudd, Richard E. Grant, BAFTA Award winner Hayley Mills and Maurice Cole.[3]
Foster | |
---|---|
UK DVD cover | |
Directed by | Jonathan Newman |
Produced by | Deepak Nayar Alice Dawson David Mutch |
Written by | Jonathan Newman |
Starring | Toni Collette Ioan Gruffudd Maurice Cole Hayley Mills Richard E. Grant Anne Reid Daisy Beaumont |
Music by | Mark Thomas |
Cinematography | Dirk Nel |
Edited by | Eddie Hamilton |
Production company | Reliance Big Pictures Kintop Pictures Starlight Films Bent Nail Productions Serendipity Films |
Distributed by | SC Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Plot
Some years after their son is killed in an accident, a married couple (Collette and Gruffudd) decide to adopt a child. One day a 7-year-old boy, Eli (Cole), unexpectedly arrives on their doorstep claiming to be from the adoption agency. Eli wears a suit every day and is very well-spoken for a child. He helps the adults to process their loss, which had stifled both their marriage and their toy business, and lets them embrace life again.
Cast
- Toni Collette as Zooey
- Ioan Gruffudd as Alec
- Maurice Cole as Eli
- Hayley Mills as Mrs. Lange
- Richard E. Grant as Mr. Potts
- Anne Reid as Diane
- Daisy Beaumont as Sarah
- Bobby Smalldridge as Samuel
- Tim Beckman as Jim
- Jo Wyatt as Jane
- Haruka Kuroda as Translator
Production
Foster, the short film, premiered on HBO and BBC in 2007. It won Best Film, Best Actor (for Preston Nyman), Special Jury Prize and Best Screenplay at the Braga International Film Festival in Portugal.[4] The film garnered Newman a nomination for BBC Three's New Filmmaker Award.[5] It was also nominated for Best Film at the Rhode Island Film Festival in 2006.[6]
After the success of the short, Peter Farrelly of the Farrelly brothers became interested in the development of a feature-length film though the film was ultimately produced by Bend it Like Beckham producer Deepak Nayar. Shooting subsequently began in the spring of 2010 for six weeks on location in London.[7]
Release
The film premiered on 18 October 2011 at the Rome Film Festival[8] and was released in 2012.[9]
Critical reception
Rhode Island Film Festival, 2013
Foster won Best Feature Film (Youth Jury Awards) at the Rhode Island Film Festival, 2013 [10]
Rome film festival
The film was met with positive reviews, with Italian film review site Persinsala calling it a "sweet and very moving comedy with a happy ending" and praising Cole's performance, "caught in the shoes of a child – incredibly mature for his age".[11]
References
- "North American DVD release". Imdb.
- "Toni Collette Heads from 'Tara' to 'Foster'". Moviefone. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Foster". British Council Film. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "RIIFF Community". Film-festival.org. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Jonathan Newman - London Comedy Writers' Festival 2011". Londoncomedywritersfestival.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "The Diary Agency - Film and Television Crewing". Thediaryagency.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Toni Collette & Ioan Gruffudd Begin 'Foster'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Foster to Premiere at Rome Film Festival". Serendipity Films. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Home". Serendipity Films. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Rhode Island Film Festival Award Winners". RIFF.
- "Rome International Film Festival (2 Day)". Persinsala.it. Retrieved 21 November 2011.