Renowned filmmaker Shane Meadows follows up the explosive award-winning This Is England ’86 with three new one-hour films. These are to be broadcast on Channel 4 over the festive period 2012 and available to buy from 26th December.
Originally there was to be a one off 88 film with a 1990 edition appearing in the spring. However after filming in May 2012, Meadows commented:
Well, The shoot is in the history books and we have set sail on the edit. Jeez we shot some footage in those four weeks. There’s almost enough for 3 hours judging by the way the first hour of edited material has panned out. I’m going to talk to C4 about getting some more shoot/edit time etc in the hope that it can morph into a 3 parter split over 3 consecutive nights. If that doesn’t come off, we will have a killer 2hr spesh, but quite how I’ll get it all in to that is beyond me at the minute.
Sounds like he has got his way after all. Happy Christmas? I doubt it…
Meadows picks up the action in the Christmas of 1988 as Lol struggles to cope with life as a single mother. Haunted by the devastating events that took place 18 months previously, she finds her reserves of strength ebbing away. With her soul mate Woody heartbroken from her betrayal and in self imposed exile from the gang, Lol also becomes increasingly isolated and alone.
They say Christmas is a time for forgiving and for forgetting, a time of love and laughter and joy ever after. But when all hope seems lost, what peace is there to be found? This is Christmas. This is England.
Shane Meadows original award winning 2006 picture, This is England, followed young skinheads in England in 1983. It showed the skinhead subculture with roots from the 1960’s, elements of black culture all of which which were gradually stolen and twisted by nationalists. The original film explores these divisions within the skinhead culture.
Hopefully we still have a This is England 90 to look forward to as well.