"A hugely impressive achievement, with a whip-smart script, some of Britain's finest acting talents and a killer soundtrack"
Michael Hayden – British Film Institute

"A terrific drama [that] carries a powerful emotional punch"
Damon Wise – Empire

Plot: Out on parole after eight years Bill Hayward returns home to find his 11 & 15 year old sons (Jimmy & Dean) abandoned by their mother and fending for themselves. Unwilling to play dad, an uncaring Bill is determined to move on.

Although Dean has found a job and is doing his best to be a father to his younger brother, Jimmy, the arrival of Bill has brought them to the attention of Social Services.

With the danger of being put into care looming, Dean blackmails his feckless father into staying by threatening to grass him up for possession. If there's one thing Bill fears most it's going back to prison, so he reluctantly agrees to stay for a week to help fool Social Services that the boys are being cared for.

Having never really grown up himself, Bill quickly connects with Jimmy and through this new bond starts to realise what he's missed out on. He has a family, a place in the world. He is somebody's dad.

However, their "happy family" set up is short-lived as Jimmy gets himself into trouble with some of Bill's former cohorts. To sort it out would break to the terms of Bill's licence and risk sending him back to prison.

Bill must decide what sort of dad he wants to be. A good one or a free one.

Director. . . . . . Dexter Fletcher
Producers. . . . . Sam Tromans
Tim Cole
Screenplay . . . . . . Danny King
Dexter Fletcher
Exec Producer . . . Alan Jones
Vicky Diegman
Director of Photographer . . . George Richmond
Editor. . . . . . . . Stuart Gazzard
Casting . . . . . . . . . . . Nina Gold
Wardrobe . . . . . . . . Matt Price
Composer. . . Christian Henson
Music Producer . . . . Mark Lo

Cast

Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlie Creed-Miles
Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Poulter
Jimmy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sammy Williams
Roxy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz White
Terry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leo Gregory
Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Olivia Williams
Glen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andy Serkis
Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marc Warren
Helen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jamie Winstone
John. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Flemyng
Policeman. . . . . . . Graham Fletcher-Cook

Production

In late 2009 Dexter came to me with a premise for a story about a guy getting out of prison to find his son abandoned and fending for himself.

We fleshed out a story between us and I wrote the first three or four drafts (originally entitled "Mild Bill"), which Dexter then took to producer Sam Tromans ("Dean Man Running"). Sam liked the screenplay and brought in Tim Cole (Line Producer – "Looking for Eric") to write a further draft with Dexter and production was greenlit shortly afterwards.

Filming began in East London around the 2012 Olympic stadium site on November 29th (two days before the big snows came) and lasted for six weeks. Dexter directed the movie himself, marking his directorial debut.

The film will be released nationwide in early 2012 and I will post all the details as soon as I know them.

The film is an official entry in the 2011 London, Rome, San Sebastian & Chicago Film Festivals.

Graham Fletcher-Cook has also been shooting a "making of" documentary from the outset, so you can follow Wild Bill's progress in 3 min episodes on You Tube (click link below).

Awards

WINNER of the Euskaltel Youth Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, 2011. This award is voted for by audience members aged 16-21 and every film at the festival is eligible. Wild Bill topped a list of 24 films.

NOMINATED for Best Foreign Film at the Chicago Film Festival, 2011.

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IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1795702/
How to Make a Movie : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=metKNgFacRc
Website: http://www.wildbillthefilm.com/