Michaela Coel – the BAFTA-winning actress and star of the hit Channel 4 (UK) comedy “Chewing Gum” (which is currently streaming on Netflix) – leads the cast of BAFTA-winning director Tinge Krishnan’s feature “Been So Long,” which is based on the critically acclaimed stage musical by Ché Walker and Arthur Darvill that premiered at The Young Vic.
Official synopsis reads: Romance, rage and revenge. “Been So Long” is a neon soaked, modern day romance set on the streets of London’s musical hot-bed of Camden. We follow Simone (Michaela Coel), a dedicated single mother who, on a rare night on the town is charmed by a handsome yet troubled stranger, igniting old and new feelings. Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing city, “Been So Long” is a fresh take on love, life and moving on.
Joining Coel in front of the camera are Arinze Kene as the seductive Raymond; BAFTA EE Rising Star nominee George Mackay who plays broken-hearted fantasist Gil; and Ronke Adekoluejo, who completes the quartet of unwitting star-crossed lovers, as Simone’s gutsy, happy-go-lucky best friend Yvonne.
Completing the all-singing, all-dancing cast are Ashley Thomas, Joe Dempsie, Luke Norris, Rakie Ayola and introducing Mya Lewis.
Principal photography kicked off this week on the modern day love story set on the streets of Camden and shooting across London. The soundtrack will be a diverse mix of RnB, Nu Soul, UK dance and cinematic orchestration, featuring music from up and coming guest producers.
The project has been developed for the screen by BAFTA-nominated producers Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks, who together run Greenacre Films.
Director Krishnan has this to say about the project: “To be part of the team bringing Che and Arthur’s stage musical to the big screen is a truly exciting challenge. The cast and crew we have are by far the best team we could have assembled to do this justice. So much creativity has come from the rehearsal process and we are energized to have the cameras rolling.”
In addition, producers Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks of Greenacre Films said: “Seeing ‘Been So Long’ start shooting this week has been a huge highlight for Greenacre Films. The time planning with our partners during development and prep has been a rewarding process and led us to a confident start of principal photography. We couldn’t be happier to have the immensely talented Tinge Krishnan directing such an incredible cast and we are looking forward to the rest of the shoot.”
“Been So Long” is backed by the British Film Institute (BFI) and Film4, with executive producers Lizzie Francke, Eva Yates, Jane Wright and Indira Guha.
Fabien Westerhoff’s Film Constellation is handling international sales.
