Independent Cambridge film to be screened at Cambridge Film Festival
An independently-produced feature film, Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late, shot around Cambridgeshire by a local cast and crew is to be screened at this year’s Cambridge Film Festival as part of its inaugural 'Cambridge Connections' strand.
Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late is a frenetic comedy adapted from Cambridge writer Paul Richard’s critically-acclaimed one-man play that he performed at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe and continues to tour. The film was directed, co-produced and co-written by Jonnie Howard as his debut feature film.
The film was shot in 21 days across 2021-22, and the aim of the production was to celebrate Cambridge, both in front and behind the lens, with much of the crew consisting of local talent.
The cast includes Ewen MacIntosh (The Office), Norman Lovett (Red Dwarf), Liz Barker (Blue Peter), Patrick Monahan (Show Me the Funny), Lily Lovett (The Inbetweeners), Anni Domingo (EastEnders), Dave Benson Phillips (Get Your Own Back), Michael Fenton Stevens (Only Fools and Horses and the Cambridge Arts Theatre’s Panto Dame for many years).
Behind the camera is cinematographer Neil Oseman, who shot the recent feature film of Hamlet with Sir Ian McKellen), and Oggi Tomic, a BAFTA-winning filmmaker, as an associate producer.
The film’s director, co-writer and co-producer, Jonnie Howard, said: “We sold out our first screening in under 48 hours so the festival generously gave us a second screening which has now also sold out!
“Lots of support from local businesses/locations and we even had ARU students getting involved too.”
The screenings are this Sunday (27 October) at 11.15am and 2.10pm at the Arts Picturehouse and after that there will be a celebratory event at the University Arms Hotel, which was also a location in the film.
Jonnie added: “Back when we began filming in 2021, we hoped we’d be lucky enough to make it into the Cambridge Film Festival, but we never imagined having two sold-out screenings.
“We’re fortunate to have the UK’s third-longest-running film festival right on our doorstep, especially one recognised by the industry as both BAFTA and BIFA qualifying.
“For the festival to champion our film as part of their inaugural Cambridge Connections strand and programme us alongside internationally-acclaimed productions is an incredible honour.
“The entire team is thrilled to finally share this story with a local audience and celebrate such an important hometown milestone.”
The 43rd Cambridge Film Festival begins tomorrow (24 October) and runs until 31 October. For more information, and to see a list of the films set to be shown, visit cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk.
