10th edtion CIFF – 10-14 April 2024

Beast (2018 Feature Film)

Against the backdrop of a series of unsolved murders on the island of Jersey, a relationship blossoms between Moll and Pascal. For her respectable family, he is the ultimate bad choice – and that seals their love. When the police suspect him, her support for him starts to adopt extreme forms.

Michael PEARCE | United Kingdom | 2017 | color | DCP | 107′ | English | n.s.

The rough beauty of nature and the suffocating atmosphere of an island community formed the building blocks for the feature debut of Michael Pearce, who set the story on Jersey, the island where he was born.

Moll (27) still lives with her senile father and her dominant mother, who belittles her and keeps her on a short leash. When she runs into the lawless poacher Pascal, she sees stars – to the predictable dismay of her affluent family.

Moll’s sexuality blossoms belatedly and is combined in Beast with a darker thriller element: the island is obsessed by a series of unsolved murders of young women and the police has set its sights on Pascal. Moll is unswerving in her loyalty; her love for the outcast is her armour against the interference of the community. The fact that they both carry a secret with them strengthens their bond. 

The irresistible teamwork of newcomers Jessie Buckley and Johnny Flynn is a great bonus in this film, which surprises time and again.

Place: The Cinemas 2

Date: 12 April 2018

Time: 21:15

Duration: 1:21

Place: The Cinemas 2

Date: 13 April 2018

Time: 15:45

Duration: 1:21

Place: The Cinemas 2

Date: 14 April 2018

Time: 19:00

Duration: 1:21

Year in
Festival

2018

Director

Michael PEARCE

Camera

Benjamin Kracun

Cast

Jessie Buckley
Johnny Flynn
Trystan Gravelle
Geraldine James
Charley Palmer Rothwell
Olwen Fouere
Shannon Tarbet

Country

United Kingdom

Editor

Maya Maffioli

Language

English

Length

107′

Music

Jim Williams

Producer

Kristian Brodie
Ivana MacKinnon
Lauren Dark

Production Company

Agile Films
Stray Bear Productions

Production Design

Laura Ellis-Cricks

Sales

Protagonist Pictures

Scenario

Michael Pearce

Sound Design

Gunnar Óskarsson

Year of Production

2017

Michael PEARCE

Michael PEARCE (1981, Jersey) completed his training in Film Directing at the Arts Institute in Bournemouth and the National Film & Television School. His short film Rite was nominated at the 2011 BAFTA Awards and BIFA Awards. It was shown at over 40 international film festivals and was awarded Best Film at several of them. In 2013 he made his first short TV drama, Keeping Up With The Joneses. His first feature film Beast (2017), a psychological thriller, had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and was one of the indie successes.

 

Filmography

Stranger (2006, short), Look What You Have Done to My Heart (2007, short), Madrugada (2008, short), Rite (2010, short), Gallop (2012, short), Keeping Up with the Joneses (2013, short), Henry (2013, TV), Beast (2017)