Today the first looks at two independent films that are prepping their festival debuts have arrived. First up, we’ve got the debut image from Ben Wheatley‘s follow-up to Kill List and Sightseers, the drama A Field in England. Described as “psychedelic trip into magic and madness” the story is set in Civil War era and follows a group of soldiers who stumble upon a mushroom field and things get wild from there. Above, thanks to Bleeding Cool, one can see A Kill List star Michael Smiley, who is joined by Weatley’s Sightseers star Richard Glober, as well as Peter Ferdinando (Tony), Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen), Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Ryan Pope (Ideal). Check out an expanded synopsis below.
A small group of deserters flee from a raging battle through an overgrown field. They are captured by two men: O’Neil and Cutler. O’Neil (Michael Smiley), an alchemist, forces the group to aid him in his search to find a hidden treasure that he believes is buried in the field. Crossing a vast mushroom circle, which provides their first meal, the group quickly descend into a chaos of arguments, fighting and paranoia, and, as it becomes clear that the treasure might be something other than gold, they slowly become victim to the terrifying energies trapped inside the field.
We’ve also got out first look at a drama we first reported about nearly two years ago, which now set to debut at the Rome Film Festival. Coming from Werner Herzog‘s Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans producers Alan Polsky and Gabe Polsky, their directorial debut is titled The Motel Life. The Playlist uncovered the first stills, which sees Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch and Stephen Dorff team up for an adaptation of Willy Vlautin‘s crime thriller novel, with a script by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. Check out the synopsis below, followed by the stills.
The Motel Life explores the intense bond between two brothers living on the fringes of Reno, Nevada. Orphaned early, they grew up depending on their big imaginations to escape the challenges of their transient life. When one of the brothers is involved in a fatal accident, it forces both of them to chose between running away or facing reality. It is a story of brotherhood, shared dreams and the redemptive power of hope.
The Motel Life screens at the Rome Film Festival and expect A Field in England on the 2013 festival circuit.