Opens in Cinemas in the UK and the USA 2Nd February 2018

Opens in Cinemas in the UK and the USA 2nd February 2018

Starring GABRIEL BYRNE, SIBYLLA DEEN, MARK ADDY, JAN UDDIN,

and HARVEY KEITEL

Directed by Mitu Misra

Running time: 109 minutes

Press Contacts:

Sadari Cunningham -

Almar Haflidason –

LIES WE TELL

Stars of Pulp Fiction and Miller’s Crossing are brought together for Mitu Misra’s award-winning LIES WE TELL, a northern noir in the tradition of Mike Hodges’ Get Carter and Mike Figgis’ Stormy Monday. Filmed in Bradford - the backdrop for classics including Billy Liar, Room at the Top and Rita, Sue and Bob Too - LIES WE TELL is an unflinching British thriller about loyalty, betrayal, and revenge, opening in UK cinemas on 2nd February 2018 .

When his billionaire boss Demi (Harvey Keitel) dies, chauffeur Donald (Gabriel Byrne) is given one final job - to wipe out any evidence of Demi’s relationship with his mistress, the enigmatic and beautiful Amber (Sibylla Deen). Donald’s task soon unravels when Amber’s life is threatened, and he finds himself her reluctant protector. Unwittingly drawn into a dangerous urban Bradford underworld, he encounters dark, harrowing practices, and a sinister criminal figure who will test him to his very limits.

LIES WE TELL received its world premiere in September 2017, in London’s Leicester Square, having been selected for the 25th Raindance Film Festival. This prestigious and influential festival has a reputation for promoting exciting new cinematic talents, having showcased Christopher Nolan’s first film Following, and British director Ben Wheatley’s debut Down Terrace; as well as holding the UK premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, starring Harvey Keitel from LIES WE TELL.

LIES WE TELL has subsequently been selected and played at Nottingham, Byron Bay, Mumbai, Wales, Kerry, Foyle and other International Film Festivals.

LIES WE TELL WILL BE RELEASED IN THE UK AND USA ON 2ND FEBRUARY 2018

Director’s statement: Mitu Misra

“Lies We Tell is, on the surface, about a man forced to confront an underworld that he has stumbled into - but I can tell you now it is also about a strata of British society, that lives by its own laws in the North of England, that really exists. Donald’s story is something I have experienced - an experience I wanted to portray the only way I knew how - through film.

I am aware that for some people who have viewed the film they question if this portrayal of a sub-culture is racist. But at our recent January 2018 premiere in Bradford the audience there were telling me at the Q&A afterwards, some in impassioned speeches to me rather than questions, that the film reflected exactly the issues in the city that no one will give voice to. These speakers I noted were always women and I was humbled by their eloquence. I would not pretend that this, my first imperfect film, is the best way to explore the issues but I do hope that it can open a debate that others can continue.

I have a love of film running through my veins that I believe saved me. Born in Punjab, India, in 1960, I was brought to England as a child and faced the same problems that other first generation immigrants had and continue to face. My only true escape was cinema. I would beg, borrow and steal for a ticket. Any ticket, Bollywood, Hollywood, it didn’t matter. A three storey shin down a drainpipe so my Father didn’t know I’d gone off the cinema didn’t stop me.

Any early hopes of a career in film were abruptly brought to an end by the death of my father, when I was 16. The right and, frankly, culturally Indian, choice was to go work, educate myself into a trade and look after my family. I started that process without a penny to my name, and built up a company that ended up with a turnover of £100m per annum.

With my responsibilities in life more than taken care of, I sold my company so I could immerse myself in the works of Polanski, Kieślowski, the Coen Brothers and other greats, and pursue my dream to make a film. I yearned to frame a story, and the passion for Lies We Tell came from personal glimpses into a world that exists within our country, and either people don’t know about it, or rather cannot find the politically correct words to confront.

What Donald (Gabriel Byrne) stumbles into is a dark side of society that prevails in parts of the UK today, and that the media exposes fleeting and horrific glimpses of, but cannot truly grasp. This is, I believe, because we are rendered mute in not wanting to offend and in fairness if you don’t live in Bradford how could one, or London based media know about it? Donald ends up with a choice to make about what is right to do, in what is a fictional story - but I dearly hope makes us question what we’re to do about the realities that underpin it.”

BRADFORD, CITY OF FILM

With a rich film heritage and a long involvement in British cinema, a superb film and media museum, and much sought-after filming locations, it’s little wonder that in 2009, Bradford was chosen as UNESCO’s first ever City of Film. Recently joined by Rome and Sydney, this is a permanent and prestigious honour that can only boost Bradford’s burgeoning reputation as a film hot spot.

The city, with its fantastic period buildings and locations, and stunning Yorkshire scenery, has always been a pull for filmmakers. John Schlesinger shot his 1963 comedy Billy Liar, starring Tom Courtenay, in Bradford – it also provided the backdrop for the Oscar-winning classic Room At The Top, and Alan Clarke’s cult favourite Rita, Sue and Bob Too; not to mention the city’s appearances in the hit comedy Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, Brit thriller I.D, and TV shows like Spooks, The Royal, Band of Gold and A Touch of Frost.

It continues to attract an eclectic mix of films and TV productions. Currently the city is being used as a location for the hit series Peaky Blinders, starring Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy; as well as new TV series Gunpowder, with Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington; and Funny Cow with Maxine Peake and Paddy Considine.

As David Wilson, director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film, says: “In recent years the Bradford Film Office has worked with a range of agencies and businesses to ensure that we live up to our film friendly credentials, and that is why we are enjoying many repeat visits.”

For Lies We Tell, Bradford provides a distinctive backdrop to the film, with the city and its surroundings becoming an essential part of this very different crime story.

Awards

Gabriel Byrne was the recipient of ‘Best Actor Award’ at the Nottingham International Film Festival in October 2017. Lies We Tell won the ‘Best Feature’, Gabriel Byrne won ‘Best Actor’, Sibylla Deen won ‘Best Actress’, Jan Uddin won ‘Best Supporting Actor’ and Zbigniew Preisner won ‘Best Music’ awards at the International Film Festival of Wales in December 2018.

About the cast

GABRIEL BYRNE as DONALD

Forever remembered for his roles in the Usual Suspects and Miller’s Crossing, Irish actor Gabriel Byrne went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in the critically acclaimed HBO series In Treatment. More recently Gabriel starred in popular series Vikings and Secret State. He is also a ﬁlm director, screenwriter, author and producer, with credits including the Academy Award-nominated In the Name of the Father.

SIBYLLA DEEN as AMBER

Rising star Sibylla Deen was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. She rose to prominence in varied roles including Tut alongside Ben Kingsley, the highly-rated Tyrant, and the soap opera Home and Away where she also happened to play a character called Amber.

JAN UDDIN as KD

An English actor of Bangladeshi descent, Jan Uddin has starred alongside illustrious names as Antonio Banderas and Mark Strong in Black Gold’ (Day of the Falcon), and James Purefoy in Injustice.

Jan excels with this latest role, playing a darkly complex villain, yet one with a weakness for his childhood sweetheart.

HARVEY KEITEL as DEMI

With an early career in iconic Scorsese movies such as Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, it is no wonder that Harvey Keitel’s stellar rise to prominence has attracted Oscar and Golden Globe attention during his prolific and enduring career.

Having worked with a myriad of high proﬁle directors such as Ridley Scott, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, Harvey recently starred in the multi-Oscar-winning The Grand Budapest Hotel directed by Wes Anderson, and now takes on a pivotal role in Lies We Tell.

MARK ADDY as BILLY

When The Full Monty catapulted Mark into a ﬁlm career he was already an established and respected TV actor, and has since gone on to star in Still Standing, The Time Machine, and famously played King Robert Baratheon in the hugely popular HBO series, Game of Thrones. As Billy, Mark is best mate and perfect foil to Gabriel Byrne’s Donald in Lies We Tell.

GINA MCKEE as HEATHER

Gina’s performances in acclaimed BBC drama Our Friends in the North earned her three Best Actress awards and propelled her to a distinguished career in theatre, TV and ﬁlm. Her ﬁlm credits include Notting Hill and Atonement and Wonderland. In Lies We Tell she is the estranged wife of Donald, a shunned link to a tragedy he’s unable to lay to rest.

REECE RITCHIE as NATHAN

Reece has starred in several Hollywood blockbusters, including Prince of Persia, Hercules and 10,000 BC, as well as having worked with prominent directors like Peter Jackson on The Lovely Bones. In Lies We Tell he not only inherits a business empire, but is intent on acquiring everything that his father Demi (Harvey Keitel) had, including his mistress.

EMILY ATACK as TRACEY

English Actress Emily Atack rose to fame in The Inbetweeners TV series, before embarking on a ﬁlm career that includes Almost Married, The Hoarder and the hit British war comedy Dad’s Army, based on the popular TV sitcom. In Lies We Tell she plays Tracey, with her misplaced love proving her ultimate undoing.

About the crew

ANDY MCDERMOTT - PRODUCER Andy McDermott is an independent writer and producer. His involvement with the broadcast and entertainment industry started in radio 30 years ago, he then went on to manage a number of successful media companies. He has a wide range of expertise in media marketing and copywriting and has more recently focused on writing feature ﬁlm screenplays and production full time.

DANNY GULLIVER - PRODUCER Danny Gulliver has spent 18 years working in Film and Television with over 50 credits in the industry, most recently as line producer on Man Up, Swallows & Amazons and Dad’s Army. He was production manager on Bronson and A Royal Night Out and prior to that, worked as location manager on TV drama series and feature ﬁlms such as Tyrannosaur and Sightseers. His practical on-set experience and industry knowledge naturally lead him to his ﬁrst producer role on Lies We Tell.

SANTOSH SIVAN – CINEMATOGRAPHER Santosh Sivan graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India and has completed 45 feature ﬁlms and 41 documentaries. He is the most awarded Director of Photography in India, as well as the ﬁrst cinematographer in the Asia-Paciﬁc region to be honoured with American Society of Cinematographers membership. He has also won ﬁve National Film Awards, four of which were for Best Feature Film Cinematography. As an international Director, he received worldwide accolades for The Terrorist (1998), which won the Best Director, Best Actress Awards and the Golden Pyramid Award for The Best Film at the 23rd Cairo International Film Festival.

EWEN GLASS – SCRIPTWRITER Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Ewen went on to study Film & Media at Stirling University. After graduating, he cut his teeth writing stage-plays before turning to the screen with a number of shorts including Italian-language Un'infermiera di nome Laura and Arthur Conan Doyle adaptation, Straggler of '45.

Ewen has had a number of features developed by Northern Ireland Screen and Slovak Audiovisual Fund, and was part of the story-lining team that helped Hollyoaks to Best Soap at the British Soap Awards 2014, the ﬁrst time in its history. Ewen co-wrote the feature Basement starring Jimi Mistry and Kierston Wareing (2010), and in 2013, was awarded a place on Edinburgh International Film Festival's TalentLab scheme.

ZBIGNIEW PREISNER – COMPOSER Polish Composer Zbigniew Preisner is known primarily for his work on inﬂuential director Krzysztof Kieślowski’s iconic Three Colours trilogy, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe, and has been recognised for his outstanding music on The Island on Bird Street, Elisa and Between Strangers.

More recently he scored the acclaimed Downfall of Berlin: Anonyma and A História Da Eternidade.

He continues to compose for ﬁlms while also releasing albums of his own music, songs and instrumentals, and working with illustrious artists like Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and singer Lisa Gerrard.

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PRESENTS

LIES WE TELL

Credits

Directed by

MITU MISRA

Produced by

ANDY MCDERMOTT

MALCOLM SCOTT

DANNY GULLIVER

Executive Producers

SANTOSH SIVAN

MARK PLATTS

Director of Photography

SANTOSH SIVAN ASC ISC

Original Music Composed By

ZBIGNIEW PREISNER

Editor

CHRIS GILL ACE

Screenplay by

EWEN GLASS and ANDY MCDERMOTT

Story by

MITU MISRA

Production Designer

JANE LEVICK

Costume Design

ADAM HOWE

Make Up Design

PENNY SMITH

Casting Director

MICHELLE SMITH CDG

Starring

GABRIEL BYRNE

SIBYLLA DEEN

MARK ADDY

JAN UDDIN

REECE RITCHIE

GINA MCKEE

NICHOLAS FARRELL

MANZAR SEBHAI-PAL

HARISH PATEL

EMILY ATACK

HARVEY VIRDI

AND HARVEY KEITEL

Developed in association with

BRADFORD INTERNATIONAL FILM ASSOCIATES LIMITED