FRIDAY NIGHT FLOP
Donation protected
What is Friday Night Flop?
Friday Night Flop is a feel-good film about family. Maya is a recluse who refuses to engage with the world. Ellen is her frantically worried mother whose attempts to fix her daughter only alienate her further. When Ellen discovers Maya is gambling, all hope seems lost. Little does she realise, the hand she has just been dealt will change everything.
"Funny and incredibly heartwarming"
My mum
The screenplay
The screenplay for Friday Night Flop won a short film writing competition which helped fund the preproduction and the shoot. So we are half way there. It just can't cover the edit and the post production required to bring this film to the screen. Hence our appeal for your help!
Premiere
The film will premiere at the Phoenix Cinema in London on the 11th November whether its finished or not! We are on the last straight, running with one shoe. But the edit is great, the performances are fantastic, we have every confidence in the value and quality of this film. We now need to conform, grade, compose out tracks and mix sound.
Our goal is to take it on the short film circuit including Sundance and Berlin, it feels like it can and will hold it's own.
CAST
Tracy-Ann Oberman: Ellen Himmelbaum
Tracy-Ann Oberman has impressed audiences in everything from EastEnders, Doctor Who, and Toast of London on screen to The Merchant of Venice, Noises Off and Boeing-Boeing on stage.
Anoushka Cowan: Maya Himmelbaum
We are excited to introduce Anoushka, Tracy-Ann’s daughter. She will be playing the role of Maya, Ellen’s daughter in the film. This will be her debut performance.
Mark Fleischmann: Rabbi Fine
Mark plays the role of Rabbi Fine, a man who has lost his faith in everything except mac and cheese ready meals.
Mark appeared opposite Mark Wahlberg in Infinite, had roles in Inception, Golda, The Princess Switch and Being Human.
Myra Sands: Grandma Lilly
Myra plays the role of Maya’s grandmother. Seemingly conservative and traditional, there are hints of a more glamorous past.
Myra Sands has been a dancer, singer and actor for more than 40 years.
She acted in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical, 'Jesus Christ Superstar.'
Russell Bentley: David Himmelbaum
Russell will play the part of Ellen’s husband, David. Living in Ellen's formidable shadow takes thick skin.
Russell will appear in season 4 of 'Slow Horses' on Apple TV. Nominated for an audible award for Naxos audio's, 'No Name' by Wilkie Collins in 2021 as featured in The Sunday Times. He has just completed recording 'Chicken Soup with Barley' for BBC Radio 4.
Meet The Team:
The directors, production team, DOP, art department, makeup, wardrobe, catering, casting, are all working for free. We can't thank our fabulous crew enough for their time and dedication!
Friday Night Flop was written and directed by Simon Friedberg and Elliott Gerner.
Simon Friedberg is a writer and director from an advertising background. He won Cannes Lions for his We Are David Bailey campaign, and has won creative awards at D&AD, the Webbys, and the New York Film Festival for campaigns and short form content.
He has a healthy love of poker.
Elliott Gerner is a BAFTA and Emmy nominated television producer and director. He has worked across many of the UK’s most successful factual and documentary series.
He has an unhealthy love of poker.
Director of Photography: Paul Kirsop is an internationally recognised Emmy-nominated cinematographer who has worked on, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, The Man Who Fell to Earth and Anatomy of a Scandal.
Executive Producer: Selina Dey
Selina is a seasoned senior producer based in London. With global experience and collaborations with top-tier agencies such as Uncommon, AMVBBDO, and Wieden + Kennedy, she produces a diverse range of content for broadcast and online platforms. Selina excels in the art of storytelling and captivating audiences, managing budgets, coordinating teams, and ensuring flawless project execution.
Producer: Jo Woolf is an Executive Producer in Unscripted TV and also runs training sessions for TV and film professionals. She is actively involved with the organisations, We Are Doc Women and Screenskills and enjoys inspiring new entrants to the industry, especially those from diverse and under-represented backgrounds.
Line Producer: Anna Chacko has a passion for visual storytelling with a rich and diverse career in producing content for TV. Alumna of Marvel Entertainment, MTV and Warner Bros, she is a BAFTA member and a Breakthrough Leader pivoting into producing scripted content.
Production Manager: Agnes Jarek is a visual artist and an Assistant Producer at UKTV. She began her career as a runner in a post-production house, steadily advancing through various advertising companies. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Agnes's compelling works have been featured in numerous publications and exhibited in venues, including the Saatchi Gallery.
Casting Director: Gaby Kester is an Artios award-nominated casting director who has been in casting for over twenty years working on numerous acclaimed film and television productions. Credits include Bridget Jones’s Diary, Five Children and It, Breaking and Entering, Hysteria, and more recently, Where is Anne Frank for the Oscar-nominated director Ari Folman.
Production Designer: Maxwell Fine is a Designer and Set Decorator and has worked on Narrative Drama and Comedy projects for the past decade. Highlights include the BAFTA nominated and EMMY winning 'Heartstopper' for Netflix as well as 'Wedding Season' for Disney.
Your generosity will help us make this film extraordinary.
No matter how small, every donation brings us closer to our goal.
Thank you for your support and for being a part of this meaningful endeavour.
All the very best,
The Friday Night Flop Team
xxx
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Co-organizers (3)
Agnes Jarek
Organizer
England
Elliott Gerner
Beneficiary
simon friedberg
Co-organizer