The biographical drama film "Breathe" is scheduled to open the 61st London Film Festival on October 4, 2017. Film producer Jonathan Cavendish and director Andy Serkis are set to attend the European premiere of the film along with the cast.
The film is based on the true story of Robin Cavendish's battle against polio. Andy Serkis will be making his directorial debut with this film. Serkis will also be directing the Jungle Book film to be released in 2018. Robin Cavendish's son, Jonathan, serves as the producer. William Nicholson wrote the screenplay of the film, and Robert Richardson is in-charge of cinematography.
"Breathe" is scheduled for release in cinemas on October 27, 2017.
The story
The story is about the life of Robin Cavendish who was diagnosed with polio while he was in Kenya in December 1958, when he was 28. The doctors gave him 3 months to live and, then, a year but he managed to survive. He was paralyzed from the neck down and became a "responaut" – a person relying on a mechanical respirator to breathe.
Together with his wife, they traveled the world as an advocate for the disabled. In the 1960s, Robin and his friend Teddy Hall developed a wheelchair with a built-in respirator. The wheelchair enabled him to be free of his bed. Robin was determined that mobility should be available to other victims of polio.
Robin Cavendish spent the remainder of his life improving, not only his but the lives of other paralyzed people. He traveled the world to campaign and inspire others.
The cast
Robin Cavendish will be played by Andrew Garfield. Garfield is famous for his role as Peter Parker in the film "The Amazing Spider-Man" in 2012 and the sequel in 2014.
Opposite Garfield will be Claire Foy, to play Robin's wife, Diana. Foy gained popularity for playing Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix hit series "The Crown."
Foy and Garfield will also be joined by Hugh Bonneville who will be playing Robin's friend and a professor at Oxford University, Teddy Hall. Tom Hollander and Stephen Mangan will also be in the film.
Film Festival
The British Film Institute London Film Festival (BFI London Film Festival) is an annual film festival held in the English capital. The 61st version of the festival will begin on October 4 and end on October 15.
Last year, the festival opened with "A United Kingdom" directed by Amma Asante and starred by David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike. "Certain Women" by Kelly Reichardt's won Best Film and "Raw" by Julia Ducournau won Best First Feature.
