Offside

Offside - A Match Made in Heaven

Offside is Tubedale Films' first Merseyside production, a topical feature film that plays on the link between Swedish and English football, in the lead up to the World Cup.

An introduction via North West Vision's funding department led to a partnership between Tubedale Films and Swedish producers, Gota Film. After brokering the co-production partnership, North West Vision subsequently liked the project so much that a small amount was invested from the Merseyside Film and TV Fund. This enabled certain sequences to be filmed in Merseyside.

Offside
Shot in Sweden and Liverpool the film included a shoot at Anfield stadium and sees Reds legend Ian Rush in a cameo role playing himself.

North West Vision co-invested in the film, through it's Merseyside Film and TV Fund Chris Moll, Head of Funds at North West Vision said:

" We see these sorts of international co-productions as a way of developing the feature film sector on Merseyside and look forward to working with Tubedale Films and other Liverpool companies in this exciting area".

The Story: Synopsis
In a team full of losers can one more do any harm?

Stenfors FC are crap. Really crap. They used to be good though. A first division side with a proud history but now they're a bunch of misfits on the brink of relegation and to make matters worse it's their centenary year.

As a last throw of the dice the club's wheeler-dealing left-winger manages to persuade a former Liverpool FC legend, the fictional character Duncan Miller, to join the team to help in the fight for survival.

But Duncan is not the man he once was. It's a good 15 years and a few more bottles of vodka since he last played. When he staggers of the plane slurring songs and kissing the airport officials he doesn't instil much confidence in the team. But Duncan is dealing with a few issues of his own. Not least the son he fathered on a club visit to Sweden 15 years ago.

Duncan has 3 games to turn things around for the team. 3 games to get off the sauce and sort himself out too….

The Production:
The film is a co-production with Gota Film of Sweden a highly respected producer of feature films, shorts for the cinema, television drama, series and documentaries.

The film stars some of Sweden's best known actors and, in the role of Duncan Miller (the fictional former Liverpool player) Brendan Coyle whose credits include films The General, Tomorrow Never Dies and high profile television dramas North and South and Omagh.
Ian Rush, making his feature film debut, plays himself.

The film is helmed by award-winning director Martin Klingberg.

North West Vision is co-investor in the film. Chris Moll, Head of Funds at North West Vision said:

"We are delighted to be supporting this Swedish UK co-production through Merseyside Film and TV Fund (MFTVF), (Objective One Funding)." We see these sorts of international co-productions as a way of developing the feature film sector on Merseyside and look forward to working with Tubedale Films and other Liverpool companies in this exciting area".

Carl Clifton the film's co-producer said "Offside was a great film to kickstart the deal we have with North West Vision. The shoot in Liverpool went really smoothly and we have high hopes for this funny and touching film at the box office both in the UK and beyond."

The film will be promoted at this year's Cannes Film Festival.