REAL follows two twenty-somethings navigating their past struggles and growing feelings for one another in this authentic love story from writer-director Aki Omoshaybi.
Synopsis: In inner-city Portsmouth, an unremarkable newsagent’s sits between a courthouse and a business centre. It’s here that sparks fly between well-dressed Kyle (Aki Omoshaybi) and equally poised Jamie (Pippa Bennett-Warner). Yet despite their outward appearances, both are struggling to move on from hardship they’d rather keep hidden. As their feelings for one another blossom, their pasts resurface, threatening to break them apart before their relationship has even begun.
REAL is an impressive debut feature which marks actor turned writer-director Aki Omoshaybi as a talent to watch.
REAL is an impressive debut feature which marks actor turned writer-director Aki Omoshaybi as a talent to watch. His aim, he explains, was to ‘make an authentic film about how people navigate through the world of dating when they’re struggling to make ends meet. I also wanted to make a film with two black protagonists where race and violence weren’t the main calling cards. I wanted to show them not just as humans living everyday life, but the struggles that come with that - something which happens very rarely for black people in British Cinema.’
As an actor Aki Omoshaybi started in the West End doing plays such as ‘West Side Story’...
As an actor Aki Omoshaybi started in the West End doing plays such as ‘West Side Story’, ‘Hairspray’, ‘Hair’, ‘Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’, as well as working with the RSC and Royal Exchange. His recent film credits include Burning Men, released in cinemas this year, and Faces, for which he was nominated for best actor at the British Urban Film Festival. His other film credits include Star Wars: The Last Jedi, A Moving Image and The Riot Club. As a writer/director, Aki previously made the short film Spilt, nominated at the British Urban Film Festival and The Groucho Film Festival in 2016. He is currently writing his second feature Cubs and has a slate of upcoming projects with the production company he founded - Small Long Productions.
Actress Pippa Bennett-Warner starred earlier this year in the BBC2 political drama 'MotherFatherSon’ alongside Richard Gere...
Actress Pippa Bennett-Warner starred earlier this year in the BBC2 political drama 'MotherFatherSon’ alongside Richard Gere and the hit Sky series ‘Gangs of London’ with Joe Cole. She also reprised her role as Harriet in the third season of the popular Hulu/ITV period drama ‘Harlots’. Pippa previously appeared in the independent feature Wakefield alongside Bryan Cranston and Jennifer Garner, and the Jackie Chan movie The Foreigner. Pippa’s previous TV credits include ‘Sick Note’, ‘The Smoke’, ‘The Secret’, ‘The Trials of Jimmy Rose’ and ‘River’. Pippa is also an accomplished theatre actress having played in numerous productions at the Donmar Warehouse and National Theatre.
REAL is the sixth film to be released by Verve Pictures through their First Feature Distribution Support Scheme supported by funding from the BFI.
