Sophie Rankin and Sarah Marks
ESCAPE and DARKGAME are two new indie films from film director Howard J Ford, coming to screens in 2023.
ESCAPE, the new brutal kidnap thriller from Howard J. Ford, one of the UK's most innovative genre filmmakers, was revealed at the EFM in Berlin by GFM Film Sales, marking the director's 10th feature film. The talented cast includes Sarah Alexandra Marks, Sophie Rankin, Sean Cronin, Angela Dixon, Louis James, and Glenn Salvage.
The film was co-produced by Tamara Orlova and executive produced by Amir Moallemi and Fred Hedman, adding their expertise to bring this intense and gripping story to life.
Howard J. Ford describes the film as ‘a total outlandish blast’. “I wanted to go back to films and filmmakers that had an impact on me growing up like Sergio Leone’s classic westerns with echoes of ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ but with a completely modern twist”.
Ed Westwick
Howard J. Ford's thriller DARKGAME.
2023 also sees the release of Howard J. Ford's DARKGAME, a story that revolves around a private detective in Portland played by Ed Westwick. The detective leads a task force responsible for investigating the plight of several captives who are coerced into participating in a perilous reality game show broadcasted on the "dark web."
The film also stars Andrew P Stephen, Natalya Tsvetkova, Lola Wayne and Rory Alexander. Produced by Tom George and written by Gary Grant & Niall Johnson.
Howard commented: “Working with Ed Westwick was a thrill in itself He’s such a powerhouse performer. The whole cast and crew were a dream-team”.
Howard and his brother Jonathan Ford, made a name for themselves in the horror genre with their thrilling zombie films, THE DEAD and THE DEAD 2, India.
Howard and his brother made a name for themselves in the horror genre with their thrilling zombie films, THE DEAD and THE DEAD 2, India. However, prior to these successes, Howard had directed two remarkable thrillers: MAINLINE RUN, featuring Hugo Speer, and DISTANT SHADOW, with Shane Richie and Mark Little. He is known for his fast-paced, tension-filled storytelling style, which earned him numerous awards for his next film, NEVER LET GO, a gripping action thriller shot in Morocco. Despite the recent pandemic, Howard continued to create, and his next project was THE LOCKDOWN HAUNTINGS, a supernatural serial killer movie shot entirely during lockdown without a crew. The film stars the legendary Tony Todd ('Candyman'). In 2022, Howard released his latest film, THE LEDGE, a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game thriller set on a mountaintop. The film has received critical acclaim and multiple awards since its theatrical and streaming release.
Howard J. Ford comments on his filmmaking:
“It’s been quite a rollercoaster ride to reach this milestone in my career and it’s taken me around the globe. There have been plenty of incredible challenges, at times life-threatening, but these have been far outweighed by the achievements and the fabulous talents I have worked with. My experiences as a commercials director have taught me how to think on my feet and get the best out of shooting in diverse locations. Plus, I owe my continuing longevity to never giving up, adapting to everything the film industry throws at me and remembering the most important word in movie-making: “Action”. Both on and off screen! Now with ten movies in the can and probably near three hundred commercials I feel the real adventure is just beginning. I’m already looking at new filmic adventures in far lands!”
