A BLACK comedy set in Ilkley during the town's Literature Festival is in production.

'Ilkley' is set in the idyllic Yorkshire spa town as it plays host to thousands of avid book-lovers as well as some of the most celebrated names in academia for its annual Literary Festival. On its final weekend, however, this idyll will welcome the world’s most controversial secularist, and two hapless evangelicals tasked with killing him.

Starring in 'Ilkley' is Roger Allam (The Lady in the Van, In the Thick of It, Mr Holmes) Derek Jacobi (Tolkien, Cinderella, The King’s Speech) and Anna Maxwell-Martin (Philomena, Becoming Jane), alongside Harry Melling (The Lost City of Z, Harry Potter series). Vinette Robinson and Flora Spencer-Longhurst also star.

BIFA nominated and Screen Star of Tomorrow Harry Michell (Chubby Funny) directs the black comedy co-written with Jamie Fraser. He reunites with Chubby Funny producer Helen Simmons. Executive Producers include Independent’s Andrew Orr, Screen Yorkshire’s Hugo Heppell, Ivy Gate Films’ Roger Le Tissier and Frances Le Tissier, Featuristic Films’ Julien Loeffler and Fabrice Smadja, Kevin Loader, Andy Brunskill and Farah Abushwesha. The film will be a Guinea Pig Production and Aimimage Production in association with Independent and Featuristic Films

Ilkley will be Harry Michell’s follow up to debut feature Chubby Funny, which received critical acclaim after a successful run on the festival circuit and reaching the long-list in four BIFA categories with Harry being nominated for Most Promising Newcomer.

Financed by Screen Yorkshire, Ivy Gate Films, and Umedia. Principal photography begins later this month in Yorkshire.

Hugo Heppell, Head of Investments at Screen Yorkshire said: "We’re delighted but not surprised that Harry Michell has managed to secure such a brilliant lead cast for Ilkley. The combination of his highly entertaining script and of course, the location, which is so central to the story, made it an irresistible project for Screen Yorkshire and we’re excited to help bring it to the big screen.’’

Producer, Helen Simmons, said: “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Harry again on our second feature. We have managed to attach a fantastically talented cast and with the unending support of our financiers and Independent, we look forward to making a hilariously funny and brilliantly original film.”

Head of Sales at Independent, Sarah Lebutsch said: "With Chubby Funny, Harry has shown an enormous natural talent for writing and directing comedy, and we are delighted to be able to work with him on his second feature. The filmmaking team have gathered an incredible cast for Ilkley, we can’t wait to see Harry’s hilarious script on screen.’’

Rachel Feldberg, Ilkley Literature Festival director, said:”We are very excited to be working the with ‘Ilkley’ team. Harry Michell and producer Helen Simmons came to us last year while still in the early stages of writing and planning the script and it is been wonderful to see how the project has grown and developed in that time.‘
‘Supporting new and emerging writers has always been a core part of our work at the festival and it is great to be able to see that work come to fruition in such a big way.
“Harry and Jamie’s hilarious script is combined with the stellar cast of talented British actors and we can’t wait to see the finished film.’