Perfect Match

Last Update: 03 July 2004

 
On May 13, 2004, the following story appeared in Doncaster Today:
 
DONNYWOOD HEADS FOR CANNES
 
The Cannes Film Festival, magnet for A-list celebrities, will see the launch
of the latest Donnywood film next week.
 
The production of Perfect Match, the latest offering from the team behind
Shotgun Dave Rides East, will be unveiled to the great and the good of the
film world at the festival on the French Riviera on Monday.
 
And Squillion Films revealed that they have their sights set on some big
names to star in the football-themed picture - footballer David Ginola,
actor Sean Bean and singer Ronan Keating.
 
The film, funded by Rovers' millionaire chairman John Ryan, tells the
story of playboy French footballer Remi Bonnard who moves to a club in a
Yorkshire town in a bid to escape from trouble in Paris.
 
Becoming entangled in a romance with a local girl, he leads her into the
world of the celebrity footballer while she turns her life upside down to
accommodate him in the bitter-sweet romantic comedy.
 
Graeme Oxby, the film's producer, said that the film would be targeted
at the European market. "We are looking to develop distribution
partnerships particularly in Europe," he said. "We want to get this film
seen and distribution is key otherwise this is just a vanity project."
 
The film was initially to be called Kiss and Tell but once the script was
completed by writer David Allison it was decided that Perfect Match would
be more fitting.
 
Graeme added: "It is a very, very good script - we knew we had the right
writer as soon as we read it."
 
Previously announced stars such as former EastEnders star Michael Greco
and Doncaster born Natasha Lund are still set to take roles in the film.
The Division Three championship Rovers squad could also be in line for
cameo appearances.
 
Local talent will also be called on to audition for small roles and take
part as extras.
 
Merseybeat actor Chris Walker, who is also set to take a part in Perfect
Match, will cater for the film's Cannes launch. Chris, an accomplished chef,
will not be able to make it in person to the party but instead has prepared
the food in the kitchens of the Regent Hotel, on South Parade, to be flown
out to France.
 
Graeme added: "Chris is not only a very fine actor but he's a fantastic chef.
Our original plan was to fly him out to Cannes with us but filming schedules
for the BBC's Casualty meant Chris wasn't available.
 
This is the next best thing though and it's great to think we're taking a
little piece of Doncaster with us to the world's biggest and most
sophisticated film festival."
 
 
On June 30, 2004, the following story appeared in Sheffield Today:
 
'Donnywood' big film budget soars to £7m
FILM producers believe a movie set in Doncaster will be more lavish than
expected after trebling their budget.
 
Perfect Match is expected to be shot in the town later this year with
former Newcastle and Tottenham footballer David Ginola and ex-Boyzone
singer Ronan Keating in talks over roles.

And today director Graeme Oxby has revealed cash from Irish and French
co-producers has now been secured to send the budget spiralling upwards
from the orginal 2 million to 7 million.

It follows talks held at the Cannes Film Festival in May, when Mr Oxby and
fellow producer Simon Rice also held talks with Frenchman Mr Ginola.

The extra money is expected to mean the film can use an increased number
of locations, more lavish costumes, and attract bigger name actors. Mr Oxby
also revealed he has brought on board the casting agent Dan Hubbard, who
was the man behind the actors in films including Lord of the Rings: The Return
of the King and Troy.

Both films starred Sheffield actor Sean Bean, who is among the names
Perfect Match's producers are hoping to sign up for their film.

The new budget puts the film on a cash par with last years successful
British film Calendar Girls, and ahead of South Yorkshires most famous film,
The Full Monty.

Mr Oxby said: "We've always said we plan to make a glamorous film
aimed at women - not a kitchen sink drama. The increased budget will help
achieve this. "

A lot of the budget is taken up with talent, and this means we can really
shop around.

Perfect Match is a romantic comedy.

Visit Squillion Films Perfect Match website.
 
As of July 3, 2004, Sean's involvement in this film is "Rumour Only".
 

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