A dark social satire movie filmed at Sidbury Manor is due for general cinema release next month – and will have a special screening in Sidmouth.
All My Friends Hate Me was released in the US a few months ago and received glowing reviews in the New York Times, LA Times and Variety.
It’s about a group of university friends who reunite a few years later for a birthday weekend house party. But the central character, Pete, increasingly feels that his friends are turning against him, and he can’t work out whether he’s just being paranoid, or really is the subject of a sick joke.
The script was written by Tom Stourton and Tom Palmer, university friends of George Cave whose family own Sidbury Manor.
George said: “I think an element of the inspiration for the script was from them having come to stay at Sidbury Manor. Not in its entirety, I’d like to add, there’s certainly some creative licence.
“They approached me in 2019 and asked if they could make the film at Sidbury Manor and I said ‘yes, why not, let’s do this’.”
All My Friends Hate Me was filmed over a three-week period, with some of the cast and crew staying at the manor and others at the Red Lion or other B&Bs in Sidbury. George acted as location manager.
He said: “It was a really enjoyable occasion – friends of mine making the film, and the director was someone we’d known for a while, there was a family feel to it.”
Several Sidbury residents found roles as extras. Robbie Drew the butcher played the barman in a pub scene, and the beaters in a shooting scene were played by Rob, Leah and Ellie Hattrell, Tony Guest, Shane Strawbridge and Rodney Cross.
The special screening of the film is at the Radway cinema on Thursday, June 16, with writer/lead actor Tom Stourton, co-writer/producer Tom Palmer and director Andrew Gaynord in attendance for a Q&A session. Tickets will be available from the Radway.
George said: “So far All My Friends Hate Me has been embraced by the indie film community, but I am hoping and confident that here in Sidmouth people will enjoy it for its uniqueness, humour and the fact it's in the familiar surroundings of Sidbury Manor.”
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