MUMBAI: Genova, the next film to be made by award-winning British director Michael Winterbottom, whose A Mighty Heart is part of this year’s Cannes official selection, is one of a number of projects supported by the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund.

Winterbottom has co-written the script with Laurence Coriat, with Andrew Eaton producing for Revolution Films. British actor Colin Firth stars with Catherine Keener and Hope Davis in this ghost story set in Genova, about a young girl who following the death of her mother in a car crash, is taken to Italy by her father with her sister to start a new life. The shooting begins in June.

The New Cinema Fund is also backing White Lightnin’ – The Jesco White Murders, the feature film debut of multi award-winning British commercials director Dominic Murphy for Film and Music Entertainment. Produced by Sam Taylor and Mike Downey this film introduces British actor Ed Hogg in the lead role.

Crack Willow is the first feature from BAFTA nominee and award-winning short film-maker Martin Radich. His latest short film Dog’s Mercury was supported by the New Cinema Fund’s Cinema Extreme scheme run in association with Film4. Crack Willow, produced by Jane Hooks for Warp Films, with backing from EM Media and Screen Yorkshire, is currently shooting in the UK and sees Radich taking an innovative approach to filmmaking by working with a small crew and letting the story evolve as filming progresses.

Continuing to champion new UK filmmakers, the first two films to emerge under the Warp X banner, the digital studio co-funded by the New Cinema Fund with partners Film4, EM Media, Screen Yorkshire and Optimum Releasing, are both being presented at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Donkey Punch is the feature film debut of writer/director Olly Blackburn (Wonderful World, Swallowed) and writer David Bloom. Produced by Angus Lamont, Mark Herbert and Robin Gutch, and currently in post-production, the cast includes UK talents Julian Morris and Jaime Winstone in a thriller about seven young holiday-makers caught up in a deadly game of survival on a boat.

Complete History is the feature debut of award-winning shorts writer/director Chris Waitt. Also in post-production, this comedy documentary about being a loser in love is co-written by Waitt and Henry Trotter, and produced by Henry Trotter, Mary Burke, Robin Gutch, and Mark Herbert.

New Cinema Fund head Lenny Crooks said, “The New Cinema Fund is committed to supporting distinctive and innovative filmmaking. This includes helping new talent making the move from shorts to features and funding established voices integral to the UK film industry. We are very pleased to be supporting an exciting range of projects from several talented filmmakers.”