Cinema Releases - Kicks
A markedly assured feature debut from Lindy Heymann, an intelligent and witty comment on modern celebrity culture.
Nicole (Kerrie Hayes) is an introverted Liverpudlian teenager, all but deserted by her parents, with a mother distractedly working nights and a father who has settled with a new family elsewhere. She spends time hanging around the gates of Anfield and the Melwood training ground, desperate for a glimpse of her idol, the star midfielder Lee Cassidy (Jamie Doyle). She meets aspirant WAG Jasmine (Nichola Burley), who is from an affluent family, more glamorous and streetwise, yet the girls' shared adoration for Cassidy lead them to bond instantly. They trawl the city and its nightspots, fantasising about a time when they might have Lee for themselves, yet when the news breaks that the footballer is a transfer target for Real Madrid, they take drastic action to prevent him leaving.Film's website
Kicks Facebook group
Lindy Heymann – Director
Lindy Heymann directed her first documentary, 3 Hours in High Heels in Heaven, for Channel 4. She went on to direct music videos, winning a Creative Futures Award for most promising newcomer. She has directed over a hundred music videos, working with artists such as The Charlatans, Suede, Leftfield, Terry Hall, Faithless and Paul McCartney. In 2003 she co-wrote and directed a faux-documentary feature film, Showboy, in America, which was released in 2004, picking up a BIFA Award for Best Directorial Debut and Best Picture at the Milan Independent Film Festival. She recently completed Service, a 30-minute comedy drama for Channel 4.
Leigh Campbell – Writer
In 2002 Leigh Campbell wrote Unhinged, which became one of Northwest Vision and Media’s most commercially successful digital short films. The following year she won the Screen England national pitching competition for her feature, Big Stella, Little Stella at the Cannes International Film Festival.
2003 Showboy
2009 Kicks
Nicole Kerrie Hayes
Jasmine Nichola Burley
Lee Jamie Doyle
Jade Laura Wallace
Angie Sarah Jane Buckley
Dave Nick Moss
John Derek Hicks
Bouncer Gary Cargill
Pissed lad Chris Lindon
CREW
Directed by Lindy Heymann
Produced by Andy Stebbing
Written by Leigh Campbell
Original Story by Laurence Coriat
Executive Producers Christopher Moll, Lise Marie Russo
Co-Producer Stephen CheersProduction Executive Tracy O'Riordan
Director of Photography Eduard Grau
Editor Kant Pan
Production Designer Grant Armstrong
Sound Recordist Giancarlo Dellapina
Hair & Make Up Lucy McKeown
Costume Designer Julian Day
Casting Director David Shaw
© Starstruck Films Limited/Digital Departures Limited 2008
“Kerrie Hayes is special. One look at her incredible debut as a big-screen leading actress in Brit coming-of-age drama Kicks will tell you that”
Jonathan Crocker
i-D
“a tense tale…compelling”
Vogue
“engaging…witty coming-of-age tale”
“gritty humour and promising young talent on show
Anne Smith Empire
‘...Lindy Heymann’s crisply visualised tale of two Scouse teenage girls who kidnap a star footballer...’
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
‘Lindy Heymann’s timely piece about two aspiring WAG’s’
Jonathan Romney, Independent on Sunday
‘... a stylish and cool new film by debutant director Lindy Heymann, about two teenage Liverpool girls, one nouveau riche, the other from an estate, who form a friendship over their crush on a star footballer... creates plenty of bold, cinematic moments, and one of the girls, Kerrie Hayes, is wonderful to watch, a striking new face. The script is strong, too, and the music by Ladytron is used to memorable effect in several scenes. It reminded me vaguely of My Summer of Love. ’
Jason Solomons, The Observer
Kicks, is a markedly assured feature debut from Lindy Heymann, an intelligent and witty comment on modern celebrity culture with outstanding contrasting performances from Hayes and Burley at its core.'Michael Hayden, LFF 2009
Two teenage girls' adoration of a British soccer star becomes dangerously intense in "KICKS," an absorbing drama...'
‘the pic should kickstart a few careers, particularly for first-time helmer Lindy Heymann and young stars Kerrie Hayes and Nichola Burley.
‘Heymann's helming is quietly assured; her strong use of music suggests her background in music videos has paid dividends.'
‘Craft contributions are sturdy, with Eduard Grau's richly colored lensing drawing particular attention’.
Leslie Felperin, Variety