The British thriller, Surge, the first feature film from Aneil Karia (Beat, The Long Goodbye) starring BAFTA award winning actor Ben Whishaw (The Personal History of David Copperfield, Paddington, the James Bond franchise) will screen at this year’s Glasgow International Film Festival; and released in the UK and Ireland on May 28th 2021.
The film had its World Premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in the World Competition section, where Ben Whishaw won a Special Jury Award for Acting. Following this Surge had its International Premiere at Berlinale 2020 in the Panorama section.
In the film, Joseph (Whishaw) is trapped in a soulless job, living a life devoid of emotion and meaning. After an impulsive act of rebellion, Joseph unleashes a wilder version of himself. He is propelled on a reckless journey through London, ultimately experiencing what it feels like to be alive.
Karia says of his protagonist, “Though Joseph might seem to be a unique case, I hope that his story is speaking to something much more universal. Now more than ever it feels like we have had enough of surface-existence and are yearning for a deeper more present experience of the world. I hope watching this film feels like a visceral and meaningful trip.”