The Bystanders - Film - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)
Genre
Released
Stars
Seann Walsh, Scott Haran, Andi Jashy, Georgia Mabel Clarke, Nick Helm, Frank Harper, Lauren Douglin, Caroline Ginty and more
Writers
Gabriel Foster Prior and Jack Hughes
Director
Producers
Gabriel Foster Prior and Luisa Riviere
Company
The Bystanders is an off-the-wall, sci-fi comedy set in a parallel dimension - a world in which invisible immortals watch over their subjects and intervene in their lives, often not for the better.
The Bystanders is a world of misfits and loners. Recruited from the human world, they pick people with no friends, no one
who will miss them if they vanish. Each Bystander has been tasked with watching a human subject. The story centres on the friendship between enthusiastic, newbie Pete and his world-weary tutor Frank, as Pete navigates this new, surreal world.
When Pete and Frank swap subjects, it starts a feud that will test their friendship and send their subjects lives into chaos, as they use them as pieces in a mad game of human chess.
Bystanders, invisible onlookers, are often irritated by their subject's behaviour, creating an opportunity for observational comedy and satire of modern city life.
Filled with mysterious moments, The Bystanders mixes retro sci-fi and silent comedy set-pieces. The filmmaking is eccentric and playful, including hand drawn rotoscope animation, creating its own idiosyncratic, odd-ball world.
Theatrical Trailer
Stream and download
Additional details
UK certificate
15
Duration
98 minutes
UK release
Friday 3rd November 2023
Produced
2022
UK premiere
Tuesday 6th June 2023, Sci-Fi-London Festival at Rich Mix
Distributors
Production
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour