British talents, writer-director Neil Biswas and actor-writer-director Manjinder Virk, have launched multi-platform, independent production company Riverbird Films.
Virk’s breakthrough role as an actor was Peter Kosminsky’s BAFTA-winning Channel 4 drama “Britz,” alongside Riz Ahmed. She starred in Clio Barnard’s debut feature “The Arbor” for which she was nominated for best actress and newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards. Her TV credits also include “Midsomer Murders,” “Monroe,” “Trigger Point” and “Shetland.” Virk has directed and produced several short films including “Out of Darkness,” starring Tom Hiddleston, Riz Ahmed, Monica Dolan and Noma Dumezwani. She is in development with her debut feature as writer-director, “Things We Never Said,” produced by Ivana Mackinnon and Emily Leo at Wild Swim and the BFI.
Biswas wrote BBC drama series “In the Land of Plenty” and Channel 4 drama “Second Generation.” He wrote and directed Channel 4 film “Bradford Riots,” adapted Martina Cole’s “The Take,” starring Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley and Brian Cox for Sky and was lead director on Season 4 of Channel 4 drama “Skins.” Biswas also collaborated with Stan Lee to co-create Sky’s “Stan Lee’s Lucky Man,” where he served as showrunner and executive producer. He wrote and directed his debut feature “Darkness Visible” for BFI and Newscope Pictures.
Riverbird Films will produce content for both international and U.K. broadcast and streaming, working with existing and emerging talent. “Manjinder and Neil’s unique background and diverse creative history will allow them to discover original, unheard perspectives that are urgently needed in the TV and film industry, as well as capitalizing on their own relationships with the incredible array of talented creatives and talent they have collaborated with,” the company said in a statement.
The Riverbird slate includes three TV drama projects in development – “Ghost in the Machine,” a six-part thriller from BAFTA nominated writer Moira Buffini (“The Dig,” “Jane Eyre, “Harlots”); dark comedy series “Bagel”; and “Home,” a three-part drama about an Asian family written by Virk. The company is also producing short film “Dekho” (“Listen”) for the charity Alzheimers Society, which will shoot this summer.
Biswas said: “Riverbird Films will look for bold new, genre-based stories that are both compulsive and mean something deeper to those watching. Finding that magical balance between entertainment and emotional depth is what drives us.”
Virk added: “There are so many stories left untold, we want to seek voices and perspectives sometimes unheard, as well as creating work that excites, entertains, makes us laugh and cry and we hope, stays with an audience long after they’ve watched.”
Biswas is represented by Curtis Brown and Virk by United Agents.
