''Strings'' is a 2012 British

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

written, directed, produced, and edited by

Rob Savage Rob Savage (born 1992) is an English filmmaker. Initially gaining attention at the age of 19 when he wrote, directed, produced, and edited the drama film ''Strings (2012 film), Strings'' (2012), he later became more widely known for his work on h ...

in his feature-length directorial debut. It received praise for its high quality despite Savage's young age of 19 when it was released as well as its

low budget A low-budget film or low-budget movie is a motion picture shot with little to no funding from a major film studio or private investor. Many independent films are made on low budgets, but films made on the mainstream circuit with inexperienced o ...

of £5,000.

Plot

Four teenagers in England deal with romantic endeavours during their final summer before they move away to attend university. Grace, a visiting German student who is soon to return home, falls for the quiet and distant Jon; meanwhile, Grace's friend Scout becomes entangled in an increasingly violent relationship with her long-term boyfriend Chris.

Cast

* Philine Lembeck as Grace * Oliver Malam as Jon * Hannah Wilder as Scout * Sid Akbar Ali as Chris * Giorgio Spiegelfeld as Giorgio *

Sandra Hüller Sandra Hüller (; born 30 April 1978) is a German actress. She has appeared in German, Austrian, British, French, and American films. She has received various accolades, including two European Film Awards, a César Award and three German Film Aw ...

as Mother * Durassie Kiangangu as Michael

Production

Savage was working on his short film ''Sit In Silence'' (2011) when he watched the German drama film ''Requiem'' (2006), featuring a performance by actress

which moved him so much that he managed to arrange to meet her in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

to discuss collaborating. After the meeting, Hüller introduced Savage to Philine Lembeck, a younger actress Hüller was mentoring at the time. Savage began writing the screenplay with the two in mind, taking a year to finish the final draft. The film was shot on a Sony FX-1 with an SG Blade 35mm lens. Filming took roughly a month, with its

totalling £5,000.

Release

After a successful run in a number of film festivals, during which the film won the Raindance Award at the

British Independent Film Awards The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) is an organisation that celebrates, supports, and promotes British independent cinema and film-making talent in the United Kingdom. Nominations for the annual awards ceremony are announced in early Nov ...

, ''Strings'' was picked up for distribution by

Vertigo Films Vertigo Films is a British independent TV and Film production company founded in 2002 by Allan Niblo and James Richardson and joined a few years later by current CEO and partner, Jane Moore. The company has produced and distributed over 50 fe ...

in December 2012.Vertigo Films website
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References

External links

* {{Rob Savage 2012 films Films set in England Films shot in Gloucestershire 2012 drama films British drama films 2010s English-language films 2010s British films Films directed by Rob Savage English-language drama films