Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story

Since his first break in Ken Loach's Black Jack (1979), Mike Edmonds has stolen scenes in some of cinema's biggest movies (Time Bandits, Return of the Jedi, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Harry Potter and more) and worked extensively in theatre, TV and radio. A true "actor's actor" who's also a huge hit with fans, he's met the challenges imposed by achondroplasia (or dwarfism) with his immense talent and a true dedication to the craft. This fascinating and warm-hearted documentary follows Mike from his early life in rural Essex (and dreams of joining the circus) to a life-changing decision to answer an advert for "midgets" in The Stage. The career that followed has been truly remarkable, encompassing Hollywood blockbusters, a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company, iconic TV series like Maid Marian and Her Merry Men, pop videos and, of course, the occasional panto. Along with his fine acting skills, Mike's athleticism, endurance and sheer good humour have made him a favourite of countless cast members, directors and crew. Told in Mike's own words with a memorable selection of clips, photos and stylized animation, Under The Radar features contributions from an army of friends and collaborators including Terry Gilliam, Star Wars producer Robert Watts, actors Danny John Jules, Arti Shah and Jeremy "Boba Fett" Bulloch, as well as theatre producer Paul Elliott and author Mark Billingham.

We initailly produced a short version that was screened on the festival circuit in 2016, but then we extended it with additional content and interviews with Colin Firth, Michael Palin and others, releasing it as an 82 minute feature in 2019.