Private Project

More Strange Than True

After beheading her husband, Queen Titiana takes over the mystical woods where lost souls and ghouls wander about confused. Inspired by William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

  • Ben Rider
    Director
    To Love Somebody (2014), Seven Devils (2015)
  • Ben Rider
    Writer
    To Love Somebody (2014), Seven Devils (2015)
  • William Shakespeare (inspired by his play)
    Writer
    Macbeth, Romeo + Juliet
  • Ben Rider
    Producer
    To Love Somebody (2014), Seven Devils (2015)
  • Louise Tyler
    Key Cast
    Seven Devils
  • Niels Hanrath
    Key Cast
  • Richard Zanik
    Key Cast
    Forever Tomorrow
  • Matthew Hartley
    Key Cast
    Forever Tomorrow
  • Laurie Field
    Key Cast
    Forever Tomorrow
  • Clarissa Hagan
    Key Cast
    A Reasonably Good Bloke,
  • Richard Summers-Calvert
    Key Cast
    Seven Devils, Shopping Channels, David and Goliath
  • Makenna Guyler
    Key Cast
    David and Goliath, Life Line, Holt
  • Ethan Taylor
    Key Cast
    Hallow's Eve
  • Emily Stride
    Key Cast
    Seven Devils, The Night Manager, The Worst Witch (TV Series)
  • Ben Rider
    Editor and Cinematographer
    To Love Somebody, Seven Devils
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Surreal, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 37 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 14, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    900 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ben Rider

Benjamin A. Rider was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. At the age of three he moved to South Africa for a year, and then onto Israel for most of his childhood before moving to London, England. He wrote and directed his first short film at the age of 16, entitled 'Televisionhead', and completed an amateur feature film, which was shot in two days, a year later in 2009.

In winter 2012, whilst studying at Queen Mary University of London, he produced his first professional short film, 'Aquarius' Mule' (2013). That summer he filmed the micro budget feature film 'To Love Somebody' (2014), which was edited as Rider resumed his studies.

Since graduating with a BA Hons in Film Studies, he has completed the feature anthology 'Seven Devils' (2015), and the drama 'Forever Tomorrow' (2016); starring Eric Richard. He has recently completed filming a surrealist comedy, 'More Strange Than True' (2016), inspired by William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

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Director Statement

I originally intended to adapt 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' into a musical. I thought it would make a great 1940's type of splash - technicolor grading and funny small dance numbers. But I eventually abandoned the idea when I decided that the film was better suited as a post-modern homage to German Expressionist cinema, particularly the works of German filmmaker F.W. Murnau. This was brought on by watching Woody Allen's 'Shadows and Fog' (1991).
Later on, the simple 'homage' soaked with references ended up evolving and mixing with the stylistic films of Guy Maddin, such as Archangel (1990), which opened up the film's potential for ludicrous effects and surreal touches.
I know the final product is a marmite film - some will love it, and some most definitely won't.