SHAKESPEARE: The Truth Behind the Name

WHO CREATED THE GREATEST WORK OF IAMBIC THUNDER IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE? “SHAKESPEARE: The Truth Behind the Name” answers that question in this fun yet important film. It is a costume-filled journey into literary history’s greatest mystery: Who really wrote the works of Shakespeare?

This charming documentary is clearly a labor of love, which one can feel in every scene. The world needs it and bravo to Christina di Marlo for doing it!" -- Don Rubin, Professor Emeritus, York University Editor, World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre.

VENICE FILM AWARDS REVIEW, 11/11/2020

"SHAKESPEARE: The Truth Behind the Name" is an extraordinary one-woman show/documentary.

The exceptional Robin Phillips guides us through the exciting investigation about who is really behind the most important plays in the whole world and therefore behind the name of William Shakespeare…

Robin Phillips puts all her talent as an author, actress, and storyteller, playing sort of comedian detective (a brilliant choice that makes us remain glued to the screen for the whole duration of the film) but contextualized in the era we are referring to. She transforms herself several times, she steps out and gets back into the narration with delicacy and without ever being out of tune.

And as a consequence of this, it's not difficult to get involved in the typical atmosphere of the sixteenth century, also thanks to the beautiful costumes designed by Phillips herself, who also worked on the music ("Best Sound Design," Venice Film Awards) hairstyles, make-up, and artistic direction.

The documentary is full of information, anecdotes, details, and spins around two centuries, between literature, history, and art. Despite being so full of news and quotes, you can easily follow it from start to finish. Not only without ever getting bored but remaining with bated breath in search of yet another proof that helps to agree with an increasing number of groups of people who support this extraordinarily beautiful and thrilling theory.

It's difficult, after having seen it, not to want to join the chorus of voices of these artists, historians, writers, who claim that a glove maker's son could not have created what are among the greatest masterpieces of world theater literature. And that it's much more likely that it was the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere, lover (to be reductive) of Queen Elizabeth, and an erudite and brilliant man of letters.

Art Harman enriches the movie with his cinematography and his technical effects, which join the narrative moments in a fluid and coherent way .To quote Anna Rice, even within the documentary itself this is "very very interesting stuff", which could not tell this crazy part of history in a better way.

I challenge the public not to fall in love with this story, with their protagonists, and with Robin Phillips in this delightful documentary film, which teaches and entertains, thus remaining faithful to the primary purpose of Elizabethan theater."

  • Robin Phillips
    Director
  • Christina di Marlo (aka Robin Phillips)
    Writer
  • Christina di Marlo (aka Robin Phillips)
    Producer
    "Agatha SINGS!," "The Music Halls of Paris 1900-1960," "Love Makes World Bank Go Round," "SELLING: You've Gotta Have Heart"
  • Art Harman
    Producer
    "Conservative Roundtable"
  • Robin Phillips
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
    "Agatha SINGS!," "The Music Halls of Paris 1900-1960," "Love Makes World Bank Go Round," "SELLING: You've Gotta Have Heart"
  • Robin Phillips
    Co-Editors
  • Art Harman
    Co-Editors
    "Conservative Roundtable"
  • Art Harman
    Cinematographer
    "Conservative Roundtable"
  • Robin Phillips
    Artistic Director
    "Agatha SINGS!," "The Music Halls of Paris 1900-1960," "Love Makes World Bank Go Round," "SELLING: You've Gotta Have Heart"
  • Art Harman
    Director of Photography
    "Conservative Roundtable"
  • Robin Phillips
    Music Director
    "Agatha SINGS!," "The Music Halls of Paris 1900-1960," "Love Makes World Bank Go Round," "SELLING: You've Gotta Have Heart"
  • Art Harman
    Director of Special & Technical Effects
    "Conservative Roundtable"
  • Robin Phillips
    Artwork
    "Agatha SINGS!," "The Music Halls of Paris 1900-1960," "Love Makes World Bank Go Round," "SELLING: You've Gotta Have Heart"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 39 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    280,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Hollywood Hills Film Awards
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Of The Fest, Best Director, Best Documentary
  • Mindfield Film Festival
    Albuquerque, NM
    United States
    October 1, 2020
    Gold Award Best Documentary Feature, Diamond Award Best Trailer, Platinum Award Best Narrator
  • New York Movie Awards
    New York, NY
    United States
    October 1, 2020
    Best Sound Design & Honorable Mention: Experimental Film
  • Florence Film Awards
    Florence
    Italy
    November 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Film, Best Production Design, Honorable Mention: Sound Design
  • Women's International Film Festival
    Delaware
    United States
    September 1, 2020
    Outstanding Excellence, Outstanding Excellence: Original Concept, Excellence: Viewer Impact: Entertainment
  • Golden Valley Global Cinefest
    Kolkata
    India
    November 1, 2020
    Best Documentary Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Editing, Best Debut Film Maker, Best Women's Film, Best Trailer
  • World Premiere Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 1, 2020
    Best Costuming—Documentary, Best Educational Feature, Best First Time Filmmaker
  • New York International Film Awards/NYIFA
    New York
    United States
    September 1, 2020
    Best Biographical Film, Best Experimental Film, Finalist-Best Documentary Feature, Finalist-Best Historical Film
  • Oniros Film Awards, New York
    New York
    United States
    September 1, 2020
    Best Historical Film, Best Biographical Film, Best Experimental. Finalist for Best Documentary Feature
  • Kosice International Monthly Film Festival
    Kosice
    Slovakia
    September 1, 2020
    Best Inspirational & 2nd Best Feature Documentary
  • Prague International Monthly Film Festival
    Prague
    Czech Republic
    September 1, 2020
    Honorable Mention: Feature Documentary
  • Around International Barcelona/ARFF
    Barcelona
    Spain
    September 1, 2020
    Best Trailer
  • Screen Power Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 1, 2020
    Best Historical Film
  • Latitude Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 1, 2020
    Gold Award Documentary Feature
  • 52 Weeks Film Festival
    Thousand Oaks, CA
    United States
    October 1, 2020
    Best Director & Best U.S. Documentary
  • London Rocks
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 1, 2020
    Honorable Mention
  • European Cinematography Awards
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    September 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Film
  • Flicks Monthly Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 1, 2020
    Best Biographical and Best Documentary
  • Vancouver International Film Awards
    Vancouver
    Canada
    October 1, 2020
    Best Editing
  • Globe Roaming Global Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    October 1, 2020
    Winner
  • London Independent Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 1, 2020
    Best Female Director & Best Trailer
  • Best Director Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 1, 2020
    Best Director: Best Experimental film
  • Rocky Mountain International Film Festival
    Colorado
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best U.S. Documentary
  • Madrid Art Film Festival
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 1, 2020
    Winner
  • After Hour Film Festival
    US, India, Latin America
    November 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Feature & Best Women's Feature
  • Golden Gate International Film Festival
    San Jose, CA
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Experimental
  • Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes
    Cannes
    France
    November 30, 2020
    Winner, category to be announced
  • Hollywood Gold Awards
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    October 1, 2020
    Gold Award - Experimental Film
  • Venice Film Awards
    Venice
    Italy
    October 1, 2020
    Best Sound Design
  • San Francisco Film Festival
    San Francisco, CA
    United States
    November 30, 2020
    Best Historical Film
  • German United Film Festival

    Germany
    November 1, 2020
    Best Costume Design
  • Port Blair Film Festival
    Port Blair
    India
    November 1, 2020
    Special Jury Award, Best Director International Feature Film, Best Experimental Feature Film, Best Sound Designing International Feature Film, Best Trailer For Feature Film.
  • American Golden Picture International Film Festival
    Jacksonville, FL
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Historical Film, Best Trailer, Honorable Mention Best Editing, Honorable Mention Best Cinematography.
  • Blastoff
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Documentary, Best Sound Design Feature Film, Selected for ‘Best of the Best.’
  • European Cinema Festival
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 1, 2020
    Best Documentary Feature
  • Washington Film Festival
    Washington,DC
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Historical Film
  • Buddha Film Fest
    Pune
    India
    November 1, 2020
    Best Picture Jury Award
  • World Distribution Award
    Kosice
    Slovakia
    November 1, 2020
    Best Editing
  • Tokyo Short Film Fest
    Tokyo
    Japan
    December 1, 2020
    Winner (TBD)
  • Mile High International Film Festival
    Denver
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best U.S. Documentary, Best Director
  • Uruvatti International Film Festival
    Uruvatti
    India
    December 1, 2020
    Winner (TBD)
  • Gold Star Movie Awards
    New Jersey
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Feature, Best Documentary Feature & Best Women's Feature
  • Golden Nugget International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 1, 2021
    Best Director, Best Editing, Best Sound Design
  • Crown Wood International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    November 1, 2020
    Best Director, Best Editing, Best Debut Filmmaker, Best Cinematography
  • Stockholm City Film Festival
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    December 1, 2020
    Honorable Mention
  • Indo-French-International-Film-Festival

    India
    December 1, 2020
    Best International Feature Film, Best Director International Feature Film, Best Sound Design International Feature Film, Best Debut Filmmaker Feature Film, Best Trailer, Best Documentary International Feature Film, Best Cinematography International Feature Film, Best Editing International Feature Film, Best Producer International Feature Film, Special Jury Award.
  • River Atreyee International Film Festival
    Bengal
    India
    December 1, 2020
    Best Documentary, Best Lifetime Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Designing
  • The Oaks International Film Festival
    California
    United States
    December 1, 2020
    Best U.S. Documentary
  • Queen Palm International Film Festival
    Palm Springs
    United States
    December 1, 2020
    Silver Award for Best Feature Film - First Time Filmmaker
  • Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
    Atlanta
    United States
    Spotlight Gold Award
  • Red Dragon Creative Awards
    Dallas
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Documentary Feature
  • Redwood Shorts & Scripts
    Sunnyvale
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Experimental Feature, Best Documentary Feature
  • Rosarito International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Director
  • Eastern Europe International Movie Awards
    Izmir
    Turkey
    January 1, 2021
    Platinum Award Best Biographical Film, Gold Award Best Documentary Feature Film
  • Top Indie Film Awards
    Tokyo
    Japan
    December 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Feature
  • Top Indie Film Awards
    Tokyo
    Japan
    December 1, 2020
    Nominee: Best Original Idea
  • Top Indie Film Awards
    Tokyo
    Japan
    December 1, 2020
    Nominee: Best Documentary Feature
  • Best Feature Film Award
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 1, 2021
    Best Feature Historical Film
  • Global Film Festival Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Feature Film
  • Global Film Festival Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Original Content
  • Global Film Festival Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best First Time Director
  • Best Documentary Award
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 28, 2020
    Best History Documentary (Feature)
  • Best Documentary Award
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 29, 2020
    Best Experimental Documentary (Feature)
  • Best Documentary Award
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 1, 2021
    Best Editor Documentary (Feature)
  • Roma Short Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    January 1, 2021
    Best Feature Documentary Film
  • World Premiere Film Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 1, 2021
    Best Trailer
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival

    Chile
    October 1, 2020
    Best Experimental Feature
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival

    Chile
    October 1, 2020
    Best Editing Documentary Feature Film
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival

    Chile
    October 1, 2020
    Best Costume Design Feature Film
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival

    Chile
    October 1, 2020
    Best Trailer-Audience Award
  • Vegas Movie Awards
    Las Vegas
    United States
    April 1, 2021
    Prestige Best Producer, Merit Best Director / Feature, Merit Best 1st Time Director / Feature, Merit Best Editing, Merit Best Sound Design, Excellence Best Costume Design
  • Hot Springs International Women’s Festival
    Hot Springs
    United States
    April 1, 2021
    Best Feature Documentary
Distribution Information
  • Vision Films
    Distributor
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Robin Phillips

Robin Phillips‘ career tracks three paths: Performer; Writer; Producer. PERFORMER: singer, actress, narrator. WRITER: journalist, graphic artist; playwright, screenwriter. PRODUCER: cabaret, plays, film.

Member, National Press Club; Founding Member, National Speakers Association, DC Chapter (1983); Corporate Member, Women in Film and Video; Collaborator Member, International Documentary Association; Narrator/Living-Breathing-Subtitle for Opera Camerata in Washington, DC since 2013.

Her professional career began with a decade-long journey across Europe, studying with the greats at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Webber Douglas Academy in London, being coached by the finest voice masters in Bavaria, mastering fluent French and German along the way, performing continuously both as a singer and actress in the US and in Europe.

Of course, the fact that she was raised the daughter of a prominent American Diplomat in Europe, and was educated in Embassy schools and a university in Munich, ensured she had the experience and confidence to direct her own career. A “Citizen of the World,” Robin has lived, worked and studied for almost twelve years in Washington, DC, Bonn, Wiesbaden, Munich, London, Sydney, Ville Franche-Sur-Mer, Nice, Brussels, and Monte Carlo.

Returning to the US, she performed with the resident company of the critically-acclaimed Wooly Mammoth Theatre for two seasons, and also at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre, etc. And worked in Public Relations in the Association market. She was a founding member of the DC Chapter of The National Speakers Association.

She became a journalist covering society and fashion for Washington Life, Quarante, The Magazine for the Woman Who Has Arrived, and Washington Entertainment, where she was also Editorial Director. She produced acting and commercial classes for the Panache modeling agency. She appeared as onscreen talent for Convention Network, Julian Bond, Anchor.

After not getting cast in one theatrical role, undaunted, Robin began producing and starring in her own Way Off Broadway shows -- “Love Makes The World Bank Go Round!” and “Selling: You’ve Gotta Have Heart!”

She was written up in the Washington Post as Producer of “An Evening in Vienna,” at the Mayflower Hotel before President Reagan’s entire Cabinet. Le Neon, the French American Theater Company, tapped Robin to play three roles: a French, a Spanish and a German cabaret singer in their `World Premiere of “Jules & Jim.”

Robin ran off with the rave reviews: “Robin Phillips is the reason to go see this play.” Sitting backstage she knew she could write a better play. This is when her shows evolved from ‘industrial theatre’ to full blown stage plays.

She researched, wrote and produced her first stage play, a musical review of the greatest French artistes of the 20th century: “Les Papillons de Nuit: The Music Halls of Paris, 1900-1960.” It was a smash hit, sold-out, success. The next critically-acclaimed play she wrote, produced and starred in, was “Agatha SINGS!”

RAVE REVIEWS FROM SOME OF THE PLAYS WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND STARRED IN BY ROBIN PHILLIPS:
“Researched and scripted by Robin Phillips, who also plays the role of Christie “Agatha SINGS!” is a theatrical and musical tour de force…In her portrayal of four stages in Agatha Christie’s life, her acting is even more impressive than her singing.”
--Joseph McLellan, The Washington Post

“There is no other show in town remotely like “Agatha SINGS,” a rich array of drama, comedy, mystery and music...It communicates its fascinating story with power and elegance...(Christie) considered singing her true vocation. This gives Phillips an opportunity to season the show with some 30 vocal numbers, keyed to the plot and including opera, lieder, folk music in several languages and popular songs from two thirds of the 20th century…(a) musical and theatrical tour de force.”
--Joseph McLellan, The Washington Post

“Phillips possesses a crystal-clear voice and a facile ability with various languages and dialects. The overall effect is marvelously engaging...The expression ‘tour de force’ accurately describes Phillips’ mastery of various musical styles but it does not adequately capture the intimate nature of the exploration of her subject...it is a one-of-a-kind evening of theater.”
--Michael Toscano, The Washington Post

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

How did this film come about? Since 1983 I've been writing, producing and starring in critically-acclaimed two-person plays (and musical stage productions) in the Washington, DC area.

My specialty was educating and entertaining my audiences at the same time. People would say, “What fun!” and “Wow, I didn’t know that!” in the same breath. Melding research and entertainment has been my specialty.

In my two-act, two-hour musical play about Agatha Christie, I played the mystery writer at four different ages. Two of the Washington Post reviewers called my play, “marvelously engaging…a musical and theatrical tour de force.”

Revered critic Joseph McLellan wrote, “There is no show in town remotely like “Agatha Sings,” a rich array of drama, comedy, mystery and music. . . It communicates its fascinating story with power and elegance.”

I used the same skills in creating this film. In 2016, I was captivated by Roland Emmerich's eye-opening film, “Anonymous.” Its driving assertion? The 'Man from Stratford' was not the true author of the works of Shakespeare. WHAT?!? This new idea was gripping. I was determined to discover the truth, so I did extensive research and wrote an entertaining stage show.

And so, after four months I had answered my own most burning questions and, in an intimate 65-seat theatre here in DC, I gave two performances of a fun and lively "Shakespeare" stage show, with props, costumes and visuals. In the audience were members of the Shakespeare Group from the revered Cosmos Club. They called it, "Scholarship brushed with humor.” To that I added, “and costumes and sex.”

It was so successful that I was asked to take it to the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship Conference in Chicago. Too complicated. A logistical nightmare. So, I filmed it instead and took the next four years of research and writing and more filming -- quick study! --to transform that stage show into my first film, a 99-minute documentary, “Behind the Name SHAKESPEARE; Power, Lust, Scorn & Scandal.”

Cordially,

Robin Phillips (pen-name Christina di Marlo)