Private Project

A Dirty Weekend

Obnoxious love-rat, Chris has the foundations of his lie meticulously planned for his wife, Gemma to not suspect a thing. All he has to do now is grab a quick shower, wash the car and set off on his drive out of town to the romantic getaway location to meet his floozy. What could possibly go wrong for this arrogant city-boy as he negotiates his way through the very unfamiliar countryside and rural villages?

  • Mark Kenny
    Director
    White Rabbit, Stephen's Mum
  • Dan Gregson
    Director
    Chipped, Erasure, White Rbbit
  • Mark Kenny
    Writer
    White Rabbit, Stephen's Mum
  • Mark Kenny
    Producer
    White Rabbit, Stephen's Mum
  • Mark Kenny
    Key Cast
    "Chris"
    White Rabbit
  • Mark Burns
    Key Cast
    "Bernard Burns"
    Gunpowder, White Rabbit
  • Ged Purvis
    Key Cast
    "Barry"
    White Rabbit, Vera, The Dark Ages, Dolls, Cut Throat Lane
  • Laura Lennon
    Key Cast
    "Lucy"
    Fragments
  • Rachel Meredith
    Key Cast
    "Gemma"
    Innocence, Damaged Goods
  • John Foulger
    Key Cast
    "Man in Cafe"
    Braveheart, Wuthering Heights, King Lear, Frontier, The Willows,
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Comedy, British, Farce, Indie, Independent, Slapstick, Regional, Northern, Strong female
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 8 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    7,500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Local Premiere cast/crew/family/friends viewing
    Newcastle-upon-Tyne
    United Kingdom
    August 1, 2019
    Tyne & Wear Premiere
    N/A
Director Biography - Mark Kenny, Dan Gregson

Mark Kenny is an actor, writer, director and producer based in Tyne & Wear, UK. A graphic design graduate, Mark began on his film making journey in Spring 2012, volunteering himself as an actor in student and hobbyist film making projects. Since then Mark has developed his writing and in order to get his writing made, he began producing his own films himself.

In August 2019 Mark kenny completed his debut Feature film, 'A Dirty Weekend,' a comedy farce film.

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Director Statement

The North East UK has a thriving and enthusiastic community of actors, writers and directors - but it just lacks that little bit of direction and recognition. Even the hustle and bustle of the filmmaking scene in London seems a million miles away to a lot of the creative talent up here. This said, all seemed better when in 2015 iconic film writer and director, Ken Loach came to the North East to make his feature film, ‘I Daniel Blake,’ which created a buzz amongst us all - not just those who were hired to be involved on the shoot - but to anyone and everyone in the North East filmmaking community.

As important, harrowing and true as ‘I Daniel Blake’ was, I left the cinema feeling deflated and depressed once again about the North East. After a few beers and a rant to my now ex-girlfriend in the pub afterwards I concluded that the North East needs to respond. We need a feature film made in the north, by the north… and it has to be funny. Fortunately I had a little idea for a farce film in the back of my mind that I’d been toying with and thought it time to spring into action.

Here we are, four years later, I bring film fans, festivals, industry professionals, and most importantly, the North East of the UK, ‘A Dirty Weekend.’

I feel this film is much more than just a comedy feature film to make people laugh. The journey in its creation was one of coming together of North East talent to respond to the grey drab reputation that we seem to hold to people beyond our little corner of the country. A Dirty Weekend was funded entirely in the North East; cast and crew are all either from the North East or from elsewhere and now based in the North East; music was supplied by local musicians; artwork created by North East graphic designers and illustrators. This film was made by us and for us. It’s a way of showing what we really are - a ridiculous bunch of loving, passionate and positive people - who know how to have a laugh - even in times of austerity, deprivation, unemployment and almost entirely day-in-day-out bad weather.

I hope the film’s audience finds it as ridiculous to watch as it was to make. Enjoy the film.