FAINTHEART, the world's first user generated film and co-financed by Screen West Midlands was released on January 27th, with the DVD being released on February 2nd.
FAINTHEART is the result of MyMovieMashUp, the ground-breaking initiative by MySpace, Vertigo Films and Film4. MyMovieMashUp sought to harness the collective creativity of the world’s largest online community in making the world’s first fully user generated feature film, giving UK MySpace users the opportunity to play an integral part in every stage of the filmmaking process from directing the film, to joining the cast, submitting music for the soundtrack, or being part of the production crew.
Set in the world of battle re-enactments, FAINTHEART charts the epic quest of Viking Warrior Readmund the Just, aka Richard the sales assistant (Eddie Marsan), as he attempts to win back the love of his long suffering wife Cath (Jessica Hynes) and son Martin (Joseph Hamilton). Tired of Richard’s all-consuming obsession with his Iron-Age alter ego, Cath kicks him out of their home and into the real world. His honour is put in further peril when Cath begins seeing Martin’s PE teacher Gary (played by Eastenders’ Paul Nicholls). Realising he must finally face up to the challenges of the present day and fatherly responsibility, Richard enlists the help of best friend and ‘Trekkie’, Julian (Ewen Bremner). Together with Julian and a merry band of assorted geeks known as the ‘Bloody Broadswords’, Richard must summon all of his Norse courage to discover the real warrior within and prepare for his greatest ever battle.
Eddie Marsan (Hancock, Miami Vice) leads an ensemble cast that includes: Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting), Jessica Hynes (Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix), Paul Nicholls (“Eastenders”), Bronagh Gallagher (Pulp Fiction, The Commitments), Tim Healy (Auf Wiedersehen Pet), and Anne Reid (The Mother, Bleak House).