First Take: The Renata Road: a landmark moment for British independent cinema

SYPNOSIS: Looking for peace, solitude and an escape from the outside world a mysterious stranger checks into a remote hotel. Reluctantly drawn into the lives and activities of the hotel’s guests it soon becomes terrifyingly clear that all is not as calm and serene as the management would have him believe. A chance encounter with the hotel maid sets in motion a chain of events that will take the Stranger to the very edge of sanity, and threatens to destroy the lives of everyone present.

Since the trailer for this film was unveiled in November, I have been very excited to see this very unique independent film that was made for the same cost as 1 second of Titanic- and after watching it at the premiere last night, I am very glad to report that it exceeded my expectations.

Director Ed Greenberg has managed to make a very solid 2 hour film that keeps audiences engaged with a very clever narrative devised by screenwriters Alan Mockler, Chris Worthington and Greg Saxton- and when this top quality script is combined with Greenberg’s very well paced direction, the film makes you ask questions at every stage of the narrative journey. Now, this sort of plot wouldn’t resonate well with a mainstream audience, as it does demand multiple viewings and a lot of concentration, but personally, this is the sort of film that I like to see more often. The cinematography is also very good considering the budget of the film, and it really does look and feel like it was made for more than £15,000. The original score from Hugs Bison helps add to the atmosphere that is created in and around the Renata, again making the world of the film that little bit more realistic.

The cast as a whole put in some great performances as an ensemble, but the performances that really stood out to me on the night were Rebekah Bowman as Anna, the maid who sets the Stranger on a dangerous path through the hotel, alongside Eric Colvin’s very menacing work as Percival and Ed Theakston’s pivotal role as Nathan. But undoubtedly the real star of the show is leading man CJ de Mooi. His work as the Stranger kept me and a packed out screening room captivated and engaged for the full two hours, and even the smallest details of his performance were enough to make the character feel fleshed out and believable in every scene he features in throughout the film. Just like the 2011 short that inspired the feature film we have here, this is an absolutely great piece of indie filmmaking. 

THE VERDICT

This film may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but considering the amount of work needed to make, fund and release a film like this, The Renata Road is a very solid debut feature from Ed Greenberg. With a very unique and provocative narrative alongside some excellent performances, the backers who funded this project on Kickstarter should feel very proud to be a part of this distinctly Northern film. Film distributors across the country- get this film to the masses right now. There is demand for this stuff, and last night’s screening proved it.

RATING: 5/5

THE LEGAL BIT

All film stills © Beyond The Bar Ltd 2017. Used with permission.