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LION VS THE LITTLE PEOPLE TO BE RELEASED ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS IN US, UK & BEYOND | DECEMBER 16th 2022
LONDON , Nov. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
A brand new feature film, starring a group of short statured actors is set to be the cult online streaming sensation that will have whole internet talking this Christmas.
Good things come in small packages… especially when they are in big movies. For over forty years, not since Terry Gilliam released , people have been waiting for a big screen successor which provides a plethora of opportunities for actors who are short of stature but long on talent.
L (LVTLP), a low budget UK produced feature film creatively deconstructing one of the greatest internet phenomena of all time. The film is due to be released in the US and UK on digital platforms, starting with Amazon Prime, for the festive season in December 2022 .
LVTLP is part drama, part documentary. LVTLP explores a viral internet legend originally said to be reported by the BBC as "Lion versus M**gets", and subsequently reported as fact by a number of mainstream publications across the world.
Director, Raphael Warner explains "In 2005, a hoax news-post masquerading as a BBC news article, announced a fight had taken place between a lion and an army of 42 fighting dwarfs. The hoax was a quintessential example of viral media, spreading like wildfire online before eventually being accepted to be debunked. While the original BBC article has been shown to be fake, the myth continues to live on".
Warner adds 'The entertainment industry's attitude to diversity and it's portrayal of under-represented groups has improved in the last decade. However, while attitudes to LP roles are improving, they are still a woefully under represented group on screen.
. Lead actor Leigh Gill , 4ft 0. notes that it is "rare to get a decent role, let alone a lead in a feature given a prevailing culture of 'fear and confusion' around casting LPs in entertainment projects. In an industry where they are now casting tall actors to play and are too scared to cast 'real dwarfs' to play dwarfs, films like this are a great f**k you to that kind of thing!'.
Long-time LP actor and stunt-man, Jimmy Vee , and the talent behind in is equally supportive. "It's 2022, we should be getting opportunities beyond make-believe… the studios are continuing to make great fantasy films, but it gets a bit boring just being a 'creature in the background'… I want to be seen, I wanted to be challenged as an actor, if anything, I want to be offered roles that other actors on the set take for granted.'
Those, hoping to benefit from the success of LVTLP include 4ft 6 George Appleby, until now only known for playing Tyrion Lannister's body-double across HBO's Game of Thrones. Appleby was attracted by the 'bonkers' nature of the film and hopes his performance will lead to a more diverse range of roles. "For once, here was a job where I could play a 'real person' with an interesting tale to tell… having worked in the business for a long time, almost exclusively in the world of stunts, this was an opportunity I could not turn down… a chance to be in front of the camera, not behind it".
Other LP talent in the film include 4ft 0, Ben Goffe , best known for his performances on stage at the and in Netflix Sitcom . And 4ft 3 actor Ali Mawji who was a supporting artists in .
For Warner, this film has been a labour of love. "It took me nearly 20 years to make this 'batsh*t-crazy' film. While one slightly eccentric British feature won't change an industry overnight, I hope the film and the debate and energy it will likely generate on Twitter and other social media platforms might at least shine a light on the formidable LP acting talent we have in the UK'.
Lion vs the Little People will be released on digital platforms this festive season, starting with a release on Amazon Prime on
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Anna Smith | The Mall PR / press@lionvsdwarfs.com
Lion vs The Little People
Based on the Internet Hoax; 'Lion Mutilates 42 Midgets in Cambodian Ring Right'
see - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_Midget_Fighting_League
Directed by Raphael Warner
Executive Producers; Anders Erden ,
Raimund Berens , Raphael Warner ,
David Boynes
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Raphael Warner (Director / Producer) is a British filmmaker. After an earlier career in finance he attended the National Film & Television School and co-wrote and produced cult stop-motion animation, 'For the Love of God', featuring the voices of Ian McKellen and Steve Coogan , which was subsequently selected in official competition at .
He later co-wrote and developed a number of feature scripts for the BBC, FilmFour and the BFI and spent many years working in media and advertising.
Lion vs The Little People is Raphael Warner's first feature film.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1951419/Lion_vs_The_LIttle_People.jpg
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