Sea shanty band Fisherman's Friend to have story made into film
Cornish band's story to be told after deaths this year
- Good: Alanis Morissette – Dogma. Kevin Smith’s decision to cast Morissette as God was a stroke of pure comic genius. When asked if she had ever read the Bible. She replied “yeah but it’s patriarchal and sexist.” Cue controversy on so many levels. Brilliant.
by Adam Tait
The story of Fisherman’s Friend - the Cornish band who lost two members in a stage accident earlier this year - is to be turned into a film for the big screen by the director who brought us Calendar Girls, Nigel Cole.
The 10-piece sea shanty group went from playing in their local pub in Port Isaac to gracing the main stage at Glastonbury.
Earlier this year band member Trevor Grills and their tour manager died when a stage door fell on them at a festival in Guildford.
Ealing Studios says filming will begin in spring 2014, the BBC reports.
The band have been playing together since 1995, but only got signed by Universal in 2010, who offered them a £1m recording contract after being discovered by music industry bosses at a gig.
DJ Johnny Walker said he first heard the band when one of them handed him a CD while he was on holiday in Port Isaac. After hearing the band he sought out a manager and within a few days the contract was signed.
Fisherman's Friend have even performed underwater
The screenplay for the film has been written by Nick Moorcroft and Piers Ashworth, who also wrote the St. Trinian’s films.
Speaking about directing the film Cole said he was “very much looking forward” to making a “truly British movie.”
Casting for the ten main roles will happen later this year.
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