Rising British star Sophie Simnett, known for her roles in Netflix’s apocalyptic comedy drama “Daybreak” and the British crime drama “Twist,” has been cast in “The Candidate,” co-starring screenwriter and actor Jack Whittle (“Tony!”).
The film is a black-and-white silent comedy with dance interludes, said to be in the filmmaking style of the Chaplin era.
The Candidate is the feature directorial debut of Mark Bell, known for his Olivier Award-winning physical comedy and ensemble farce, The Play That Goes Wrong. Composer Howard Goodall (Blackadder, Mr. Bean) provides an original score that continues the tradition of silent storytelling.
According to the description, the film is “a cautionary tale about a naive dreamer who comes to power by chance. Mistaking power for purpose, he loses sight of everything that once meant anything to him. Beneath its comedic surface, The Candidate questions what we truly value in our leaders.”
Simnett’s character Love is, according to the filmmakers, “an homage to the great leading actresses of silent film, bringing playfulness, wit and joy to a world increasingly consumed by control. Her compassion provides the film’s emotional center and serves as the conscience at the heart of the satire.”
The film is being produced by Over the Fence Films, whose credits include recent Berlinale Silver Bear winner “Everybody Dig Evans”, fellow Berlinale bower “The Education of Jane Cumming”, Cannes Directors Fortnight title “Double Freedom” and Sundance Special Jury Prize winner “Everybody to Kenmley Street”. Production is scheduled for fall 2026.
“This is a bold and ambitious film that makes unusual demands on its cast. Simnett and Whittle both have the expressive range, comic timing and natural chemistry you expect from a silent film, telling the story not through dialogue but through a language of movement and mayhem,” the producers said.
Simnet’s other upcoming credits include Falling with KJ Apa and Isabel May, Everybody Wants to F— Me with Taron Egerton and Mia McKenna-Bruce, and Topic Studios’ Scorn with Adria Arjona and Kingsley Ben-Adir.
