An Accidental Studio

A nostalgic reflection on the story of HandMade Films, the indie production company founded by George Harrison and his manager Denis O'Brien. The member of The Beatles started this project to finance 'The Life of Brian', the Monty Python film, after EMI Films appeared unwilling to go through with the work. Harrison began to use HandMade as a way to give the greenlight to films he liked that were failing to catch the attention of bigger studios, with the company rapidly transforming into a safe haven for indie films beyond the Monty Python comedy flick he'd initially signed up to save, such as 'The Long Good Friday', 'Mona Lisa' and 'A Private Function'. Through the use of archived footage and the testimonies of people involved in the project, the documentary sheds light on the history of the company, from financial troubles to the disagreements that erupted between Harrison and O'Brien, lasting until Harrison's death in 2001.

Directing the documentary are Bill Jones ('Anatomy of a Liar'), Kim Leggatt and Ben Timlett ('Boom Bust Boom'). Amongst those giving testimonies are Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Ray Cooper, George Ayoub, Barrie Keeffe, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Julian Doyle, Mike Edmonds, Steve Abbott, Richard Loncraine and Brenda Vaccaro.