Treacle Jr is an award-winning comic drama about Tom, a disillusioned middle-class dropout who leaves his family to live rough on the streets of south London. Tom is soon accosted by Aiden - a naïve motormouth-come-lovable nuisance who is completely oblivious to the unsolicited nature of his attentions, and the two men become embroiled in one another’s lives, forming an unlikely - if Beckettian - pairing. The film was made by British director Jamie Thraves, and is celebrated by critics for it’s bleakly-comic realism, exceptional performances, and handmade sincerity.

Jamie Thraves is a British film writer and director. His feature films include The Low Down (2000), and The Cry of The Owl (2009), the former being listed among the "neglected masterpieces" of film history by The Observer in its rundown of 50 Lost Movie Classics. Jamie is also the director behind some of the most iconic British music videos of the last 20 years, including Radiohead’s Just, Blur’s Charmless Man, and Coldplay’s The Scientist. See below for more examples of Jamie's work.

Rich Warren, Programme Coordinator of Encounters Bristol International Film Festival, hosted this post-screening Q&A in which Jamie Thraves discussed his inspiration for the film, how he funded the picture, and answered audience questions.

Music Videos by Jamie Thraves:
Blur - Charmless Man (1996) 
Coldplay - God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (2003)
Coldplay - The Scientist (2003)
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes (2006)
Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You into the Dark (2006)
Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco (2010)
Fanfarlo - Fire Escape (2010)
Incubus - Anna Molly (2006)
Mansun - Being a Girl (1998)
Mansun - Negative (1998)
Neneh Cherry - Woman (1996)
Razorlight - Somewhere Else (2005)
Róisín Murphy - Overpowered (2007)
Radiohead - Just (1995)
The Verve - Lucky man (1997)

Related links:
Jamie Thraves on Twitter
Treacle Jr - Telegraph Review
Treacle Jr - Guardian Review

Posted on Wed 10 Aug 2011.

---