04/08/2015 - Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn lead voice cast of hand drawn animation

Veteran animator Roger Mainwood (The Snowman and the Snowdog) has commenced production on Ethel & Ernest, based on Raymond Briggs’ classic graphic novel. The hand drawn animation will follow Briggs’ parents, the titular Ethel and Ernest as they live through the Great Depression, WWII and the swinging 60s. Celebrated British actors Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent will voice the lead characters, while Luke Treadaway, best known for his turn on the London stage in The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time will voice Briggs. Other cast includes Virginia McKenna (Love/Loss), Pam Ferris (The Raven [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Harry Collett (television’s The Hive). 

Lupus Films is producing in association with Ethel & Ernest Productions, Melusine Productions and Cloth Cat Animation with support from the British Film Institute, BBC, Film Fund Luxembourg, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government. The film is set for a 2016 theatrical release and the BBC will broadcast in the UK. The Little Film Company is handling international sales. 

Mainwood said,  “Time will tell if the end result does the book justice, but so far Raymond has loved everything he has seen.  We are also delighted with the quality of the voice cast.  Brenda and Jim are absolutely bang on as the title characters and the other actors bring an enormous amount of charm and character to their roles.”

Broadbent said. “It’s such a beautiful book by a wonderful artist. It’s truly inspiring; a great, honest story of a whole generation. It’s lovely and irresistible.”