This film is part of Rentals
Set Fire to the Stars
A young, ambitious professor tries to tame fire when Dylan Thomas accepts his invitation to tour America.
Director: Andy Goddard
Overview
A young, ambitious professor tries to tame fire when Dylan Thomas accepts his invitation to tour America. Elijah Wood is the academic and Celyn Jones the poet in the monochrome New York of 1950. Their battle rests on the response to poetry: Lit Crit certainty vs unchained emotion. It compels, but what the film is made memorable by a supporting cast who include Shirley Henderson, Kevin Eldon and Kelly Reilly.
Such smart casting bodes well for Andy Goddard, who creates a visually rich, emotionally solid work for his first feature. A score by Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals is a further sign of a director aware that great filmmaking derives from inspired collaboration.
Related
The Iron Claw The Iron Claw
Biopic 2023 132 mins Director: Sean Durkin
Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson and Jeremy Allen White lead this brilliant, bruising true story of wrestling glory and family tragedy.
Your Fat Friend Your Fat Friend
Biopic 2024 96 mins Director: Jeanie Finlay
A powerful and moving documentary exploring body image, diet culture and anti-fat bias through the life and work of Aubrey Gordon.
Angelheaded Hipster Angelheaded Hipster
Biopic 2023 99 mins Director: Ethan Silverman
Stomping documentary celebrating the revolutionary music of Glam Rock pioneer Marc Bolan and T. Rex, combining archive footage with new musical interpretations by renowned contemporary artists.
Fragments of Paradise Fragments of Paradise
Documentary 2023 98 mins Director: KD Davison
Intimate portrait of the life and career of the pioneering filmmaker, poet and critic, Jonas Mekas, assembled from thousands of hours of his personal film footage and letters.
Tina Tina
Documentary 2021 118 mins Director: Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin
Classic live footage and engaging interviews create a powerful film that celebrates icon Tina Turner's tumultuous career.
Stanley Kubrick A Life in Pictures Stanley Kubrick A Life in Pictures
Biopic 2001 136 mins Director: Jan Harlan
With comprehensive access to home movies and behind the scenes footage, this is the definitive insight into the life of Stanley Kubrick.
Bypass Bypass
Drama 2015 105 mins Director: Duane Hopkins
Duane Hopkins’ follow up to Better Things is a striking, poetic drama about a young man on the edge.
Dark Horse Dark Horse
Documentary 2015 86 mins Director: Louise Osmond
The inspirational, larger-than-life true story of how a group of friends in a poor mining village took on the elite 'sport of kings' and breed themselves a racehorse.
Just Jim Just Jim
Comedy 2015 84 mins Director: Craig Roberts
Craig Roberts (Submarine) directs and stars in a quirky comedy about a loner whose lowly life is transformed when an American rebel moves in next door.
Submarine Submarine
Comedy 2011 97 mins Director: Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade’s sweet and quirky directorial debut about a Swansea teen’s travails with his distant girlfriend and warring parents.
Late Night with the Devil Late Night with the Devil
Horror 2023 93 mins
Like Ghostwatch reimagined as a cheesy 1970s chat show, this deviously clever found-footage horror has scares to spare.
Drifter Drifter
Drama 2023 79 mins Director: Hannes Hirsch
A scintillating portrait of a young man coming to terms with life, love, sex and relationships in contemporary Berlin.
Boys on Film 24: Happy Endings Boys on Film 24: Happy Endings
Anthology 2024 174 mins Director: Jason Bradbury, Jesse Ung, Diego Alvarez Parra, Itai Jamshy, Fabia Martin, Alejandro Sandoval Bertín, Sara Larrota, Benjamin Belloir, Jeremy McClain and Arthur Cahn
A compilation of new gay short films showcasing unashamedly positive stories of love, sex and romance to move, inspire and uplift.
Four Daughters Four Daughters
Drama-documentary 2023 103 mins Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
The mother-daughter relationship is explored to cathartic effect in this complex and poignant hybrid documentary about a woman and her missing daughters.
Her Last Affaire Her Last Affaire
Drama 1936 68 mins Director: Michael Powell
Michael Powell's 'society drama’ involving suspicion, clandestine romance and presumed murder, and glorious comic double-act from Googie Withers and John Lurie.
She Will She Will
Thriller 2021 96 mins Director: Charlotte Colbert
In Charlotte Colbert’s strikingly gothic film, an ageing actor recovering from a mastectomy taps into a mysterious power at a remote Scottish retreat.