Matriarch, a “powerful horror/thriller” starring talent British up-and-comer Charlie Blackwood, has been purchased by several major film studios, including Lionsgate for its USA release, Sony Pictures for German output, and Sky for the UK. The film is currently available in the USA on DVD, digital, and On Demand, and will have its release in Europe in the Summer of 2019.
Taking the lead role in the film, Blackwood is a hugely talented British actress who trained at one of London’s top drama schools, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, where she achieved a BA (Hons) degree in Acting. She made her professional stage debut in director Nicholas Hytner‘s Timon of Athens at The National Theatre, London.
She’s also worked with the BBC in the Great Expectations mini-series, and has also appeared at The Royal Opera House, London and the National Theatre of Singapore.
Matriarch is Blackwood’s first lead role in a feature film, and she is making a real stir in Hollywood with her performance as Rachel Hopkins. One notable review by Jeanie Blue at Cryptic Rock demonstrates her achievement particularly lucidly:
“Blackwood brings passion to her role of Rachel as she fights for the life of her child […] and goes into each scene with a ferocity that clearly displays her character’s will to live. Her ability to plead and to continually struggle for her cause lends an incredible emotionality to the film, one that would be decidedly lacking without her excellent acting”.
Blackwood says that time on set is always demanding, both physically and emotionally. Some of the filming was done on a closed set, as there were a number of sensitive scenes, especially when her character is held hostage.
Due to the budget constraints inherent to most independent films, time and money were of the essence. Despite being the lead, Charlie was seen helping out with continuity, the art department, and on occasions assisting director Scott Vickers.
Filming in a remote environment, with poor phone signal, she was often very isolated during filming, which ran strangely parallel to her character’s experience of being confined to a secluded environment.
Matriarch is described as “an emotional rollercoaster that plays on your own fears”. The film “takes your mind to places it doesn’t want to go and leaves you wondering what would happen if you ended up in the same situation”. Even Lorraine Kelly is reportedly a big fan of Matriarch, and many reviewers have agreed.
Fallon Gannon of Wicked Horror wrote: “Low budget gem, Matriarch, proves that you don’t need a big budget to make a must-see movie”, while Neon Frights said, “The movie is an original, thrilling and disturbing survival story which delves deep into the horrors of being stranded in a rural hell”.
As for upcoming projects for Blackwood, she has recently finished filming sci-fi thriller Clay’s Redemption, playing the role of Athena/The Boss, who is a rude, but classy assassin. She’ll also be starring in more feature films this year, including a western.
Charlie has been busy spending her time between London and Los Angeles and has been holding a number of successful meetings in Hollywood, where she is receiving lots of positive feedback from experts who believe she has enormous potential. So keep your eyes peeled.
Her IMDb page will show any future updates to be announced: www.imdb.me/charlieblackwood
#Peace.Love.Matriarch
