Brian and Charles is a 2022 comedy drama directed by Jim Archer, from a screenplay by David Earl and Chris Hayward. Earl and Hayward also star in the film. The rights were acquired by Focus Features at the Sundance Film Festival where it was a 2022 Official Selection, and it is the directorial debut for Archer.
David Earl and Chris Hayward wrote the screenplay and also star. Rupert Majendie produced for Mr Box Productions. Brian and Charles also stars Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie and Nina Sosanya. Archer, who also edited the film, developed and co-funded the film with Film4 and the BFI. Archer previously got his feet wet shooting comedy sketches with friends before writing and directing several short films which resulted in winning gold at the Young Director Awards in Cannes for the short film version of Brian and Charles.
Brian, a lonely inventor in rural Wales, spends his days building quirky, unconventional contraptions that seldom work. Undeterred by his lack of success, Brian attempts his biggest project yet. Three days, a washing machine, and various spare parts later, he's invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages. What follows is a humorous and entirely heartwarming story about friendship, family, finding love, and letting go.
In addition to screenwriters David Earl and Chris Hayward, the cast also includes Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie, and Nina Sosanya.
