Drama Club Remembers Much‑Loved President

Iver Heath Drama Club will dedicate its upcoming summer production to long‑standing member John Williams, who passed away in December 2025 at the age of 67 following his battle with Parkinson’s disease.

John, from Slough, was a committed member of the non‑profit community drama group for around 30 years, appearing in a wide range of plays and pantomimes. He also served as the club’s President for several years until his death.

“John was our club president for several years, so it feels perfectly fitting that we dedicate our summer show to him, in his memory,” said Carol Campling, Treasurer of Iver Heath Drama Club.

The club will perform Return to Hotel Doom, a standalone comedy sequel, on Saturday 13th June.

“John appeared as Major Horseradish in the original Hotel Doom play a decade ago. His kindness offstage and his impeccable comedy timing are fond memories we all treasure,” said Lee Hall, the play’s author and director.

The community is invited to purchase tickets for the two‑act show at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ihdc. During the performance, the club will also be encouraging donations to the Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead branch of Parkinson’s UK via the show’s programme and interval screen. The charity supports people living with Parkinson’s and funds vital research into new treatments.

John’s widow, Mrs Joanna Williams, met her husband at the drama club around 25 years ago when she appeared in the club's shows. Earlier this year, she was invited to take on the role of Club President in his honour.

https://www.ihdc.co.uk/

Finchley Filmmaker Returns With Second Psychological Drama Following 30-Million-View Viral Success

London filmmaker Raffaello Degruttola is back with another emotionally charged relationship drama, and this time he’s diving deep into the unsettling world of manipulation, obsession and emotional control.

Following the viral success of his debut feature Transference: A Love Story, which reportedly amassed more than 30 million views worldwide, Degruttola returns with To Love A Narcissist, a raw and psychologically intense look at modern relationships and the blurred line between love and emotional manipulation.

Produced through Degruttola’s London-based production company Contro Vento Films and shot locally in Finchley and across London, the film has already started making waves internationally following its North American digital release on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video on 19 May 2026 through Freestyle Digital Media.

The success of Transference helped establish Degruttola as a filmmaker with a distinctive voice in psychologically intimate storytelling. That growing reputation has now attracted major industry backing, with Hollywood producer Ted Field, known for films including The Last Samurai and Jumanji, joining the project as Executive Producer alongside actress and filmmaker Sadie Frost.

Critics have already praised To Love A Narcissist for its grounded portrayal of toxic relationships and its emotionally unsettling realism. Early reactions have highlighted the film’s “chillingly honest ending” and its refusal to glamorise emotionally destructive behaviour, something increasingly rare in relationship dramas.

The cast includes Lyndsey Marshal, Stephen Campbell Moore, Andrea Lowe, Nathalie Armin and Sule Rimi, with production credits shared by Bill Bossert, Sadie Kaye and Degruttola himself.

The film also enjoyed its world premiere at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in New York, continuing the rise of locally rooted independent productions finding global audiences.

For fans of emotionally intelligent cinema, character-driven storytelling and psychological drama that lingers long after the credits roll, To Love A Narcissist looks set to become another compelling chapter in Degruttola’s growing film career.

https://controventofilms.com

From psychological thrillers to emotional family drama: New8 unveils Slate 3 at Series Mania

New8, the European drama collaboration of eight public service broadcasters, presented eight new scripted projects today during Series Mania in Lille.

Following the announcement earlier this year that the partners are extending their successful co‑production model, the new slate marks three years of close collaboration between SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), RÚV (Iceland), NRK (Norway), VRT (Flanders/Belgium), NPO (the Netherlands) and ZDF (Germany). 

The unveiling highlights the strength of the collaboration and its continued commitment to sustainably co‑producing high‑quality drama rooted in shared public service values. 

That ambition is reflected in the breadth and diversity of the titles presented, all of which aim to nurture creative excellence while offering producers and creatives a stable and reliable financing framework.

https://presseportal.zdf.de/pressemitteilung/from-psychological-thrillers-to-emotional-family-drama-new8-unveils-slate-3-at-series-mania