STUDIO 8 ENTERTAINMENT
Starring BAFTA Award winning actor Adam Deacon, Boyz in the Wood is a satirical mockumentary that follows the exploits of two Asian cousins post lockdown, as they attempt to make a documentary about whether or not big cats exist in the UK countryside, a plan that they hope will not only solve their financial woes, but also catapult them to media stardom.
Inspired by the UKs fascination with the age old question of whether or not big cats exist in the wild and having overdosed on Tiger King in lockdown, they go in search of the truth, with the hope of becoming the first ever people to document their existence on film and in the process reinvent themselves as award winning documentarians. Dictated by limited funds and a flimsy lead, they decide to embark on a journey to the Chiltern countryside, where numerous big cat sightings have been reported. Being followed by two first year film students to act as ‘crew’, the two cousins leave Ilford and head out to the countryside. With no real hard evidence and with locals seemingly more deranged than themselves, they very quickly give up any real hope of their documentary becoming a success. And whilst the quirky locals make for comedy contributors, they bring frustration too, causing the cousins to look at their relationship and ultimately themselves.
Deciding to follow up on their only threadbare lead they trek cross country and set up camp for the night in the woods where supposed sightings have happened. With winter drawing in, the two cousins huddle around a makeshift campfire where they start to question their actual motives for such a project. After a night of soul searching and bonding they realize the inadequacies in their lives and what in fact brought them here; adventure and the chance to be heroes that doesn’t really exist in reality. As if on cue, their student sound recordist is chased through the woods whilst taking a leak in the bushes, which is followed by a wild growl. Is this their chance to become the heroes they watch in the movies? With a poignant climax that sees them emulating their favourite movie scenarios in order to catch this beast, Boyz in the Wood delivers a poignant and satisfying ending that will leave the audience grinning with a warm fuzzy feeling inside, proving anyone can be heroes for a day.