![The Bystanders The Bystanders](https://cdn.comedy.co.uk/images/library/comedies/300x200/b/bystanders_poster.jpg)
The Bystanders
- 2023 film
Comedy about invisible immortals who watch over their human subjects and interfere with their lives. Stars Seann Walsh, Scott Haran, Andi Jashy, Georgia Mabel Clarke, Nick Helm and more.
![The Bystanders. Image shows left to right: Peter Weir (Scott Haran), Frank Baron (Seann Walsh) The Bystanders. Image shows left to right: Peter Weir (Scott Haran), Frank Baron (Seann Walsh)](https://cdn.comedy.co.uk/images/library/comedies/900x450/b/bystanders_duo.jpg)
Key details
- Genre
- Film
- Released
- 2023
- Stars
- Seann Walsh, Scott Haran, Andi Jashy, Georgia Mabel Clarke, Nick Helm, Frank Harper, Lauren Douglin, Caroline Ginty and more
- Writers
- Gabriel Foster Prior and Jack Hughes
- Director
- Gabriel Foster Prior
- Producers
- Gabriel Foster Prior and Luisa Riviere
- Company
The Bystanders is an off-the-wall, sci-fi comedy set in a parallel dimension - a world in which invisible immortals watch over their subjects and intervene in their lives, often not for the better.
The Bystanders is a world of misfits and loners. Recruited from the human world, they pick people with no friends, no one
who will miss them if they vanish. Each Bystander has been tasked with watching a human subject. The story centres on the friendship between enthusiastic, newbie Pete and his world-weary tutor Frank, as Pete navigates this new, surreal world.
When Pete and Frank swap subjects, it starts a feud that will test their friendship and send their subjects lives into chaos, as they use them as pieces in a mad game of human chess.
Bystanders, invisible onlookers, are often irritated by their subject's behaviour, creating an opportunity for observational comedy and satire of modern city life.
Filled with mysterious moments, The Bystanders mixes retro sci-fi and silent comedy set-pieces. The filmmaking is eccentric and playful, including hand drawn rotoscope animation, creating its own idiosyncratic, odd-ball world.
Stream and download
Special Preview Q&A screenings
Everyman Manchester St. Johns, Manchester
Tuesday 17th October 6:15pm: Tickets
Q&A with director Gabriel Foster Prior and producer Luisa Riviere.
Duke of York's Picturehouse, Brighton
Wednesday 18th October 8pm: Tickets
Q&A with director Gabriel Foster Prior and graphic designer James 'Foz' Foster, VFX artist Frank Foster and editor Will Steer.
Rio Cinema, London
Friday 3rd November 6:45pm: Tickets
Q&A with director Gabriel Foster Prior and cast members Scott Haran, Andi Jashy, Georgia Mabel Clarke, Lauren Douglin and David Schaal.
Additional details
- UK certificate
- 15
- Duration
- 98 minutes
- UK release
- Friday 3rd November 2023
- Produced
- 2022
- UK premiere
- Tuesday 6th June 2023, Sci-Fi-London Festival at Rich Mix
- Distributors
- Production
- Location
- Camera set-up
- Single camera
- Picture
- Colour