In development
ROTTEN DESHI
Rotten - (English) Affected by rot, decaying, corrupt, unsound.
Deshi - (Japanese) A student of a martial arts master.
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Feature film: Streaming or prestige theatrical release.
Writer / director: Xandy Sahla
Producers: Tom Harwood - Xandy Sahla
Genre: Martial-Arts Thriller, Neo-Noir, Gangsta-Action, Drama.
Certificate: 15 - violence, drug misuse, sex, injury detail
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Period: Modern day
Tagline:
To master the sword, he must confront the chaos within.
Longline:
After fleeing a broken life in London, a young man finds purpose in a Japanese kendo dojo and arrives in Tokyo with an over-romanticised view of Bushido—the samurai code. As he falls for a captivating bar girl and is lured into the yakuza underworld, he becomes torn between the discipline of the sword and the seduction of power, forced to confront who he is before the path he chooses cuts too deep to come back from.
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Core Themes:
Duality of the sword: Katsujinken vs. Satsujinken.
The life-giving sword vs the life-taking sword.
​Father figures: A young man torn between two powerful mentors—one a noble sensei, the other a charismatic yakuza boss.
KOSH
King Of Stamford Hill
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By Xandy Sahla
(Also as director)
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An adaptation of Steven Berkoff’s theatre play ‘West’
The Writer / Director’s Vision:
I passionately believe there is a huge obligation to bring this modern day master piece to the screen. Not only in celebration of the considerable contribution Steven Berkoff has made to world of theatre and film, but also for the social political relevance the play still holds in not only London’s street culture but in that of all cities and towns up and down the country and the world over.
KOSH has the unique opportunity to capture two quite opposing audiences. On one hand Berkoff already has a huge global audience of theatre goers who will flock to see this adaptation but whom would never usually go see a ‘Gansta’ film, and on the other hand because of its depiction of modern day gang culture and music it will draw in a fresh new youth audience, one which would never be seen dead in the theatre.
KOSH must not be a mere a piece of screen entertainment but a work of cultural significance - It must have a very direct impact on today's disenfranchised youth. By first setting Mike up to be idolised, we then see how through peer pressure, influences of toxic masculinity and being "seduced by violence" Mike becomes the very monster he set out to destroy. KOSH is intended to make young men question the true ramifications of idolising gangsters and the glorification gang culture.
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Tone and style:
KOSH will have an extremely strong visual style. With a juxtaposition of a gritty hand-held style of shooting for the gangs scenes, against more classic tableau camera framing expressing the stagnant lives of Mike’s parents Pearl & Sid, where as Slyv Mike’s girlfriend will have a softer more floating feel to the lens. All of which will be set against expansive London cityscapes. Though KOSH will be based realism, it should also be a uniquely epic cinematic experience - a kind of ghettoised Shakespearian Grime'Opera - unlike anything before it or even after - this should be the sentinel British gang film.
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Sound track & score:
Predominantly London rap / grime and spoken-word
References:
Stormzy 'Shut Up' & 'Crown' and Sophia Thakur 'To Be Blunt'
See videos available on YouTube.
