Xavier Leret http://www.xavierleret.com/ This is my working notebook. You will will find lots of works in progress here and not much of anything finished. I also go through great long periods when I don't put anything up, I don't know why. It's not that I am not writing or anything like that as I never stop. I am of Hispanic, Cuban, French and also, apparently, Jewish and Arabic stock although you would never tell as looks-wise I have inherited everything from my mother’s Irish, North-of-England roots. My family on my father's side were all taken out on the first day of the Spanish Civil War and shot. My grand-father survived the wall three times only to die of a smoking related illness in 1977. I have written, directed and edited two feature films. The first, MINE, is about two journalists and their Serbian Militia guides stuck in a Yugoslav minefield. Dark and brooding, MINE was selected as a breakthrough movie for LUFF 2007. I have just completed my second feature, KUNG FU FLID (or as it is now called UNARMED BUT DANGEROUS), an ultra violent and controversial flick about a short armed Kung Fu master battling brutal East End Gangsters in an attempt to get his daughter back. The stars the Thalidomide actor Mat Fraser, Frank Harper (LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, THIS IS ENGLAND) and Faye Tozer (of Steps fame). It was produced by Terry Stone (RISE OF THE FOOT SOLDIERS and ROLLING WITH THE NINES) and is currently streaming at www.filmlounge.com. It is due for worldwide DVD release in September and is distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment. Not one for the faint hearted. For fifteen years I was the Artistic Director (and founder) of the award winning KAOS Theatre. Writing credits include an adaptation of Bulgakov's THE MASTER & MARGARITA (nominated for the best production on the Dublin Fringe and an Edinburgh Fringe First), THE FANTASTICAL ADVENTURES OF LEONARDO DA VINCI (a commission for the International Festival of Perth, Western Australia), RENAISSANCE (a Millennium Award Winner), THIRST, ALICE, CALIGULA and SWING. Directing credits for KAOS include all the above together with THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (Winner of The Stage Award, Best Ensemble, Time Out Critics Choice) VOLPONE (Nominated for The Stage Award, Best Ensemble), TITUS ANDRONICUS and RICHARD III (nominated for a Manchester Evening News Award). I am working on two novels, BLOOD RUN and REDTUBE (working title on this site is CARING FOR DAISY BYATT). I did a stint as a ghost writer for an award winning ‘gay for pay’ male sex worker but I got fired because I felt the truth was far better than the fiction. The book that I had nothing to do with is called WHAT WOMEN WANT. In 2007 I performed extracts of prose work at the Folkestone Literary Festival alongside writer Tim Arthur and had supper with Terry Jones. I have taught theatre practise all over the world and have led educational projects in schools, colleges and universities. I am a Jackson Fellow of Birmingham University. I am going to do the MA in Creative Writing at Birbeck, Uni of London in September. I live in a quiet Hertfordshire village with my wife and three young children. en Copyright 2010 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:34:44 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Standon Calling How long has it been since I last posted something?

Well, I am reading some work at the Standon Calling Festival, (6-8 Aug) a really lovely lovely shing ding and it looks like the weather might be humdinger too. I'm reading as part of the Book Club Boutique and I will be unveiling my novel, Caring For Daisy Byatt. Tis dark bring torch.

There will also be some great music and a swimming pool - oh and an entire weekend long license - yep the bars don't shut.

What other news is there? I've had over 50,000 downloads of my stories on Feedbooks, so many thanks to all those who have clicked that button.

Don't forget, Standon Calling - hope to catch you there my lovelies.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/07/standon_calling.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/07/standon_calling.html News Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:34:44 +0000 BORDELLO BLUSH - THE BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE I'm reading my story Turn The Porn On at the BORDELLO BLUSH event for the
THE BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE
Saturday 13th Feb
BLACKS. 67 DEAN ST. SOHO. W1D 4QH

I'm on after 8 sometime.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/bordello_blush_the_book_club_b.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/bordello_blush_the_book_club_b.html News Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:46:03 +0000 About Fred About Fred2.jpg

1.
There's something I need to tell you, said Karen, it's about Fred.
John froze in the doorway.

2.
What did he say exactly?
Maddy told him and finished by asking him not to tell anyone.
Is that what he asked you to do? Not to tell anyone?
Yes, she said.
John nodded.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/about_fred.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/about_fred.html About Fred Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:06:54 +0000 Feedbooks You can download some of my stories for your iphone or ereader here

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/feedbooks.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/feedbooks.html News Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:05:10 +0000 The Book Club Boutique I'm reading my story Turn The Porn On at the Blush event for the
THE BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE
BLACKS. DEAN ST. SOHO.
Street:
67 Dean Street Soho, London W1D 4QH
City/Town:
London, United Kingdom

I'm on after 8 sometime.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/the_book_club_boutique.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/the_book_club_boutique.html News Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:47:59 +0000 writLOUD 8th Feb I've been asked to read another story at writLOUD!

Monday 8 February 2010, 6.30-8.15 pm, RADA Foyer Bar, Malet Street, London WC1E 7JN.

Maybe see you there.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/writloud_8th_feb.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/02/writloud_8th_feb.html News Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:21:59 +0000 Writloud 11 Jan I'm reading an extract from a novel I'm working on at RADA on Monday - this one coming. Also reading are the Costa prize winning author, A L Kennedy and couple of other new and up and coming writers. Here's the details: writLOUD takes place on Monday, 11 January, 6.30-8.15 p.m., RADA Foyer Bar, Malet Street, London WC1E 7JN.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/01/writloud_11_jan.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2010/01/writloud_11_jan.html Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:34:43 +0000 BLOOD RUN 15 The light was fading. The Legate's entourage arrived at the Kratz mansion. A selection of armoured Vees in a line. Skyte's state vehicle in the centre. He emerged with Glass and the two of them, bald heads bowed entered the mansion alone. Despite its grandeur the guts to the house were simple and lacking tyrannical ostentation. There were no trinkets. Some might even say it was rustic. Others only that it had been possessed. It was certainly cosier than one would expect from a man of Kratz's station. Flowers and plants were everywhere. Splashes of colour. Snapshots of nature in firework. A full sunset in bloom. Rich aromas of all the seasons in simultaneous adoration. Deep greens, reds to orange to yellow streaking azure prosperity. Reeds, stems, storks, branches, giant leaves paddling an ocean of polychromasia.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/blood_run_15.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/blood_run_15.html Blood Run Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:15:47 +0000 SHOWREEL This is the trailer and opening scene of KUNG FU FLID, or UNARMED BUT DANGEROUS (DVD title). The movie is available of DVD, distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment. The film was produced for the Film Lounge and stars Mat Fraser, Frank Harper, Faye Tozer, Helen Watkins and Terry Stone.


Here's Frank Harper in Unarmed But Dangerous

Barry - UnArmed But Dangerous from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.


Here's another extract from Unarmed But Dangerous. Very nasty.

Gregor - Extract from Unarmed But Dangerous from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.


And another clip from Unarmed But Dangerous

Jimmy Loveit - An extract from Unarmed But Dangerous from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.

Here are three extracts from my first feature film MINE. The film was selected as a 'Breakthrough Movie' for LUFF 2007.


The Opening of MINE - directed by Xavier Leret from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.



A 2nd Extract from MINE from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.



3rd Extract from MINE from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.


I've just made this corporate for CommUNITY Barnet.

CommUNITY Barnet from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.

This is a corporate that I directed for Fit Flop, produced by MyTherapy.

Fit Flop from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.


This is an extract from my last theatre show for KAOS. The KAOS DREAM. I set Shakepeare's play in a strip joint. The BBC described it as "a fresh masterpiece", a teacher from a Catholic school near Poole wrote that it would "take weeks of lessons to undo the damage you have done". In this extract Helena mourns that Demetrius has fallen for the younger Hermia. Helena is a burnt out jazz singer and Hermia a stripper and pole dancer - "love looks not with the eyes".

Extract from The KAOS Dream from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.

This is a short that I made in order to help raise finance for KUNG FU FLID. I had several meetings with producers in the UK and in Cannes and you can imagine their faces when I told them I had written this script about a short armed martial artist. They all looked at me like I was mad so I shot this DV film on a boat in Amsterdam with Mat Fraser, the thalidomide star of the feature film and actor Ralf Higgins to prove that it would work.

And then just to really hit the point home I made LOVE, again with Mat this time with Tina Barnes.


This is a little short story called TURN THE PORN ON. It is a monologue about an old man dying who has just one wish.

Turn The Porn On from Xavier Leret on Vimeo.


This is a promo of ALICE a piece of theatre I made about a social worker. This was a hard hitting surreal piece was inspired by Alice in Wonderland.


You can download my CV here.Xavier_Leret_CV.pdf


]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/showreel.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/showreel.html Showreel Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:30:49 +0000 BLOOD RUN 14 I've re-written the very beginning of the story. Click on the Blood Run link above and find Blood Run 1 & 2.

Anyway new bit.


How trusting are children. So easy to calm with stories. Lead them into a dark room. Hold their hand and they are soothed. Speak sweetly and they are silenced. Hold them and you can achieve a relative calm. Shout at the child at your peril. They will retreat. I always advocated gentleness. A child will speak only when they are handled with care. Panic the child and it will fall into a delirium. A delirium from which they will never emerge. They will retreat into that dreadful darkness of their imagination. You will have become unreal to them, taking on the qualities of a demon or such like. There can be nothing left but to end them. That is suitably humane.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/blood_run_14.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/07/blood_run_14.html Blood Run Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:33:39 +0000 BLOOD RUN 13.1 Their feet reached the ground. But they were sandwiched between two walls. She told him to scuffle over to his left. The other way was sure to lead to the divide between life and death. The pain in her legs was unbearable. Her right shoe was full of blood and sloshed. They arrived at the wall. There was a hole, they could feel air on their faces.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_131.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_131.html Novels Wed, 27 May 2009 09:37:26 +0000 BLOOD RUN 13 The children were sandwiched between the floorboards above and the ceiling below. Dust rained on them as Anchorite feet scuffled over them. The elder girl and the brother lay on their stomachs. Their bodies scanning beams. Breathing quietly into the haunted black pitch of this world between. He had dilated terrified eyes which were saucered large behind a dusty mask. He could feel his older sister lying beside him. He reached out and found her hand. She took it and held it. At her head lay the little one balanced long ways on a wooden rib. She was silent. Unconscious. She kissed her head. Silent pecks to remind her why life was worth living. She was shivering, the brother in a tremble and the little one was sunspot hot.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_13.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_13.html BLOOD RUN Tue, 26 May 2009 10:03:27 +0000 BLOOD RUN 12 Skyte took his place opposite the journalist. He was eerily serene. He had been explaining the fertility of his cross bred sheep. Fecund was the word he chose to describe them. That there was no need to enforce breeding incentives. They were quite capable of going about it themselves. The ram would never take no for an answer he said with a knowing public servant smile. The baby kisser. He himself had always been celibate. Sexless. Had never harboured any desires in this direction. He observed nature's business. You could say I am anthropologist. Life interests me.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_12.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_12.html Novels Mon, 25 May 2009 11:58:37 +0000 BLOOD RUN 11 My son was born in the late morning of the 24th July. He came quickly. We were expecting an almighty fight. We had been warned that the first one puts up a struggle and is not so willing to appear. He was eager to live. Rigorous from the outset. I watched as my wife cracked and whipped during the final stages. Possessed. Ancient. He came out of her as if he was shedding a former skin. Life transforms itself in this way. The old making way for the new. The new intercensal of the old.

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_11.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_11.html Novels Sun, 17 May 2009 23:07:26 +0000 BLOOD RUN 10.2 You scoured the area?
Yes, Legate. Under every nook and cranny.
Skyte's eyes had darkened. Everywhere. You looked everywhere?
For four hours, Legate.
And she has vanished?
Yes.
A child of eight years old. Into thin air?

]]> http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_102.html http://www.xavierleret.com/2009/05/blood_run_102.html Novels Wed, 13 May 2009 18:21:04 +0000