Nefarious | The Good, The Bad & The Unspeakably Wicked
Twenty years after is was shot in London, County Durham and Amsterdam, my debut feature film has finally been released in the UK. You can watch Nefarious now on A-FP Premium, the new international distribution platform for independent, underground and censored filmmakers.
Awards & Critical Acclaim
After winning an award in the Best Feature category at The Monthly Film Festival [TMFF] and being named as a Best Film Finalist in the London Film & Television Festival last December, I was awarded the prestigious Award of Recognition by the IndieFEST Film Awards in January, for my producing, writing, editing and directing of Nefarious.
But don’t just take my word for it. A professional film critic at TMFF had this to say about a Brit-Flick which people are already dubbing a retro cult classic, reminiscent of the Michael Caine, Newcastle-set thriller, Get Carter:
“Written and directed by Michael O’Bernicia (Roadkill, The Good Cop), ‘Nefarious’ is a road movie/thriller feature that stars Kim Bodnia alongside newcomers, Conor Woodman, Spek, Sharon Percy and others. The film was actually shot in 2005 and has been remastered to HD for its long-awaited release in 2024/25.
A fast-moving, funny yet ultimately tragic European road movie about two hedonistic outlaws and their quest to open up a coffeeshop in Amsterdam, ‘Nefarious’ is a whole lot of fun. Michael O’Bernicia knows how to infuse a sense of demented fun into this tale as he sets about to create a compelling story that enthralls as well as entertains.
Danish legend Kim Bodnia is a towering persona here and the newcomers Conor Woodman, Spek, Sharon Percy and Guy Porritt are also great in their own right. The cast does a good job with what they are given and they manage to elevate the script by infusing their characters with as much earnestness as possible.
Visually speaking, the film is a treat to us all. The cinematography is crisp and the grainy footage from 2005 actually helps the story develop better, giving it a retro feel and a distinctly unique look.
The cinematographer has done a fantastic job ensuring that the tense moments look and feel as real as possible and those tense, unnerving moments of interaction between characters look as energised and unpredictable as possible.
Also, from costumes to set design, the production looks highly polished in all its aspects. With a seemingly low budget, it is fascinating to see how the production team managed to make the film look so incredibly good.
Full of twists and turns, ‘Nefarious’ manages to soar due to Michael O’Bernicia’s script and direction. Thrillers are always hard to pull off from a thematic and emotional standpoint but the film here manages to do it regardless.
Although it doesn’t break the genre mould in sense of originality and complexity, ‘Nefarious’ is good enough to stand on its own two feet.
Well shot and well acted, the film is director Michael O’Bernicia’s first and provides him with some serious cred on his resume for his next project.
We hope to see much more of O’Bernicia in the future and pray that he gets his hands on a major Hollywood production a lot sooner than later.”
Previews Garner 5 Star Reviews
Previews of Nefarious before its UK release for streaming garnered comparably glowing 5 star reviews:
“I first saw a ‘rough cut’ of this film back in 2009. At the time, it occurred to me that it was an excellent thriller of its time, with hints of The Italian Job and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking barrels.
It stands independently as a British Gangster movie, of exceptional quality with a deep philosophical undercurrent. If you like British gangster films with a retro feel, you will love it. 5 stars.”
MJK
“Dark, Intense, and Totally Addictive – Kim Bodnia is a Beast in Nefarious.
This film had me hooked from the first minute. Nefarious is seriously gritty — the kind of film that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s all about the brutal realities of the drug world, and it doesn’t hold back.
Kim Bodnia absolutely crushes it. You believe every look, every line — he’s not just acting, he is the character. There’s this constant tension around him, like he could explode or break down at any moment. Pure gold.
The whole thing feels real — no sugar-coating, no fake Hollywood gloss. Just rawness. The writing’s sharp, the pacing keeps you on edge, and the whole vibe is heavy in the best way.
If you like crime films that don’t flinch, Nefarious is right up there. One of the best things I’ve watched this year.
Highly recommend.”
AC
“The best film I have seen in years! I found it gripped me from the outset. If you ever wanted to take a glimpse into the lives of those shadowy figures who lurk in the dark underbelly of society, this is the film for you.
The characters portrayed were chillingly realistic, and I couldn’t help but feel touched by the raw emotions captured.
The casting was excellent, in particular Kim Bodnia’s portrayal of Michael Elkiar as he tried to wrestle with the conflict between his “business” and its effects on his family life, was outstanding.”
CW
Wonderful Cast & Crew
It’s therefore perfectly natural that I am suitably elated about the release of the Nefarious after all these years because of the fantastic cast and crew, without whom I wouldn’t have been able to put together a film which I’m certain they will all be extraordinarily proud of when they see it.
In the event you are one of them and we haven’t managed to locate your whereabouts yet, please use this contact form to get in touch and you can let me know whether you would prefer to see the film online, on DVD or in a cinema.
Even though it’s difficult not to look back and regret that A-FP’s Film Distribution Model was not technologically or financially feasible in 2005, everybody who has thus far seen the film has said that Nefarious has a distinctly grainy, stylish and retro look, which would never have been considered a production value if it had been released in the year it was shot, as was originally planned.
In other words, like a fine wine, the film has benefitted greatly from not being released until now and I’m very much looking forward to catching up with everyone who’s survived long enough to finally see it happen!
UK Release of Nefarious
The UK release of Nefarious on A-FP Premium, DVD and in selected independent cinemas will be closely followed by releases in Denmark and Holland, where Nefarious is set to do well because it stars Danish legend Kim Bodnia and an ensemble of Dutch stars, including Tygo Gernandt, Alwien Tulner and the late Antonie Kamerling.
Just in case you haven’t seen it yet, here is the Official Website, where you can watch the trailer and sign up for the newsletter.
You can also book one of a strictly limited number of tickets to see the film in a UK cinema or pre-order a limited edition DVD at these links:
Book Tickets To See Nefarious In A UK Cinema
Beyond The Blacklist
Inevitably, the knock-on effect of Nefarious causing such a buzz before its release has been that we have been asked to screen The Great British Mortgage Swindle [TGBMS] and The Three Faced Terrorist [TTFT] at some of the best online film festivals, where they are expected to do just as well as Nefarious.
The fact that Nefarious is already gaining recognition and reach I haven’t had since I was blacklisted during the summer of 2005, when I was producing eight films, all of which had so-called A-Listers attached, is evidence that I have now unofficially transcended the blacklist, which for twenty years prevented my work from getting anywhere near reaching a substantial audience.
Nefarious marked the beginning of a seemingly endless journey to a moment that seems like the most perfect possible time to release a film we shot in 17 non-consecutive days two decades ago, with a cash budget of £17,000.
Perfect Moment
Now that moment is upon us, the early word of mouth within film industry circles from New Mexico to Oslo, Berlin, Prague and London, is predicting Nefarious will be just as successful as it would have been twenty years ago, if I hadn’t been blacklisted by Bilderberg for refusing to keep my mouth shut about the crimes of the controllers.
Nevertheless, may you watch the film with that in mind and to see for yourself why one reviewer said Nefarious “grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go”!
In the event you do watch it, please don’t forget to rate and review it because A-FP Premium will be giving away signed limited edition Nefarious DVD’s to the best dozen 5 star reviews.
Naturally, I look forward to reading your reviews of a film that was made in the days when it was still just a joke for a man to claim he identified as a lesbian.
