Based on the Sunday Times Top Ten book by novelist Sarah Moss, Channel 4 has commissioned Summerwater…
The six-part drama series comes from Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund and Glasgow based production company Freedom Scripted, which has been adapted by screenwriter John Donnelly and will be directed by Robert McKillop.
John Donnelly, Screenwriter:
“Sarah Moss writes with perception, compassion and wit about sex, love, and the dark impulses of the human heart. She is one of our most brilliant chroniclers of modern life. In Summerwater, Sarah has found the perfect environment to explore our secrets and desires – a rain-drenched holiday park in Scotland.
“Summerwater is at once an atmospheric mystery, a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of identity and an existential thriller. I am delighted to be working with the brilliant team at Freedom Scripted to adapt Sarah’s wonderful novel for a broadcaster with such a pedigree for bold, ambitious drama.”
Set against the backdrop of a remote loch-side Scottish holiday cabin park and set over the course of one single rainy summer’s day, Summerwater looks at the simmering tensions between holidaymakers that eventually erupt into a devastating climax.
Weaving together the lives of several families as they navigate unspoken conflicts, private dilemmas, and fleeting moments of beauty from their disparate cabins, the series will take an unflinching but empathetic look at human nature across generations. Each episode will spotlight one or two of the ensemble of characters, spanning from young children to young lovers to reminiscing pensioners, to build a subversive, often witty, and always riveting portrait of the nation on edge that is modern Britain.
A thrilling and compulsive drama about nature, family, sex, class, tolerance and the fruitless pursuit of holiday escapism, Summerwater examines the strength of community in divided times.
Ollie Madden, Director of Film4 and Head of Channel 4 Drama:
“Summerwater is both a subversive, compulsive, brilliantly characterized thriller, and a witty, dark exploration of modern British life – cleverly adapted from Sarah Moss’ excellent novel. We’ve loved working with John on the film side and are now very excited to be working with him, Robert and the brilliant team at Freedom Scripted on this unique show.”
