Riz Ahmed, the acclaimed actor from the Channel 4 drama Britz, hits cinemas in April with the independently made feature film Shifty.

Described as “sharply scripted, witty, urban thriller”, it is set on the outskirts of London and follows the life of a young drug dealer, the charismatic Shifty, played by Riz.

The film features Danny Mays as Chris, an old friend of Shifty’s who comes back after four years to catch up with his friend. But while he has settled into responsible adult life, he is shocked to discover that Shifty has started dealing hard drugs.

“Chris has escaped the whirlpool while Shifty has been dragged down even further. He resents Chris for leaving and feels judged by him now,” says Riz.

They spend the next 24 hours together and both are forced to confront ghosts from the past that drove them to their current predicaments. Chris is once again given an opportunity to prove his loyalty to Shifty and to save Shifty from himself.

Based on director Eran Creevy’s experiences as a teenager, the film was funded by Film London’s Microwave scheme and was shot in a gruelling schedule of just 18 days.

Riz adds: “Everyone brought their A-game to this film and it shows. No one was in it for the money.”

The film also stars Nitin Ganatra, who currently plays Mr Masood in Eastenders.

Set up in partnership with BBC Films with support from Skillset, ‘Microwave’ challenges London-based filmmakers to shoot a full length feature film on a maximum budget of £100,000, with cash and in-kind support.

Riz Ahmed was recently nominated for Best Actor at the 2008 British Independent Film Awards for his lead role in Shifty. He attended the 2008 Berlin Film festival for the premiere of his next feature Rage, a film with Jude Law and Judi Dench scheduled for release in summer this year.

He can also be seen on BBC 2’s Freefall this Spring with a cast including Dominic Cooper, Aidan Gillen and Rosamund Pike.

Trailer

Shifty releases in cinemas on 24th April