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This Beautiful Fantastic
This Beautiful Fantastic “The title says it all as a young woman,
  abandoned as a baby near a duck
  pond in Hyde Park and suffering a
  myriad of problems as she grows up
  with a chronic case of Obsessive
  Compulsive Disorder that threatens
  to ruin her life, finds happiness and
  beauty in unexpected places in
  the fascinating, heart-warming film
  This Beautiful Fantastic...”

ABANDONED AS A BABY ON A COLD NIGHT in a cardboard box in Hyde Park near the duck pond and only surviving, so it is said, because the ducks sat on her and kept her warm, pretty Bella Brown (Jessica Brown Findlay: Downton Abbey; Harlots) has grown up clever and talented — if a little quirky.

Raised in a Catholic Orphanage run by Mother Superior (Sheila Hancock), she finally begins to make a place for herself in the world, renting a flat and working in the local library, although suffering bady from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

“This Beautiful Fantastic
is just that:
beautiful and fantastic;
a heart-warming and
uplifting story of
a disadvantaged girl
who discovers beauty
and friendship in her
own back yard...”
So begins an emotional journey as the agoraphobic and nature-fearing young woman faces the obstacles in her path that threaten to shatter her dreams of security and writing and illustrating a successful children's' book — an ambition she constantly puts off.

Unable to be punctual at work, Bella is at the mercy of the autocratic Chief Librarian, Bramble (Anna Chancellor: Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Happy Prince), who threatens to sack her.

At home, she suffers the boorishness of wealthy elderly next-door neighbour Alfie Stephenson (two time Oscar-nominated Tom Wilkinson: Batman Begins; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), a horticulturist with an enchanting, colourful garden in the heart of London who berates her for the neglect of her own, calling her a "horticultural terrorist".

So rude is Alfie to his cook, widower Vernon (Andrew Scott: Sherlock; Spectre; Pride) — the father of two little girls, Sinead and Niamh — that Vernon quits his job and is invited to move in with Bella, but finally agrees to continue to cook for his former employer only by passing food through a hatch!

When the landlord's agent comes to inspect the property, he causes Bella further anguish by complaining about the state of the garden, which contravenes the agreement stating that Bella has to keep the property in a good state of repair, and gives her one month to sort it out or she loses her home. Panic stations! But can Bella's instinct for survival and her hidden resolve see her through?

One day in the library Bella meets a young man, inventor William "Billy" Tranter (Jeremy Irvine: The Railway Man; War Horse), who takes her to see the mechanical bird, Luna, he has made. Inspired by the bird, Bella at last begins to write her children's story and she falls in love with Billy. Can she really have found true happiness?

As she contemplates losing her home unless somehow she is able to complete the impossible task of restoring the garden, she gets to know Alfie Stephenson better and discovers his tragic past. He tries to show her the pleasure of a well-kept garden and the beauty of plants and flowers but she is still afraid of the great outside.

Beginning to feel more settled and with Vernon offering to help as much as he can, Bella sets off to meet Billy, only to see him disappearing with another woman. The whole new world she had begun to believe was hers is falling apart.

Heartbroken, she wonders how her life can ever be turned around; but miracles do happen and as she is offered more help and support that she had ever thought possible, something magical happens…

This Beautiful Fantastic is just that: beautiful and fantastic; a heart-warming and uplifting story of a disadvantaged girl who discovers beauty and friendship in her own back yard.

This Beautiful Fantastic also features: Eileen Davies as Milly, the Doctor; Charlotte Asprey as The Publisher; and Mia Farkasovska as Young Bella Brown.

Composer is Anne Nikitin; Director of Photography is Mike Eley; Producers are Christine Alderson, Monika Bacardi, Andrea Iervolino, Kami Naghdi; Written and Directed by Simon Aboud.

* This Beautiful Fantastic is available to watch on Digital Download from 5 March 2018 and can be bought at itunes.

"This Beautiful Fantastic is just that: beautiful and fantastic; a heart-warming and uplifting story of a disadvantaged girl who discovers beauty and friendship in her own back yard" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
.