Samantha Morton to direct drama for C4

Channel 4 has commissioned three new drama projects, including a film directed by Samantha Morton.

The Oscar-nominated British actress will make her directorial debut with The Unloved, about a young girl growing up in a UK children's home. The project will be shot in Nottingham, Morton's home town, in the autumn and air next year.

"I am thrilled to be making my first film with Channel 4, who have constantly pushed boundaries and enabled people like me to have a voice," said the Control actress. "I hope this film can help make a difference to the young people that see it."

The second project, Red Riding, is a drama trilogy adapted by Tony Grisoni from David Peace's cult Red Riding Quartet novels, set in Yorkshire at the time of the Ripper murders.

The cast includes Andrew Garfield (Boy A), Sean Bean (Lord Of The Rings) and Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum).

Finally, multi-award-winning filmmaker Peter Kosminsky is working on a two-part drama about violent final years of the Mandate in Palestine.

The project, titled Palestine, links the modern-day story of Erin, a 19-year-old girl from London holidaying with a wealthy school friend in Israel, with that of her grandfather Len, who was part of the 1940s British peace-keeping force in the Middle East.