Reform candidate challenged over grandiose 'film studio' claims

Martin Shipton

A Reform UK by-election candidate who hopes to become his party’s first member of Cardiff council has failed to explain why Companies House records show that the film company he runs hasn’t actually traded.

Siddiq Mahmood Malik, said to be affectionately known as Sidney, is Reform’s candidate in the Llanrumney ward on July 24. With Reform polling well in Wales, it is thought that the party could win the seat - in a largely white, working class ward - from Labour, whose former councillor Heather Joyce resigned because of her ill-health.

Mr Malik has an extensive website that makes grandiose claims for his ERA Film Studios.

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'Cultural powerhouse'

It states: “ERA Film Studios is a global media and cultural powerhouse, leading a new era in film, music, talent, wrestling, real estate consultancy, and global impact. We redefine storytelling, creative excellence, industry innovation, and global influence by merging future technologies, immersive extended reality, and virtual production and artificial intelligence. Our mission is to push the boundaries of entertainment, collective digital experiences, and strategic influence.

“From pioneering VR filmmaking to shaping AI driven media, Era Film Studios is at the forefront of a new creative and technological era. We create groundbreaking, inclusive, and diverse films for global audiences and design and deliver immersive and innovative new media entertainment for our clients and partners. Innovating storytelling through immersive tech, virtual production, and AI driven content. We are now engaging in ‘synaptic’ filmmaking.”

The website also contains a biography of Sydney Malik, which states: “An innovator of immersive film, Sydney Malik is the director of the first British virtual reality feature film, Once Upon a Time in Britain, and the founder of ERA Film Studios and KSA Pro Wrestling. A pioneering creative, Sydney is a rising young British actor and producer, writer, and director of feature films.

“Malik has also produced independent British horror feature and cult films with a focus on projects that exhibit cultural diversity and address important industry realities. Malik was born in London, England to a prestigious Saudi Arabian family as Siddiq Mahmood Malik or Syed Siddiq Malik and performs under the stage name and wrestling persona, Sydney Malik and Sydney King.”

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'Passionate'

Reform endorsed Mr Malik when his candidacy was announced, stating: “Sidney is passionate about Reform. It runs in his family as he is a descendant of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the 19th-century Muslim reformer and scholar.

“Sidney himself is a Cardiff resident who is motivated by making a difference to those around him and delivering on promises. You won't find him U-turning on everything he says! He currently runs ERA Film Studio who use an innovative mixture of AI and VR in their production process.

“He is keen to take the fight to Labour as Reform is in all reality the only viable option in Llanrumney.

"The Reform UK Cardiff Branch is proud to announce the selection of Sidney Mahmood Malik as our official candidate for the upcoming Llanrumney by-election. Our dedicated team is campaigning hard in the very heart of traditional Labour territory here in Cardiff.

“Across Llanrumney, we are hearing the overwhelming voice of residents who are dissatisfied with both the Labour UK and Welsh governments.

“Reform UK is here to offer a real credible alternative to voters, and we look forward to continuing the campaign."

Reality

Yet the portrayal of Mr Malik and his company as cinematic innovators at the vanguard of new production techniques is at odds with the reality that according to returns made to Companies House, the company hasn’t in fact traded since it was established in 2008.

At the outset it had £10,000 in share capital not paid, and that remained the case until the most recently filed set of accounts for the year ending September 30 2023.

Between 2018 and 2025 there were seven applications made by the Registrar of Companies for the company to be struck off the register of companies at Companies House. All of the applications to dissolve the company were withdrawn, most recently in May 2025. The firm’s latest accounts should have been filed with companies by the end of June. They are flagged as “overdue” on the Companies House website.

According to the most recent annual return, ERA has just one employee.

There is no record of the film Once Upon a Time in Britain having been released.

The company’s registered office In Bristol is in a block of offices where space can be rented by the hour.

We sent Mr Malik a series of questions via Reform:

Your company's website very much gives the impression that Era is a functioning company with many projects run from the studio. Yet Companies House returns indicate that it is a dormant company and that seven attempts have been made by the Registrar of Companies to wind it up. How do you account for this discrepancy?

Is the studio based in St Albans, Bristol or somewhere else?

Does Era own the studio, rent it or only use it occasionally?

What films have actually been produced and released?

Where can the films be accessed?

Are films in current production? If so, what is it/are they?

Why does the company have only one employee?

Your Linked-In profile states that you are based in London. Is that the case?

Where do you live in Cardiff, how long have you lived in the city and what do you do here?

Mr Malik did not respond.

'Zero respect'

A Labour source said “The usual rubbish from Reform - picking a candidate with no connection to the community. His company seems to only exist on paper and they can’t even say where in Cardiff he lives. This shows zero respect for the voters of Llanrumney, a place he had probably never heard of before he was made candidate.”

Mr Malik took over as the Reform candidate after his predecessor was deselected around an hour after being chosen when complaints were made that he had allegedly appeared in a video several years ago expressing admiration for Joseph Goebbels, the Nazis’ propaganda chief.