Game of Thrones star among talent at film showcase

Oscar and BAFTA-winning talent will be showcased on screen as part of an evening celebrating north west filmmakers.

Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival has teamed up with Pyramid-based Ludovico to present Cine Hustle on Thursday, 25 November.

The showcase will include a screening of four independent short films followed by a panel discussion hosted by Stockton Heath actor, producer and director Darren Jeffries.

Among the line-up is a film called Roy directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White and starring Game of Thrones and Harry Potter actor David Bradley. The BAFTA winner plays a lonely and reclusive widower who cold calls strangers from the phone book for brief moments of companionship. But when he calls adult hotline worker Cara (Rachel Shenton), an unlikely friendship is born.

Former Hollyoaks star Rachel made the headlines in 2018 when she won an Oscar for the powerful film The Silent Child, which helped to generate awareness and an understanding of deafness.

Danny Miller’s Pace also has a star-studded line-up including Siobhan Finneran (Downton Abbey), Faye McKeever (Trollied), Daniel Jillings (Coronation Street), Simon Lennon (Our Girl), James Quinn (Early Doors) and Joe Gill (Emmerdale).

Based on a true events, it is about an expectant father who throws a gender reveal party with his partner. Everyone is in high spirits until a few alcohol-infused moments cause things to get out of hand.

Pace is Danny’s first feature after previously being best known in front of the camera.

He said: “This is my first project as a filmmaker and completely self-funded with a budget of £2,000 and a lot of favours. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

Cine Hustle will also be proudly showcasing Home Soon Come by Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival open competition 2020 winner Hope Strickland. The film is part of an on-going project with the elderly Caribbean community in South Manchester with an exploration of what it means to find ourselves at ‘home’.

Zeynep Kaserci’s Ocak completes the line-up. Her short documentary film tells the story of a family who earn their livelihood as hazelnut cultivators in rural north-eastern Turkey. The film explores the relationship between the people and their hazelnut gardens which have been with them for generations – reflecting on work, gender roles and family.

Host Darren Jeffries, who runs Ludovico, said: “Warrington’s filmmaking community and films fans from across town are going to love this event. We have a brilliant selection of shorts that cater for everyone, with outstanding talent on both sides of the camera.

“We’ll also have an in-depth Q&A with our filmmakers on the night – a fantastic opportunity for any budding writers, directors, producers or actors who want to learn more about the filmmaking process.”

Cine Hustle takes place at Pyramid as part of the Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival programme on Thursday, 25 November, at 7pm. Visit wcaf.culturewarrington.org/whats-on/cine-hustle