Popcorn Premiere: 12 short films about life in our towns

Popcorn Premiere

Creative Scene presents a free public screening of 12 short films about some of the hidden stories in Dewsbury, Batley and Spen.

SOLD OUT but you can watch the films on our youtube channel

Stars of the films will be special guests at the premiere at Dewsbury Town Hall, where you can also find out more about Creative Scene’s impact over the last three years and our future plans until 2020 and beyond.

The films have been made in and around North Kirklees and feature people and places which might help you see our area in a new light.

Nancy Barrett, director of Creative Scene, said: “There are so many good things happening in our area, which is on the up with a definite feel good factor taking place. We want to celebrate the positive and find that discovering more about the real people and places here, is an ideal way to do this.”

Over the past year Creative Scene, which uses Arts Council England funding to bring arts and culture to north Kirklees, commissioned filmmaker Alistair I Macdonald to make a portrait of the area.

Alistair said: “Meeting so many characters and visiting some interesting places, particularly the historic mill which still uses the old looms, has been quite amazing. It is great to see the people and places come alive through this collection of films.”

He said highlights included the young designer from Dewsbury creating his own clothing line through Arabic calligraphy; the hockey team from Batley winning underwater in Tasmania; the mobile dentists volunteering to keep Dewsbury smiling and Greenwoods shop where Billenium Bill has stood in the window for 90 years.

You can find out about the historic loom at the heart of Calderdale Carpets, one of the last remaining carpet manufacturers in the country and discover more about The Rawsons at Thornhill Hall Farm where 270 cows graze; meet the owner of The Pie Shed café who makes her own tables as well as cakes; the monastic community who count Desmond Tutu as a member; the Heckmondwike Petanque Club playing for the Ashes and the Mill Valley Brewery in Cleckheaton, serving up Luddite Dark beer.

The event will include a special screening about Dewsbury Market, made especially by Dewsbury filmmaker Simon Reed in his first paid commission, after years of filming as a hobby.

The films are being screened by the Electric Theatre Cinema, Marsden.