Local Teenagers Film Is Selected For Seattle International Film Festival

altA film made by teenagers in Armley has been selected to appear in the 36th annual Seattle International Film Festival. Film fans flock to Seattle from far and wide for the annual Film Festival to view submissions from around the globe. The festival begins on 20th May and will run until 13th June. 

One Man’s Walk, made in Armley by a group of young aspiring filmmakers, was selected from thousands of submissions to be shown as part of the FutureWave Shorts section, which celebrates short films made by talented young people. The film was written by 22-year-old Nicholas Mitchell, and is about his brother Kenneth who has Downs Syndrome and is a look through his eyes; his likes and dislikes and how he sees the world.

Nicholas and Kenneth are members of LS12 Film, a group of young people from a range of backgrounds and abilities who meet at Interplay weekly in Armley, Leeds. The LS12 Film group has been running for three years and was borne from a desire to give local young people who had never experienced film the tools to tell their stories. Now in its third year of running the young people are recruiting new members, developing skills in leadership and mentoring while cascading vital film skills to their peers.

The Seattle International Film Festival is the largest and most well attended film festival in the United States with 160,000 attendees expected in 2010. SIFF screens a wide selection of the best new international features and documentaries over the 25-day festival, presenting more than 400 films from over 50 countries. With extensive local, national and international media coverage, the Festival has emerged as one of the country’s most accessible and highly publicized film events.

Interplay have 40 years experience working with young people with profound barriers to learning whether it be economic, social or sensory. The company engages young people across all artforms, creating theatre, music, visual arts, radio and film. Interplay also create theatre work that tours to special schools nationwide, giving audiences a sensory experience which redefines the relationship between spectator and performer.

One Man’s Walk recently won an Award at the First Light Awards for Best Film by Over 13’s. Interplay’s Executive Director Jude Wright, project manager of LS12 Film says of the inclusion in the Seattle International Film Festival;

“We are a small company who work with local young people and were honoured to be given National recognition at the First Light Awards in March. To be selected for this prestigious International event is amazing and really"