Alex Edwardson as Jack, and Susannah Wells, as Lucy, in Titanic Love
A film premiered in Hollywood will next be brought back to be shown free where it was made – in the West Midlands.
Romantic comedy Titanic Love, which won the Best Screenplay award in the Kick Ass Awards at the end of the Los Angeles Comedy Festival, will be shown at Wolverhampton’s Light House Media Centre on Friday April 5.
Black Country filmmaker Mark Pressdee will be screening his award-winner between 6 and 7pm alongside Travels With Morris – a series of comedy shorts made by the city’s Central Youth Theatre (CYT), based at the city’s Newhampton Arts Centre.
Titanic Love, made in Birmingham and costumed from Central Youth Theatre’s (CYT’s) 10,000 plus costumes in its Actors Wardrobe resource, tackles romance and obsession with the Titanic – just over a century after the world’s most famous ship sank.
Former Sandwell College student Mark brings the film back to where he studied film – at the Lighthouse Media Centre.
As well as the Hollywood award it also last month won the Best Short Film Award at The Black International Film Festival’s Music and Video Awards and the Best In It’s Block at the Kontrast Film Festival in Germany.
After the Wolverhampton showing the film has been selected to be screened at the Shart International Comedy Festival in Canada as the flagship romantic comedy film of the April festival.
In the same month it will also be show at the Maryland and the Lifetree international film festivals in the United States.
It is also being considered for more than 50 other festivals and Mark said: “I am so excited for the screening at the Light House. I am an ex-Light House Media student so the training I received has already paid off.
“I am also really looking forward to seeing the Travels With Morris films that will be screened in conjunction with Titanic Love and the accompanying behind the scenes documentary of Travels With Morris.
Passion and creativity
“Travels With Morris was produced by CYT in conjunction with more than 40 young people and a small team of professionals. My role was as a film mentor on the project. The film was funded through First Light Films, who are the education arm of the British Film Institute (BFI).
“The sheer passion and creativity displayed by the young people on the project was incredible.
“We premiered these films at the Light House last year to a full house that ranged from young to old and the films went down a storm.
“I would advise people to come along and support what is being achieved by these young people in the Black Country.
“In fact they did such a good job that we will be announcing a new comedy project – “Salt N’Malt” commissioned by the same funder which will be shooting in April and May this year.”
Mark, a regional filmmaker, has established himself as a producer director in the Midlands, but travels globally as a filmmaker and
has worked for all terrestrial TV channels and many satellite channels. He has a passion for comedy.
He has had work previously screened on channel 4, channel 5 and ITV but has always had strong links to the Black Country and the Midlands.
His short films have been previewed in Cannes & the
Edinburgh Film Festival with previous films Evil Resident nominated for a Made in The Midlands Award, The Westerner, Winner of The BBc Drama Award & TV Documentary, Fistful of Alice also nominated for a BBC Drama Award.
He established his own production company in Birmingham 2003, Macoy Media, specialising in educational projects.
In the same year Mark graduated at The University of Birmingham with a Diploma from the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs programme where he studied in Austria and Germany.
Midlands links
He developed and put into production Titanic Love, which he wrote in 2009 to explore various themes including the Midlands’ links to shipbuilding and Titanic.
The script gained favourable response and interest in London but was turned down regionally for funding as too ambitious.
As a result Mark self-financed the film and sought sponsorship from the Midlands, including Jane Ward and The Actors Wardrobe who supplied all costumes and assorted props. Titanic Love went into production in late 2011 and was then entered into festivals where it was screened at Stoke Your Fires Film Festival.
In the film hero Jack, played by Alex Edwardson, is a small man in a Titanic world.
He longs to lead a settled life – to have a good job, the gaff in town, money in his back pocket, and to have the perfect life with his girlfriend Lucy, played by Susannah Wells.
The only problem is, Lucy has an obsession…with all things Titanic!Lucy has found a ‘Titanic Love Cruise’ and wants to re-live the Hollywood dream. Jack doesn’t!
They can’t afford it and Lucy is furious. Their relationship hits rough waters, so Jack calls on his best friend Delroy for advice and a cheap alternative. True to form, Delroy and his trusty sidekick Jaz come up with a cunning plan that could change their lives forever.Delroy is going to bring Hollywood and Titanic to Birmingham! There is no turning back, and Jack has no choice but to entrust his future with Lucy to Delroy. In a thrilling climax, all will be revealed as Jack, Lucy, Delroy and Jazz experience the voyage of their lives.
The film trailer can be seen at:
and the Facebook site is at:
The cast of Titanic Love and their characters (from the film website)
Susannah Felicity Wells
aka Lucy TupperSusie is a graduate from Birmingham Theatre School and it was here she first auditioned for the role of Lucy, later to be cast as the lead. As an actor Susie was inspired by someone who had a similar obsession to her character in real life. She has since gone on to play a leading part in the opening of the Olympics in 2012 and has appeared in the BBC One drama, Father Brown.
Lucy is obsessed with the Titanic and all things connected to it. The flat is covered head to toe in memorabilia, she relives the flying scene on a nightly basis, she’s seen a re-enactment cruise and wants it! She won’t stop till she gets it and Jack knows it.
Alex Edwardson
(aka Jack Doe) Alex another Birmingham Theatre School graduate, was top of his class with his stage performances. He has an ability to step into character and his use of facial expressions to convey emotion is superb. He has a touch of Leonard Rossiter about him. For such a young actor making his debut performance on film his acting is outstanding.
Jack is Lucy’s the long-suffering boyfriend who wants an easy life. He goes to work, worries about bills and sometimes forgets what is important to Lucy. He gets annoyed with Lucy’s obsession with ‘the boat’ but goes along with it for a quiet life.
Loxley Logan
(aka Delroy Jones) Loxley, also a Birmingham Theatre School graduate from the same year as Susie and Alex. Loxley made Delroy’s character come alive and brought the ‘Brum’ identity to the film. He has been involved in Birmingham-based community film projects since graduating and is a joy to work with, dedicated and passionate and always done with a trademark Delroy smile.Delroy is a wheeler-dealer; man about town, always got something to sell at cut price and a solution for everything albeit shady or outrageous! He’s Jack’s best mate and wants to help him out of the Titanic disaster he has found himself in. How does he do it? The only way he knows, Delroy’s way, with a little help from his business associate Jazz.
Ryan McKen
(aka Jazz Doff) Ryan also, a theatre school graduate studying at the Bristol Old Vic. Ryan is a superb actor, never forgetting a line. Even though Ryan’s role in Titanic Love was smaller than the rest it by no means diminishes his performance. In fact, at times, he steals the show with his brilliant portrayal of Del’s sidekick.
Jazz, aka the Bellboy, is Delroy’s business partner, the Rodney to Del, the one that does all the hard work with little credit. Delroy comes up with the plan and Jazz does it, albeit not very well! His idea of class comes in the form of Lambrini, sausage rolls and cut-price crabsticks. Jazz is a good-natured soul who blunders through life blissfully unaware of mishaps and is constantly told off by Delroy.
Extras are ;Laura Taylor – Lizzie, Lydia Gribbin- Catherine, Earle Whitman, Captain Of The Boat, ,Andrew Lound- Ticket Man, Man In Pub- Pete Iles
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