A BUDDING Evesham film director will be heading to the French Riviera after his short-film set in the Second World War was selected to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Calum Rhys, who lives in Cropthorne and is a former pupil at Prince Henry’s High School, will see his film ‘Our Father’ shown for the first time at the 69th prestigious festival next Friday (May 20) in the short-film corner.
The Vale film maker began the long task of creating the short film after graduating from university in 2014, with his production company Smashing UK
Productions making the film on a budget of just £3,500, most of which was raised through crowdfunding and Calum funding the rest himself.
Film industry professionals will be able to watch the 16 minute film set in war-torn France which follows the journey of Private Cole- a dramatic story contrasting the innocence of childhood with the reality of war and the emotional struggle it results in.
The film was shot at many locations across Worcestershire, including Croome Court near Pershore.
Speaking to the Observer, Mr Rhys said: “I was ecstatic when I heard that Our Father was premiering at such a prestigious event, but more than anything it was fantastic to see that everyone’s hard work had paid off.
“I have always had a fascination with period pieces, whether drama or war, and the amount of effort that goes in to making them happen.
“When I was about 12-years old, not long after watching The Great Escape, I told my parents that one day I would make a World War II film, bearing in mind this is whilst I was creating zero-budget action-comedy James Bond spoofs with toy guns smaller than most modern mobile phones, but one thing every child has is dreams.
“Our Father explores the extreme contrasting nature of a child in 1920s England imitating war with a stick gun and the same character 19 years on in 1940s war-torn France, where the reality of war has caught up with him.
“Beyond this it gave me a chance to focus on emotion and the importance of friendship, but also the opportunity to create a project on an immersive scale.”
