Film’s focus on youth

Premiere of the film "Me and Youth" by the youth of Hathershaw and Fitton Hill NDC. Mayor Cllr. Shoab Akhtar with spokesperson Sabrina Brennan, Graham Bowman, Young Persons' Development co-ordinator for NDC (centre) and youth representatives.

BUDDING Danny Boyle’s from Hathershaw and Fitton Hill have held their first film premiere.

And while the “Slumdog Millionaire” director scooped an Oscar for best director, they are hoping to spark a debate with their documentary, “Me and Youth”.

They interviewed other young people, community workers, journalists, housing officers, local councillors and even a Government minister for the film, which took 10 months to make.

It explores the problems young people face and examines their relationships with each other, the police, media and Government.

The idea for the film was sparked by the findings of a YouGov poll which revealed that 54 per cent of adults believed children behaved like feral animals and 49 per cent branded them a danger to adults and each other.

REELmcr, which aims to give people a say through drama and filmaking, teamed up with the £53 million New Deal for Communities (NDC) project to regenerate Hathershaw and Fitton Hill for the initiative.

Graham Bowman, NDC’s young people’s co-ordinator, said: “They have worked hard to make this film and we are proud of the maturity in which they have handled every aspect of the process and what they have achieved.

“Hopefully the film and the resulting debate will make people think about the way we look at our young people.”