Gwenevere in Chagford

Jonny Hibbs as Sir Ruan, testing out the Globe’s projection facilities…

…and waiting for the lights to go down.

Last Thursday our film Gwenevere had its first proper showing on the big screen, courtesy of the Chagford Film Festival. I wasn’t sure what it would look like or how it would go down, but all was well: Sarah Reeve’s photography looked gorgeous, and there were laughs and gasps in all the right places from a packed audience at the Globe Inn.

Some of the packed audience - Maria Loftus, Stuart Pyle, and Sarah McIntyre

We weren’t able to reassemble the whole cast and crew, but about half the team were present. Here’s Alan Lee, Rosanna Lambert, Arran Hawkins, Laura Frances Martin, Sasha Innes, Sarah Reeve, me, Stuart Pyle, Tessa Arrowsmith-Brown, Sarah McIntyre, and Steve Arrowsmith-Brown.

Local hero Alan Lee got a definite murmur of approval for his brief cameo as a shepherd. And I was glad Elizabeth-Jane Baldry of the Chagford Filmmaking Group was able to come: she was very generous with her time when I asked for her advice at the beginning of our project, and it was she who put me in touch with Laura Frances Martin, our brilliant Gwenevere.

Many thanks to Graham and Mary at the Globe for hosting us, and to Frances Roper of Chagford Film Festival for making space for us in the programme and hosting a short Q&A afterwards.

The evening also featured the very funny and poignant Irish short An Irish Goodbye (well worth seeing if you get a chance) and Alison and Thalia by University of Plymouth graduate Willow Whatley, which won the festival’s first Golden Globe for emerging talent- well deserved.

I think we made a good film! And now I know it works I’m looking forward to its next outing, at Torquay Museum on the afternoon of 4th November as part of the English Riviera Film Festival. If you’re n the South Devon area, I hope you can join us and experience Gwenevere for yourself!

Poster by Sarah McIntyre.

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