Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Al Jazeera and Channel 4 commissions, and BAFTA!

Well 2009 has got off to a good start. Baghdad Express was screened at BAFTA last night as part of the regions top talent showcase. Was great to catch up with Maggie Ellis and see Baghdad Express on the big screen again. My Dad came too, Weedon family out in force!

Great news too, I've been commissioned to direct a documentary about the story of The Poet of Baghdad Nabeel Yasin who was exiled from Iraq by Saddam Hussein's regime because of his poetry, branded "enemy of the state" he faced certain death if he stayed. The documentary will broadcast on Al Jazeera English's Witness strand with Rageh Omaar later this year. We are now in the edit. Do see brilliant writer Jo Tatchell's book website about Nabeel here too: www.thepoetofbaghdad.com. 

Also pleased to report that Channel 4 have commissioned  me, through Eleven Film,  to direct eight short films for their three minute wonder strand about the magazine Super Super. These will be broadcast primetime at 7.55pm  after the Channel 4 news. 

Thrilled to see the Voices project broadcast on Channel 4 last week, having worked with Quark Films, and sundance selected director Hope Dickson Leach on the story- gathering process. The short drama films were written by young Londoners with experience of violence and crime on the street who wanted their voices heard. We also had a screening at Wandsworth Cineworld on Sunday. On the BIG screen! 

I'm also working on a pitch for the BBCs Fresh strand for new Directors. More on that later... And most excitingly I've been accepted onto the short course at the National Film and TV School for the course moving from Documentary to Drama Directing, with fantastic filmmaker and total inspiration to me, Pawel Pawlikowski. One week in February. And I can't wait!