AN independent Scottish short film has scooped a BAFTA New Talent nomination for its leading actress, Lynn Murray.
‘Falling for Fitzgerald’ is a dark romantic comedy, which has been described as “modern-day Jane Austen with a twist”.
First time director, Amy Hawes (24), raised the film’s £1500 budget through ‘crowd-funding’, making use of social media to assemble 75 friends and strangers who donated money online in return for ‘perks’ such as photos and DVDs.
Shot in Glasgow using an all Scottish cast, the film is entirely independent – written, produced and directed by Ms Hawes, who works as a runner at a Glasgow TV company.
The short involved a mix of professional cast and crew based in Glasgow, such as Finlay Welsh (‘Taggart’), Kay Gallie (‘The Steamie’) and Bridget McCann (‘Still Game’).
Staff from BBC Scotland, Edit 123 and professional freelancers also worked on the project.
Director, Amy Hawes, said: “‘Falling for Fitzgerald’ is about a woman who, at 26, is perturbed she isn’t yet living a lifestyle equal to Elizabeth Bennet.
“She’s desperate to start living a real life Jane Austen novel – to wear a white floaty dress all day, lounge romantically under a gazebo, be fed grapes by a well spoken young landowner and sigh a lot – and is beginning to discover just how far she’ll go in order to make this ridiculous fantasy a reality.
“I wrote the film and began raising the money as an attempt to get my foot in the door of Scotland’s television and film industries.
“Getting the BAFTA nomination has been the culmination of what I set out to achieve a year ago, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m hugely grateful to the funders, who made this possible.”
The 2012 awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 22 March at The Oran Mor, in Glasgow’s West End.
For further information, including publicity stills and interviews with Amy and Lynn, please contact:
Amy Hawes (writer, producer, director)
Tel 07552180294
Email: amyhawes@live.com
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