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Movies
Since the early 1990s Neil Spencer has worked
with film maker Jeremy Wooding. This collaboration has
resulted in three prize-winning short films: Paris,
Brixton (1997), Sari & Trainers (1999)
and Soul Patrol (2000), and the full
length feature Bollywood Queen (2003), ‘Britain’s
first masala musical’.
Conceived as and collectively
known as ‘The
London Love Trilogy’, the three short
films are, in the words of Wooding, ‘fairy tales of
the city, dealing with love across different divides.’
Paris
Brixton -
a homage to the French nouvelle vague of the
1960s starring Laura Fraser and Ben Miles, explores the relationship
between a French student and the man who drops through her South
London attic window one night.
Sari & Trainers
follows the fortunes of two 17 year olds from East London on
a forbidden first date. Geena (Preeya Kalidas) is from a strict
Hindu family while Jason (Kristian Wilkin) is from a white working
class family. The film features three Bollywood musical sequences
and remains the most aired short film on UK Channel Four TV.
Soul
Patrol follows the path of womaniser Earl (Clint Dyer) as he
encounters corporate high-flier Luisa (Sadie Frost) and discovers
his beloved vampire movies might just have a real-life reality.
For further details about the three short films
and their forthcoming release on DVD visit www.londonshortfilms.com
Bollywood Queen is a star-crossed musical
romance set among the streets of East London. A modern day Romeo
and Juliet,
it follows the crush between Geena (Preeya Kalidas, star of Bombay
Dreams) and Jay (James McAvoy, star of Shameless and The
Last King of Scotland).
Here are two young lovers forbidden by their families to honour
their feelings towards each other. Can their romance triumph?
Bollywood Queen draws on the visual and musical richness
of Indian cinema and the energy of contemporary independent film-making.
Nine songs in Hindi and several innovative dance sequences are
just some of its many magical and surreal moments.
The score - a collaboration between composer and musician Steve
Beresford and vocalist Najma - has lyrics written by Neil Spencer
and translated by Najma.
Bollywood Queen also features Ray Pantaki
(Ali G In Da House), Amerjit Deu (Eastenders),
and singer Karen Shenaz David. The film’s guest star is Ian
McShane, a perennial favourite as BBC TV’s Lovejoy,
now enjoying a new lease of screen life following performances
in Sexy Beast and Deadwood.
For critical opinion on Bollywood Queen visit www.bbc.co.uk |