Alston Moor’s Charlotte Fenton took centre stage at the Tees Valley International Film Festival, which featured the premiere of her latest film Please Come Home.
The film is the result of the festival’s ground-breaking scholarship programme, which sees an emerging filmmaker granted £3,000 to make a short film.
The 2023 scholarship was won by Charlotte and, as part of the grant, she was given the services of well known television and film actor Mark Benton, of Middlesbrough.
As well as a screening of the film, which deals with themes of grief, loss and family, audience members also saw a short “making of” documentary and were able to take part in a live interview and question and answer session.
The documentary featured on set and behind the scenes footage and one to one interviews with Charlotte, who, as well as being the film’s producer and writer, also stars as Ann; Mark Benton, who plays Harry (Ann’s father); director Daymon Britton; and Michael Luke, the festival’s director.
The event was hailed as a real success, with about 130 audience members in attendance.
“I was so overwhelmed with gratitude and joy,” said Charlotte.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Cruse Bereavement charity and there was a short speech after the screening to raise awareness of the work they do.
“We raised funds on the day for the charity, too. The amount of conversations I had after the screening with audience members was insane,” said Charlotte.
She said there were many people who felt connected to the story and moved to tears by it.
“The feedback and comments are something I will absolutely cherish forever. We had almost a sell- out screening from nothing but a poster, we didn’t even share a trailer before hand — it’s amazing how many people wanted to support us without having even seen a teaser.
“I think I can speak on behalf of myself, Daymon (the director of the film) and the whole team, that we are so grateful for the responses so far.”
Charlotte would love to do a screening of the film at Penrith’s Alhambra cinema. “It meant so much to premiere my last film, Internal Abyss, there,” she said. “I would love to do something like it again.”
Charlotte did a lot of talks in schools and colleges after her first film was completed.
She said: “I’d love to take this film and do the same again, not only to raise awareness for the topics in the film but to show young people in Cumbria what we can achieve, that our rural upbringings shouldn’t stop us from succeeding.”
The film will now head into the film festival circuit where it will hopefully win awards and recognition. “It’s been sent to many reviewers which we’d love to build up on more this time,” said Charlotte.
“For Internal Abyss, I just wanted to get it out and in festivals. I didn’t have much of a strategy, it sold itself, but I wish I gave it more structure in terms of gaining professional reviews and taking it on more of a “tour” so to speak.
“With Please Come Home, we are aiming higher; for BAFTA qualifying festival selections/awards and to hopefully screen in America. And if it does, I have sworn I will attend.
“We collaborated with a beautiful poet called Liz Newman who allowed me to use her poem Grief Time in the film. It brought the audience to tears at the premiere and really was the final missing piece of the puzzle the film needed and I’m so grateful.
“She is from America so I’d love to attend a screening in the USA and have her join us. She loved the film and was so honoured to be a part of it some how — it would amazing to meet her and thank her in person.”
Of the future, Charlotte said she has got lots in the pipeline, including developing her first full length feature film, which she hopes to film in Cumbria. In total, 82% of the cast and crew on Please Come Home were based in the North and it was filmed in the North East.
Showcasing northern talent is something which Charlotte is passionate about continuing.
