Filmmaker reaches final of competition
A young filmmaker whose hard-hitting film was influenced by an al-Qaeda-style bomb plot hatched by Crawley men has reached the final of a national film competition.
Callum Johsnton, 21, made Crossed Paths, a short educational film about the perils of extremism, two years ago.
It tells the tale of a young Muslim man who is sent to prison after beating someone up in a case of mistaken identity.
In a bid to mend his way he turns to his religion but ends up becoming radicalised.
Meanwhile his aggrieved victim turns to the far-right and the two extremists clash a second time.
Callum, whose recent feature Little District made the Cannes film festival, said: “He thinks he’s teaching a good message but what he’s actually preaching is hate. At the time I made the film it was an issue and it still is to an extent but not as much. I think Crawley’s always had this problem where older people are worried their children might be getting taught the wrong message.”
The film, which was supported by Crawley Borough Council, was a response to fears over extremism in Crawley.
In 2007 three Crawley men were jailed for life for conspiring to target shopping centres and nightclubs with a fertilizer bomb.
Callum’s short film was nominated for the parliamentary competition Film the House by Crawley MP Henry Smith with the winner to be revealed on Tuesday (October 30).
Callum is busy finding innovative way to secure funding for his next feature film.
His idea is to get 5,000 people to contribute £10 each to crowd-fund The Forbidden Note.
He said: “It’s not impossible to do. We’ve raised just under £1,000 so far, but it’s difficult to get people on board. They don’t know how difficult film-making is.”
The Forbidden Note is is a love story about a black pianist and a Pakistani ballerina, and the struggle Muslim women face when they’re coming of age.
He added: “We did really well going to Cannes but I want to step up my game for this one.”
To contribute to www.indiegogo.com/thebig5k
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Friday 24 May 2013
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