Chasing cinema hopes to Cannes (From Times Series)

Chasing cinema hopes to Cannes

12:01pm Thursday 4th May 2006

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A five-minute-long action film by a 23-year-old Finchley producer has been shortlisted at Cannes.

Space Chase, co-written and co-produced by Stephen Follows, from Templars Crescent, tells a story of a man and a woman running over cars, walls and people to get the last parking space in a multi-storey car park. The film's two lead actors, Emily Rogers and Dane Grant, are stars from the world of Parkour or free-running, a visually spectacular pastime where participants run or perform acrobatic moves over roofs, walls and other obstacles not made for pedestrians.

The film, which contains no spoken words, is to be shown at the Cannes Short Film Market from May 17-28, where it has been shortlisted as one of the top ten films on show.

Mr Follows explains: "It the market runs in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival, it's the same place, same people, it's almost a testing ground."

Space Chase, which was made by Mr Follows' production company Catsnake Studios, was made on Super 16 film with a professional cast and crew of around 50. Mr Follows said the production should have cost around £200,000 to make but only cost £10,000 because his company managed to get lots of people and companies to offer their services for free or at a vastly reduced rate.

"It's really exciting to be shortlisted because we had quite a lot of screenings and we only won one competition New Producers Alliance Short Film Competition in October 2005."

Mr Follows is hoping that he can sell the film to distributors when he goes to Cannes in two weeks' time and that it will also be a stepping stone to something bigger.

"We're hoping to do our first feature film soon. We wanted to prove we can create, distribute and market a professional piece of cinema. I'm hoping this will be the last short I'll do."

For more information, visit www.spacechase.co.uk

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