Member Article

Hollywood showcase for Leeds’ filmmakers

Hollywood beckons for two graduates of Leeds Metropolitan University after their film caught the eye of top producers.

Tell My Story, created by Rajesh Shinde and Arturo Arroyo, will be premiered next week as part of the annual HollyShorts Film Festival at Hollywood’s world famous Chinese Theatre.

The duo, who graduated last year, produced the film at Leeds Film School, part of Leeds Metropolitan University assisting regional filmmakers in getting their work recognised on a national and international scale.

Rajesh said: ““Tell My Story was created under the umbrella of Northern Film School with passion and hard work. We worked as a team and delivered the film in 15 days of pre-production, five days of shooting and 12 days of editing. “

Tell My Story is a 14 minute crime thriller looking at the role of gender. Rajesh, who is currently working on three BBC documentaries, explained:

““I grew up in India where women face many problems from the day they are born. There are many talented women who don’t get what they deserve and instead they get badly treated because they are thought of as the second sex. Their stories never get out. I wanted to tell a story of such a character exploring gender and power play.

“We are beyond thrilled that Tell My Story has been selected for HollyShorts and that it will have such a grand west coast premiere. For our work to make it to a Hollywood film festival feels like a dream.”

Rajesh and Arturo graduated in 2012 after undertaking an MA in Filmmaking and Film Direction and made Tell My Story as part of their course. The film has also been nominated for a Royal Television Society Student Award and has been screened at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival in York, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in Bristol, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography in Poland, the Princess Ann Theatre for BAFTA and the Groucho Club, London.

The HollyShorts Festival showcases the best short films from around the globe and runs from 16-22 August.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison .