EM Media Award Is Film Festival 'Hat Trick'

Edinburgh has recognised a top filmmaker with the Michael Powell Award for Best New British Feature Film at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) going to Skeletons.
Co-financed by EM-Media and Scottish Screen through Edge City Films, Nick Whitfield's debut feature film marked a hat trick of Michael Powell Award wins for the screen agency, EM Media.
Skeletons joined Anton Corbijn's Control (2007) and Louis Pepe and Keith Fulton's Brothers of the Head (2006) as previous winners of the accolade.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned for discovering and promoting the film world's brightest new talent and the festival's jury, headed by veteran actor Sir Patrick Stewart, was unanimous in its selection for Best New British Film.
A passionate advocate and spotter of new British film talent, EM Media has been supporting long-standing Derbyshire resident and former actor and theatre director Nick Whitfield since his self-financed debut short film, Skeletons which formed the basis of his feature.
Whitfield's second short film Rebecca was developed and produced in 2007 through EM Media's DV Shorts Scheme - the digital short filmmaking scheme backed by the UK Film Council.
Skeletons the feature was developed by Forward Films in 2008 with support from EM Media. It was also financed by Scottish Screen, through Edge City Films.
EM Media is continuing to support Nick Whitfield with development investment for his second feature with Forward Films, Trenchmen, a comedy about five men returning to an English village after WWI.
When the pressure of normal life becomes too much, they build their own trench to live in out on the moors.
This second feature has inspired producers Forward Films to establish a permanent base in the East Midlands through new company Forward East with the producers hoping to capitalise upon the East Midlands' reputation as home to the UK's most exciting new film talent.
Nick Whitfield commented: "I'm very, very happy. It's an incredible honour to return to EIFF with my first feature and to win this wonderful award.
"Michael Powell was a magical filmmaker and true master, and we who follow can only aspire to the heights he reached and hope to get somewhere near, on those occasions when we're on top form and lucky as Hell.
"I owe a huge debt to EM Media who developed and financed this film and Scottish Screen who came on board to co-finance. I'm delighted to be developing my next feature with the lovely folk at EM Media, with Kate Myers & Tracy Brimm at Forward Films once again producing."
Debbie Williams, Chief Executive of EM Media comments:
"Local talent, global reach; that's the principle which informs all our work. We know the East Midlands is home to the UK's most exciting film talent, Nick's just helped us prove that with his remarkable achievement in Edinburgh.
"He has moved from shorts to features in just three years, and his debut has just been named the Best New British Film of 2010. He is a talent to watch, and we very much look forward to continuing our work with him and his producers at Forward East."
(BMcC/GK)