Birmingham producer to pitch film at Cannes

Natasha Carlish, a BAFTA-winning producer from Birmingham, has been selected by Screen West Midlands to pitch her film, ‘Keep On Running’, in front of an international audience at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The producer applied to win a chance to go to Cannes, but instead the panel were so overwhelmed by her project that she won the chance to pitch her film idea and win £4500 of cash.
The Birmingham based producer is one of six West Midlands film makers who have received a grant to attend Cannes Film Festival, but Natasha is only one of only two to be chosen to pitch ideas in a ‘Screen England’ competition on May 19. The other filmmaker chosen to pitch is Simon Bovey from Worcestershire, who will be competing with an Elgar film.
The money to attend Cannes has been given to all six filmmakers by Screen West Midlands and UK Trade and Investment as part of a drive to attract more home grown talent to make feature films in and about the West Midlands.
Ms. Carlish’s last film ‘Brown Paper Bag’, was executive produced by Ray Winstone and starred Jo Mcinnes (‘Playing the Field’) and Ronnie Fox (‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’), winning a BAFTA in March 2004 in the short film division. Her film before that, ‘Bouncer’, was BAFTA nominated in 2003 and was co-financed by the UK Film Council Lottery money and Screen West Midlands.
Krysia Rozanska, Screen West Midlands Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We’ll be rooting for Natasha and I’m sure fending off the competition will be no problem. Who knows - if she wins we may see Tom Cruise hanging off the Bullring or Kiera Knightley running through Moseley.”
Screen West Midlands is the regional agency working to support, promote and develop the screen media industry in the West Midlands. Working across six operational areas – production, exhibition, education, training, archives and locations - Screen West Midlands plays the pivotal role in steering the region's screen-related community to higher levels of achievement and recognition, providing specialist practical, financial, creative, strategic and business support.
The UK Film Council is the UK’s lead film body, ensuring that film’s economic and creative interests are properly represented in public policy, and using Lottery money and Government grant making to deliver lasting cultural and economic benefits through creativity, industry and education.
www.screenwm.co.uk
www.filmcouncil.org.uk
(KmcA)