A film exploring the characteristic of Yorkshire folk has won a series of International Film awards ahead of its regional launch in July.
“Who is Yorkshire?” features stories by some of “God’s Own County’s” accomplished people, including Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, journalist Christa Ackroyd, rugby league star Jamie Peacock, playwright John Godber, presenter Stephanie Hirst, Lord David Blunkett and honorary Yorkshireman author and politician Alan Johnson.
In the past month, the 45-minute film has been awarded Best Documentary Feature at the Europe Film Festival, London International Monthly Film Festival, and the Silk Road Film Awards Cannes, along with winning the Grand Jury Award at the Screen Power Film Festival.
Who is Yorkshire? has been made by Hull and East Yorkshire-based filmmakers, Storyboard Media and Eski, with Iain Thompson as director and businessman Paul Sewell as Executive Producer. It is produced by John Gilbert, who developed the concept with the help of a collaboration of Yorkshire-based figures from art, sport, entertainment, business, and politics, several of whom appear in the film.
John said: “The film serves up a slice of the lives of Yorkshire folk that we hope audiences find charming.”
“We discovered that wherever you’re from, there’s a bit of Yorkshireness in all of us and perhaps this is why the film has been so well received by judging panels at film festivals in various parts of the world?”
Director, Iain Thompson, said: “Producing a documentary can be a bit of a windy road. As filming progressed it became clear that we weren’t just telling a story about Yorkshire as a place, it was more of a state of mind.”
“Picking up awards has been fun and gives us confidence as we move into showing the film to audiences in our part of the world and hopefully it’ll be picked up by a commissioner with an even wider audience who can enjoy the sights, sounds and stories of our vast and important county.”
In addition to contributions from historians and businesspeople, the film features contributions from Yorkshire-comedians recorded at Sid’s Café, Holmfirth, one of the settings for the long-running BBC sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine.
Speaking in the film, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi says: “When people say, ‘are you British or Muslim first?’, I say I’m Yorkshire before both.” The Baroness who was born and bred in Dewsbury believes it is now fashionable to be from Yorkshire, when it once was not, but she has never shied away from her roots especially in the corridors of power. She said: “I wear my Yorkshireness as a badge of honour I wear my working-class roots as a badge of honour, I wear my commonness as a badge of honour!”
The Rt Hon Alan Johnson observes: “I think people have put up with a lot and it’s toughened them, it’s made them more resilient. It’s probably bred a certain disrespect and distrust of authorities because of what happened to them.” He says it is now time for people to use their stoicism and look to the future.
The producers are holding a special screening at the Parkway Cinema, Beverley, from 3pm on Friday 15th July. Anyone who would like to attend should express interest by emailing alice@eski.media