‘Unique Talent’: Film by young offenders on South London gang life premieres
A film about the nitty gritty of modern urban life made by young people from gang hit communities in South London has just premiered.
On Sunday, Unique Talent’s feature film, 100 Mistakes, was screened for the first time at the Arcola Theatre in Ashwin Street, Hackney.
The film features young offenders from Croydon and Merton and was made after a target of £50,000 was raised to complete the production thanks to funding secured from the social enterprise fund Woodward charitable trust and further funding from the Backstage trust.
Unique Talent, which rehabilitates young offenders and prevents gang crime in South London, hired cast and crew from among its clients to create the film.
At the premiere, executive producer and scriptwriter, Jerome Sewell, revealed that the group will now be delivering, 100 Mistakes Aftermath, a programme that will work with 100 young people in South London to help them create their own businesses.
In his speech at the event, Mr Sewell said: “To put the journey we have been on into words is difficult and to describe all that has happened for us to reach this point is even harder to explain.
“What we have achieved will stand as a mark in London’s history, documented in our newspapers and highlighted on our television screens, it realises the awesome power and potential of young creatives and stands as a land mark for the heights of aspiration of the current generation.”
The screening was attended by more than 113 people and some of the country’s biggest funders including the MSN fund, National lottery and others.
In early June 2022, the crew shot for five days alongside film director Adriano Chiarelli and director of photography Joshua Mansano just days after Adriano was nominated for a scriptwriting award in Italy, where he was born.
In total, 20 cast members and performers participated, with scenes being shot on Putney Bridge, in Thornton Heath and West Croydon portraying areas where gang crime takes place.
The group acted out a gripping tale of joint enterprise, romance, homelessness, entrepreneurism, rap battles and many of the successes and strains faced by young communities in South London.
The work of 100 creatives had been brought together by the time the film was completed.
Pictured top: From left, actor Jerome Prince, Jerome Sewell and Vincent Bugozi (Picture: Tarkan Djemal)
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