Midland 'honour crime' film scoops international award
16 December 2009
The UK’s first feature film about so-called 'honour crime' – set and filmed in Birmingham – has won a major international award.
Land Gold Women bagged the Foreign Correspondent Association’s (FCA) Purple Orchid award for Best Film and the Best Script/Screenplay award at a glittering ceremony held at Raffles Hotel, organised by the Asian Festival of First Films in Singapore.
The festival, which ran for a week from the 28th of November to the 5th of December, showcased films made by emerging Asian talent. A total of 700 entries were received from 28 countries. A total of 22 nominated films and documentaries vied for 11 awards.
Land Gold Women was written and directed by Avantika Hari and produced by Vivek Agrawal. The pair worked with Birmingham-based Ashram Housing Association on the film, which was set and filmed in the City.
Land Gold Women tells the heart-breaking story of an Indian-born professor in Birmingham who faces the loss of his family’s ‘honour’ when his teenage daughter embarks on an illicit relationship. A tragic story then unfolds.
Avantika said: “This film was always a personal and very special project for us – we wanted the world to hear the story – so it’s fantastic to see it getting international recognition in this way. We are absolutely thrilled.”
Ashram Chief Executive Jas Bains said: “This is a compelling and powerful film, both a superb drama with a social message that the world needs to hear. We were privileged to be involved in some small way and I am delighted for Vivek and Avantika, and that it will help the film reach a wider audience.” Ashram helps about 100 people a year deal with Honour Crime and Forced Marriage.
Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, who headed the Foreign Correspondents Association jury for the Purple Orchid Award, said: 'I’ve been heading the FCA jury for 4 years and usually we have heated discussions about which film should win, but this year it was clear cut. The jury especially liked this film because it dealt with a very controversial issue in a restrained and sensitive way, which made its message very powerful.'
The film stars newcomers Narinder Samra, Neelam Parmar, Ali Zahoor and Renu Brindle in key roles. They are supported by Hassani Shapi (The World is Not Enough, Star Wars) and Christopher Villiers (Sliding Doors, The Scarle Pimpernel, Bloddy Sunday, Kidulthood).
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