FILM experts reckon that the debut movie from a director based near Winchester could be a knockout.
Sons of Cuba by Andrew Lang is a documentary about the national boxing academy on the Caribbean island.
The 29-year-old’s feature has already been saluted at three major events, including the Rome International Film Festival.
While in Italy last month (October), he walked on the same red carpet as the likes of Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren.
He did not come away empty-handed either, as Sons of Cuba won the Silver Marc’Aurelio award for best documentary.
The accolade came shortly after the film won the same category at the Los Angeles Latin American Film Festival.
Pundits closer to home have also been impressed by the movie. It collected a further piece of silverware at the Doc/Fest event in Sheffield on Sunday, November 8.
The film scooped the youth jury award. It was voted for by 16 to 21-year-olds at the festival, which showcased more than 100 films.
It has now been nominated for best documentary at the upcoming British Independent Film Awards. The ceremony will be held in London on Sunday, December 6, hosted by James Nesbitt of Cold Feet and Murphy’s Law fame.
Sons of Cuba started to take off in July when it featured at the London UK Film Focus.
More than 100 distributors came to see the latest hotly tipped British films, which included the premiere of writer and director Julian Fellowes’ new project, Time to Time.
Following the event, Mr Lang said: “After four years of hard work, I can’t quite believe that my first feature film will be shown to the biggest players in the industry.
“The peer group of British films that Sons of Cuba has been showcased with is second to none.”
Now that the movie has started to attract awards, much wider audiences could soon be watching the piece.
This week, Mr Lang told the Chronicle: “It’s both a great thrill and a massive relief that the film is getting this recognition.
“It’s really a credit to the huge amount of hard work that so many people have put into getting Sons of Cuba made. It has really been a team effort.”
Mr Lang, who comes from Sparsholt, spent four years in Latin America filming and researching.
Regional media group, Screen South, provided a grant for his project on Cuba’s upcoming boxers.
It focuses on the national academy where children as young as nine are groomed as potential Olympic champions.
Given the island’s reputation for producing top fighters, the training is intense. Mr Lang focuses on the programme, and the junior contests that sort the potential world-beaters from the also-rans.
The film’s producers now hope that Sons of Cuba itself will become a world-beater, and appear in scores of cinemas during 2010.
Producer, Francine Heywood, said they were already planning some showings in selected ‘art house’ theatres early next year. After that, they would see if the film could be put on general release, she said.
“All in all, we’re delighted with the recognition the film’s getting,” she added.
If the movie does well then Mr Lang will not be the first Wintonian to enjoy big screen success with a hard-hitting documentary.
Producer Claire Lewis, who lives in Teg Down, has already made waves this year with an investigation on the potential dangers of over-fishing.
The End of the Line enjoyed a run of several weeks in London this summer, and was given a special screening in Downing Street. It has also featured three times at The Screen cinema in Southgate Street, Winchester.
For more details about Sons of Cuba and future performances, visit www.sonsofcuba.com. To watch a trailer of the film, click the video icon on the front page of the Hampshire Chronicle website, which should be there for the next few days.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk