London Mayor's office backs up filminute winner

MAYOR'S OFFICE BACKS FILMINUTE 2006 WINNER AS WAY TO EDUCATE YOUTH ON KNIFE CRIME
UK Filmmaker Wins Public Vote for Best One-Minute Film in International Film Festival with a film dedicated to Kiyan Prince
23rd October 2006
UK Filmmaker and graphic designer Wayne Campbell, 37, from South East London, has taken home the People’s Choice Award for his compelling and poetic documentary, It Could Be. The film takes on the issue of knife violence and is delivered as a spoken word plea interspersed with dramatisation of a knife-related crime. It Could Be is dedicated to Kiyan Prince, a 15-year-old London boy who was stabbed and died in May 2006 while breaking up a fight near his school.

The film, which was voted as the winner on www.filminute.com, has united the website's international audience in condemnation of increasing knife violence, inspired by the tragic death of Kiyan Prince, for which the trial is ongoing in London.

Lee Jasper, the Mayor of London's Director for Policing and Equalities, said:

"Knife crime is a major issue in London. It damages communities and has a negative impact on the whole of society. The best form of prevention is to alert people about the dangers of getting involved in gang culture and of carrying knives. As this film shows, young people are in particular danger from the threat of knife related crime.
"The Mayor is actively engaged in working with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and other key partners to support activities that aim to stop young people from getting involved in carrying knives and to living a life away from gang culture.
"Further, the expansion of Safer Neighbourhoods teams across London means that there is now a dedicated and visible police presence in every community in every ward in London, engaging with local people, going into local schools and identifying local policing priorities in order to stop anti-social behaviour and petty crimes from escalating into serious crimes."

Filminute judge Craig Davis, Chief Creative Officer of JWT Worldwide - a world-renowned advertising agency, believes one minute films are becoming a powerful promotional tool that can be used to highlight causes such as knife crime:

"A great one-minute film makes you lean forward and want to get involved. It also resonates and lingers and leaves you with a feeling of needing to be satiated by another episode. A great one-minute film is something you discuss, not consume."



Wayne Campbell is available for interview, his film can be viewed on www.filminute.com.

IT COULD BE: Wayne Campbell (UK)
Wayne Campbell comes from a traditional graphic design background. However, over the past 10 years he has found himself moving out of design and straying into film. Wayne's first short film shot in 1998 was An Urban Romance, a modern version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The film went on to win the Best use of Cinematography award‚ at the 1998 BFM Awards. He then when on to direct pop promos, training films for ICAN and dance films for Starlight music academy. Wayne has recently been working on a series of short, spoken word films that will be used for an anti-violence campaign. It Could Be is the latest in this series.



The jury award for Best Filminute 2006 was given to Anton Groves’ Line, a powerful UK / Romania co-production. With a narrative that is both allegorical and realistic at the same time, Line was noted by the jury for its unique sound design and sharp editing. The film artfully portrays a couple whose car sits in the path of an oncoming train in the seconds before impact. Line generated the highest public rating with a score of 4.4 out of 5 stars, and was described by jury member Raul Galvez of the Toronto International Latin Film Festival as "sharply edited and economically told, [with] all the ingredients, the tension, and the feeling of a good piece of dramatic work."



LINE: ANTON GROVES (UK/ROMANIA)

Anton Groves was born in May 1981, and was raised in the silent suburbs of south London. With a Romanian mother and English father, he has enjoyed an eclectic upbringing, primarily focused around the arts. From a young age he has had a passion for film and illustration, interests which were developed and defined having left London for Bucharest in 2002. He is currently working as a director and illustrator in Romania, making commercials, music videos and short films, and illustrating when he can find the time. He says: "Influence is a big word, and for me encompasses many things. Music is essential. I can say I am happiest observing life and characters around me with my headphones on. But equally film, illustration, new media and

design are things that drive me to expression. Most of all I believe in the power of change and new experiences. In Romania there is a lot of that. It feels like the revolution here isn’t quite over yet."