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Film set in Hartcliffe heading for national run following big screen success
When Will Stone’s Hartcliffe-based film first debuted on the big screen in Bristol he had no idea how it would go down.
Less than two weeks later and The Fence is due to be screened at locations across the country – with its initial six-day run in the city extended to three weeks – due to its storming success at the box office.
Inspired by stories Will’s dad would tell him of growing up in Hartcliffe in the late 70s and 80s, the film transports us back some four decades to life on a south Bristol council estate and the characters and community that hold it all together.
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Featuring a lot of local talent, including big names such as Jayde Adams and Joe Sims, as well as Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony and Bridget Jones), Eugene Simon (Game of Thrones) and Paul Cooper (This Country), The Fence was filmed and set in Bristol – making it the first of its kind in decades.
For Will, perhaps the biggest achievement is that Cineworld in Hengrove will show the film for a week from Friday.
“This is a big deal for me because it’s my local cinema and the closest to Hartcliffe,” the writer and director tells Bristol24/7.
“If people in the area couldn’t make it to the Showcase then they absolutely have to get down the Cineworld.”
In addition, The Fence will be shown in a one-off screening on Friday at Showcase cinemas in Reading, Southampton, Leeds, Dudley, Derby and Paisley.
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Listen to a full interview with Will on the Behind the Headlines podcast:
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Speaking about the success of the film, Will said: “It’s incredibly validating to know the film is performing so well in Bristol. We’ve been flooded with praise from locals who have seen the film and it’s proved the past three years have been totally worth it.
“The film is about to be tested in cinemas around the country and it’ll be interesting to see how it fairs. I know from the thousands of comments on the original short that there are people from all corners of the country who can relate to the story, it’s just a matter of raising awareness of the film in the new cities. Which is tough because we have little to no marketing money.”
The Fence has been a hit with Bristol audiences – photo: Red Anchor Films Ltd
Main photo: Red Anchor Films Ltd
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