18 April 2023

A fantastic 'First' sponsorship

By Flora Windebank Alliotts LLP
Close-up of several people clapping hands in a row, suggesting a celebratory or appreciative moment in a professional setting.

Since our launch it has been all go for the Triple Exposure team, and we were very proud to sponsor a screening by the fantastic First Film Club Picturehouse Central.

The club – set up by film critic Hanna Innes Flint and producer Natalie Louise – aims to bring the film-loving community together to celebrate a diverse range of filmmakers by presenting the feature films that launched their careers.

Each screening couples a short film by an emerging filmmaker with an established director’s debut feature, followed by a Q&A with both directors on their inspirations, journeys and the highs and lows of their filmmaking experience.

Last Wednesday saw the first UK screening of Nia DaCosta’s first feature Little Woods, starring Lily James and Tessa Thompson. An emotional heavy hitter, the audience couldn’t help but react viscerally to moments in the film, which follows the journey of sisters Ollie and Debs as they attempt to navigate difficult lives in a deprived rural town in North Dakota. DaCosta took us back to her upbringing and explained that, although she grew up with limited means in New York City, she could still access medical care, which isn’t readily available in some communities. As such, she wanted to explore the experience many women go through in more deprived areas of America where these options are much more limited. The resulting film is beautiful, absorbing and heart-breaking.

The accompanying short feature was Independence, directed by Karl Jackson. No less of an emotional journey for its shorter timeframe, the film follows the journey of a young girl as she takes her first steps out of the care system and into independent living. The film is highly charged and intense, focusing on the small everyday things we usually miss and the huge impact they have on the life change that this young girl is experiencing.

We thoroughly enjoyed being able to sponsor the event and seeing the amazing creative energy being shared with us through independent filmmakers.

To stay in the loop with any future screenings you can follow First Film Club on Twitter.