An independent feature film shot in Darlington and Bishop Auckland, and starring Toyah Wilcox, has secured international distribution.
Give Them Wings, is written by Paul Hodgson and produced by GTW Productions Ltd and directed by Sean Cronin.
Phoenix Worldwide, the sales agent to the film, has closed deals for Latin America (Distributer Encripta), Scandinavia, Australia/New Zealand (Distributer Bulldog) and North America (Distributer Stadium Media).
The film celebrates the life of disabled Darlington F.C. fan Paul Hodgson based on an adaptation of his 2000 bestselling autobiography Flipper’s Side.
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The film was directed by Sean Cronin and is based Paul’s life, with an emphasis on coping with life after contracting meningitis at just ten-months-old, and how football brough joy into his life.
The film centres on Paul’s life and stars Washington-born Daniel Watson as Paul, music legend Toyah Willcox as Alice, Coronation Street star Bill Fellows as Norman, and Jacob Anderson as Ian.
The independent feature focuses on 1989, a significant period in Paul’s life on adversity and self-acceptance.
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Ian Carter, producer on the film and lifelong friend of Paul said: “Getting these deals over the line, especially in this difficult financial climate is a huge testament to Michael’s dogged determination to get the job done’ at Phoenix.
Paul said: “Despite some setbacks at various points, I’m pleased to confirm that we managed to get these deals over the line.
“Now this has been done, our ever-loyal investors now have an excellent chance of getting their money back, which is great.”
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In addition to support from far and wide, support from Darlington and the wider North East has not been in short supply.
In February this year, Give Them Wings was screened at The Hullabaloo in Darlington.
Filming locations in Darlington included the bar and grounds of Darlington Football Club and The Foresters Arms in Coatham Mundeville.
Various interior scenes were shot in Bishop Auckland as Paul wanted the film to be as authentic as possible and to have the ‘feel’ of Darlington and its surrounding areas.
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