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Lecturer Samm鈥檚 film success

Lecturer Samm Haillay is successfully combining a career as a film producer with lecturing. And he鈥檚 talent spotting here at the University.

Samm, 34, is a part-time lecturer in Television and Media Production here, and has produced the feature film 鈥楤etter Things鈥� which received good reviews after the world premiere in International Critics Week at the recent Cannes Film Festival. It has also recently had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The part lottery and film4 funded feature was directed by Samm鈥檚 long-term collaborator Duane Hopkins. It explores the lives, loves and challenges faced by a group of young people and their extended families in a small rural community in the Cotswolds.

The Guardian鈥檚 Peter Bradshaw wrote of the film: 鈥業t has a bold and brilliant insight at its heart.鈥�

Samm is originally from North Wiltshire and has been involved in film production for ten years. He said: 鈥楢s the producer I act as 鈥榯he parent鈥� of the project, overseeing the writers, actors and directors and ensuring money is attached. We were one of only two British films to be selected for Cannes and I鈥檓 ecstatic with the film, it鈥檚 an extremely powerful romantic journey.

鈥榃e finished the film at the end of last year and then you think about the politics and logistics of it. Now we think of the positive reception we got at Cannes, there was such a massive buzz, and over 1000 people saw it on the first day across three screenings. Cannes is a brilliant experience but also vital for this sort of film as it gives us a platform to present our work.鈥�

The film will be on general release through Soda Pictures after screening at the London Film Festival in the autumn. For more information check the .

Samm is now developing three features for cinema with three directors, including Duane Hopkins. He added: 鈥業鈥檝e had very encouraging messages from the University鈥檚 students, they鈥檙e keen to find out more about how they can get their films out and I鈥檓 here to help them. I can bring my own experience to ensure the students are empowered and go on to fulfil their dreams, as we have done. I鈥檓 also not ashamed to say I鈥檓 talent spotting amongst them for directors of the future!鈥�

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