Junction 42 documentary a spot at the Cannes Film Festival
A documentary produced and shot in the North East is to get its moment of fame at the acclaimed Cannes Film Festival.
Newcastle recruitment consultant Rebecca Pink, 25, had always been fascinated by documentaries and one day dreamed of making her own.
And she got the chance to give it a try after a conversation with her make-up artist led her to Junction 42, a charity and church group set up to support and rehabilitate offenders across the North.
Rebecca said: “We just got chatting, she told me she was part of this church which was established for ex-offenders and people who’ve lead troubled lives.
“I wanted to know a little bit more, so my dad put me in touch with Emma Mitchell and Sean Usher, who became the director and the director of photography — I had never made a film before, but they had some experience.
“We met the people who we followed in the film, people who have struggled with drug taking, and crime, and they told us their stories and how the church had helped them change their lives.”
Over seven months, the trio filmed, produced and directed the 15-minute-long film, called Junction 42, working around their full-time jobs.
Rebecca Pink, who has produced a short film called 'Junction 42' about a project that helps ex offenders at St Luke's Church in Newcastle
Rebecca is not religious herself and had no prior connection to the church, but found the human stories she discovered fascinating.
“I met Chantelle, who lived a real party-girl lifestyle,” she said. “Her parents moved to Spain and she got into drugs, and then she met friends who introduced her to the church and she turned her life around.
“We talked to Tom and Tommy from Walker — Tom used to be a heroin addict. The film is all about them telling us what their lives used to be like, and how they’ve changed.
“I’ve always been interested in documentaries, in real people’s lives and stories,” she added. “I’d always wanted to make a documentary.
“I entered it into Cannes just to see what would happen, and we got selected. Just from a small idea, and meeting the right people, we’ve made it into something we can really be proud of.
“It’s very special, it’s a film about the North East and we’re bring it to people all over the world. I’m really proud of it.”
If Junction 42 proves a success, Rebecca hopes to continue producing documentaries.
The Gosforth girl said: “I would like to do more work with marginalised groups in society, who don’t often get their voices heard.”
You can watch the trailer for Junction 42, which will be shown in the Cannes ‘Short Film Corner’ at this year’s festival, below