Filmmakers from south east London, north Kent and further afield gathered at Bexleyheath Cineworld for the annual Rob Knox Film Festival yesterday evening (April 27).

An audience of creatives, their families and fans celebrated the best films to come from the borough in the past year, with screenings of five short films and a competition for the best films under five minutes.

The big winner on the night was Beverley, writer and director Alexander Thomas’ drama based on the true story of a mixed race teenage girl growing up in the 1980s amid National Front tensions, which won Best Actress for Laya Lewis and Best Film.

It was produced by Slade Green-raised former football hooligan Cass Pennant and partly shot in the town.

Pennant told us: “It's important we make films about stories we as an audience want to hear.

“From the beginning this crowdfunded project felt inspirational, so we’re happy to take this win of Best Film as a win for everyone who helped make it happen, while Best Actress is well deserved for Laya Lewis who is completing her studies while following her dreams.”

In just over a year, Beverley has received 80 selections for film festivals and last night’s haul took it to 25 awards while Pennant is entering it for the 2017 Oscars and hopes to turn it into a fully-fledged feature film next.

Read more:

Former hooligan goes back to Slade Green and Erith roots with new film

Originally the Bexley Film Festival, this was the seventh year it has been run as the Rob Knox Film Festival, in memory of the former Beths Grammar School pupil who was murdered in Sidcup aged just 18 in 2008. Days earlier, the young actor had finished filming a part in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Rob’s brother Jamie, himself an actor, hosted the evening while his mum Sally Knox delivered the opening speech.

In it, she said: “I just wanted everyone to know that we are really grateful for all the hard work that goes into this. I am really proud that we do this.

“I do sometimes think that he is up there watching and he would be really proud to see us all here tonight.”

Among the festival’s success stories are Gareth Fient, now 22, who was the first winner of the 99 per cent Award which is given to a filmmaker who does the most to raise the positive profile of young people. He has gone on to win many more awards and work across in the US.

Writer and director Stephen Fingleton won his first award at the Rob Knox Film Festival and earlier this year his debut feature The Survivalist was nominated for a Bafta.

Festival director Michael Wearing said: “We do try to get it right.

“We don’t make filmmakers like Raindance but we encourage them and give them a nudge in the right direction and say ‘yeah, you’re doing well’.”

That was certainly true for this year’s Best Community Film winner, The Good Son.

Writer, director and producer Tomisin Adepeju first came to the festival six years ago and was encouraged to continue making films.

His winning effort about a boy who brings his pregnant white girlfriend home to meet his Nigerian family packed in enough in its 14 minutes to make the audience laugh, wince and virtually shout at the screen.

Accepting his award, Adepeju said: “I want to thank this festival because they support young people. They support young talent.”

Further proof of the support for young talent was a Closed Circuit, an entry in the Films under Five Minutes category which was made by the Bexley young persons’ filmmaking club Pointless Taxi.

  • The Winners

The 99 per cent Award, presented by Gareth Fient - Can Somer (Deep Breaths)

Best Community Film, presented by Sally Knox – The Good Son, written and directed by Tomisin Adeoeju

Best Editing, presented by Darren Rapier – Butterfly, written and directed by Alex J Withers.

Best Director, presented by Sarah Akehurst – James Quinn (The River)

Best Screenplay, presented by Ben Trebilcook – Ammar Sonderberg (The Call)

Best Feature, presented by Michael Wearing – Deep Breaths, directed by Gareth Fient

Best Cinematography, presented by Nick Thomas-Webster – Robert Shears (Deep Breaths)

Best Actress, presented by Joe V Sultana – Laya Lewis (Beverley)

Best Actor, presented by PH Moriarty – David Frias-Robies (Textual Relationship)

Best Film under Five Minutes (audience vote), presented by Sharon Lawrence – I Could Eat a Horse, directed by Jake Hovell

Best Film, presented by Jan Dunn – Beverley, written and directed by Alexander Thomas

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