A multi award winning film director is partnering with the University of Derby to give students the chance to get professional experience in her latest movie.
Director Deborah Hadfield is a graduate of the university. She has joined forces for her new film Chinese Whispers to offer students the chance to work with her award-winning crew.
Lecturer Tom Craig is also one of the producers of the new movie, which will be shot in the Midlands over the winter.
Students were given a sneak peak of the director’s latest movie, The Chocolate Club, at the Quad cinema in Derby as part of a recruitment event held by the University.
The Chocolate Club is a festive romantic comedy filmed on location in Cornwall, England, in the winter of 2023. Writer & Director, Deborah Hadfield is from Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire.
Her film has been selected for the Angel Awards in Monaco. It will be screened before judges and a select audience in Monte Carlo at the end of November. It has already won 125 awards around the world.
Deborah says: “It is a great opportunity for us to share our knowledge and inspire the film makers of the future.
“The University of Derby helped me follow my dreams as it gave me the opportunity to earn a degree and Masters which have shaped my film career.”
Tom says his film students enjoyed seeing the movie and are keen to work on the new film.
He says: ”Getting the chance to work on the new movie is valuable because they can experience what it’s like to be part of a professional crew.
“As the film is due to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival it also means their work will be seen by the industry.”
Director Deborah Hadfield made the movie in Cornwall in the winter of 2023. It was in memory of her twin brother Garry. She says: “Cornwall is a tough location in winter. But the results make it all worthwhile. Making the movie has helped me heal from Garry’s death in 2021.”
The director won more than 50 awards with her last film, We Too Together, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. The movie sold all over the world, from North America to South Korea.
Deborah, a former TV presenter and reporter for ITV, BBC, AL Jazeera, and Arise TV, has made a series of short films and features which have been screened globally winning dozens of international awards. She set up her company Queen Bee Films to make movies.
Deborah and her team are in pre-production for her new movie, Chinese Whispers. The romantic comedy will be shot in the Midlands. It starts shooting on location in Staffordshire & Derbyshire in November.
Deborah says: ”Filming in the Midlands is wonderful as it’s got such a range of inspiring locations.
My team and I are determined to make the movie absolutely breathtaking.”
Deborah is working with a series of local creatives, including artist Vicky Wolny-Slungard whose paintings will feature in the movie.
The Chocolate Club Trailer
