Action! University collaborates with local cinema

The new Department of Film Studies at the University of St Andrews will collaborate with the local cinema for the first time next week (Tuesday 10 May 2005).

The University will join forces with the town’s New Picture House on Tuesday evening with the showing of ‘Yasmin’, a British film about the Muslim community in the North of England.

The collaboration has been under discussion for some time but this is the first showing of a film that would not normally come to St Andrews through mainstream distribution channels.

Professor Dina Iordanova, Head of Film Studies, met Scottish director Kenny Glenaan at the Berlin International Film Festival where ‘Yasmin’ received an award. It transpired that the Glaswegian would be happy to visit St Andrews and introduce the film. So, as a special bonus to St Andrews film buffs, Kenny Glenaan, who has worked with Ken Loach and directed the acclaimed ‘Gas Attack’, will be on hand to answer questions after Tuesday’s 6pm screening.

Professor Iordanova said, “St Andrews is an academic town, home to intellectuals of diverse interests. It is about time to diversify the range of films shown here as well. We would like to see many members of the local community turn up for the screening, which we hope will inaugurate a series of such collaborations”.

The film, starring ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ actress Archie Panjabi, premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival last year, but the slow distribution of independent films to UK cinemas has meant that it has not been widely shown at commerical cinemas in this country.

Simon Beaufoy, the writer behind ‘The Full Monty’, completed the screenplay after months of research and workshops with the Muslim community in the North of England. Yasmin’s story explores what it means to be Asian, Muslim and British in the aftermath of 9/11. The heroine, who is of Pakistani background, tries hard to integrate but is barely given a chance. It is a film about the harsh realities of prejudice and discrimination and about one woman’s struggle to live her own life.

‘Yasmin’ will show at the New Picture House, North Street, St Andrews on Tuesday 10 May 2005 from 6-8.30pm.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook, Press Officer on 01334 467227 / 462529, mobile 07900 050 103, or email gec3@st- andrews.ac.uk Ref: yasmin11.doc View the latest University press releases at http://www.st- andrews.ac.uk