Filming has started on a movie which aims to persuade Leave voters to change their minds on Brexit.
Experienced film-maker and distributor David Wilkinson launched Postcards From the 48% in response to the rush towards the EU exit door in a bid to not only give a voice to the resistance but educate the opposition.
David – who has released more than 100 films in the cinema, on video & DVD, online and television in the last 30 years – and his team were filming at the recent March for Europe in London and will be carrying out interviews with campaigners and prominent Remainers.
But the project is not aimed at condemning those who did vote to quit the EU.
‘It is by no means an attack on Leave voters – the opposite in fact. Many of those people voted in the way they did because they were told lies. I do not see the benefit of attacking people who have been lied to. And we must not pretend lies were not told by the Remain camp as well – neither side were innocent,’ he said.
‘What we are doing here is building the argument all over again. Put some truths and the facts out there.
‘I got the idea the moment I realised I was one of the 48% – the moment the vote was announced. I knew the only thing I could do was make a film. It took me several months to pin the idea down as to what form that would take but then I realised it should be about explaining the position we have found ourselves in to an overseas audience.’
Already David, who is chairman of Guerilla Films, has interviewed Remainer-in-Chief and The New European columnist AC Grayling, March for Europe organiser Peter French and actress Miriam Margolyes.
David and his 14-strong team also gathered the views of some of the tens of thousands who marched on parliament in defiance of Article 50 being triggered.
But the film-maker – whose previous work includes How To Change The World about the formation of Greenpeace and The First Film a feature about how the first moving picture was seen in Leeds – is determined his audience will be wider than just the 48%.
He said: ‘My hope for the film is that Leave voters will watch it, see the facts and ultimately change their minds about the way they voted. Also, after the vote many people from overseas said to me ‘why did you vote that way, why has the UK done this?’ and I think we should get the message out that millions and millions of Britons did not vote Leave.
‘This is a re-evaluation of the situation and the arguments. I hope that we do get another chance – another vote. With shifting demographics in only a few years the Remain vote would have been victorious. I think a lot of people are going to be shouting very loudly to get back in the EU in the coming years.
‘This project is economically viable. With my experience I can get it on Amazon, in cinemas and at film festivals. And although we very much welcome the crowdfunding which is making a huge difference we want private investors as well. This is a serious film that will get a large audience.
‘Postcards From The 48% will show the other 27 EU member states that 16.1 million of us want to be part of the EU, and should we leave, then to look upon us kindly when we apply to join again.’
HELP FUND THE FILM
The team behind Postcards from the 48% is seeking private financing deals but it is also running a crowdfunding campaign which means anyone can help to get the film produced.
To find out more about the film and donate towards the funding visit this Crowdfunder page.