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Hopes for lasting Legacy

Pauline McLean | 18:35 UK time, Monday, 1 March 2010

The 30th anniversary screening of Gregory's Girl wasn't the only sell-out film on the closing day of the Glasgow Film Festival.

There were no tickets to be had for the new Mogwai documentary, Burning, which was filmed over two days in Brooklyn and definitely none to spare for the closing gala Legacy.

This psychological thriller is testament to the determination of first-time feature film director Thomas Ikimi, who was at last night's world premiere.

As well as writing, directing and editing the film, he raised most of the finance, having been given a body-swerve by most of the UK funding bodies (their argument is that a thriller set in a Brooklyn hotel room, about the traumas of a black ops soldier, has little to say about modern British culture).

That said, the film which stars Idris Elba (the British actor from the Wire, who also co-produced it), was made here in Scotland, offering a showcase for local crew (most of whom were at last night's screening).

Despite the knockbacks, Ikimi refused to give up. He placed an ad in Total Film magazine - funded he admitted last night, by the sale of a friend's X Box - which asked for support.

It was answered by husband and wife team Arabella Page Croft and Keiron Parker of Glasgow based Black Camel Pictures, who read the script and agreed to be the film's producers.

Ikimi then spent four months touring businesses in Nigeria - where his family come from - trying to raise the money. He returned with £300,000.

And many of the business people who supported him - most of whom had no film connections - were in the audience last night.

"He felt if Obama could get into the White House, he could get his film made," said Arabella at last night's screening.

"From our point of view, it was madness. To take on an unknown London/Nigerian film-maker, with a budget which wouldn't keep James Cameron in shoelaces but it was enough for us."

Idris Elba brought some actor contacts of his own - including fellow Wire star Clarke Peters. The whole film was made in a mere 22 days in Glasgow's Film City, and on location in Dumfries and Galloway.

It was still being edited just hours before Sunday's screening.

"Close to the Wire, if you'll excuse the pun," says Arabella.

Although Idris Elba wasn't there in person, he did send a recorded message, and his mum, who was in the audience.

Although yet to secure a distribution deal, Black Camel are confident that they'll have a deal soon, thanks to Elba's extraordinary performance.

Meantime, they're already onto the next venture. A bigger budget sequel to their first film Outpost - an every day tale of Nazi zombies in Eastern Europe.

Or Dumfries and Galloway, which will once again double for Eastern Europe. Would-be zombie extras should keep their eyes on the local press for announcements.

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