Hi APN
First of all happy Xmas and New Year to you all. And wishing you all a better 2022. This too shall pass…
I am sure a lot of you will remember David Rennie of Crescent Road (now living with his daughter in Southend) who created the Water Game, which he ran for many years at the Palace Gates Summer Fete and Fins Feste (plus others).
About a year ago I completed a film about David and his invention. It was uploaded on to Youtube and a website for it was created (see links below). Anyway, I just wanted to give you all an update as to what has happened with the film because as you will see, it has been quite eventful.
Films by their very nature are big and loud, they are made to be seen by as many people as possible, and not hidden away in a cupboard somewhere. So, after it was shown in the community, the next challenge was to find a new audience to tap into the very positive messages behind the Water Game film.
I started by using David’s Green party background and contacting groups throughout the UK, asking them and their members to watch the film, discuss it and generally spread the word. That worked for a bit but it was a lot of effort for a small amount of new viewers.
But then I started thinking about film festivals and the fact that the green, educational and quirky message within the Water Game film was truly international, especially once foreign language subtitles were added to it.
So that is what I did. Below is a map of the countries holding film festivals that the Water Game was submitted to. The beauty of the film festivals is that if it gets selected (which is a big IF as some festivals get around 3,000 plus entries) it get shown for a period either in a cinema or online.
And we have had some success. Semi-finalist in Stockholm and California. And Finalist in a French and Turkish Film Festival. And in the months to come hopefully some more.
It’s also been translated into several languages – French, Spanish and Turkish (thanks to the Istanbul International Architecture and Urban Films Festival).
Finally, it also recently won an award. A Golden Copernicus at the 12th Educational Film Festival Edukino in Warsaw, Poland.
https://www.edukino.pl/index.php
And as I said, it is still going around festivals and spreading the word. In fact on Boxing day it’s going to be shown on Brighton’s local TV channel and soon hopefully on Sheffield’s local TV.
If you are intrigued by the film and have not yet seen it
You can watch it on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhDwlLCMEk&t=19s
If you like it and want to support it, please subscribe to the Youtube Water Game channel and maybe leave a comment – as this helps promote it on Youtube and attract new viewers.
There is also a supporting website: www.watergame.co.uk
Many thanks.
JM
Comments
Many congrats John - this is such a lovely film. I remember children loving playing the water game at the Palace Gates summer fetes. It was so extensive it positively wrapped itself around the small triangle where the fete took place.
Hi John,
Many thnaks for keeping Davids watergame alive- unfortunalty I was instructed to dispose of it when david moved out.
such a shame!!
I hope you win many more awards for this brilliant work.
Regards
Adrian Gilson
Really cute film. I used to see David Rennie out for walks in the local area and often wondered who he was. Now I know.
That is fantastic news, John, well done! I hope it gets lots more successes. I was just thinking that it should be featured again on APN. It's a brilliant film (as also a brilliant game, of course!).
I hope David is doing ok, and am very sorry that he is no longer living in the neighbourhood.
Happy Christmas!
Thanks Annabel. Happy Xmas and prosperous new year to you and the APN community.