Local youngsters have attended a grand premiere of Play – The Movie! – a film they helped to produce, star in and direct in over the summer holidays.
The premiere took place at the the Odeon cinema at Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre in Wrexham city centre.
A “green carpet” and press/photography area was laid out at the entrance to the screening room to add some Hollywood glitz and glamour to the occasion.
Play – The Movie! was created at a special exhibition of the same name, held at Tŷ Pawb over the summer holidays. The gallery was transformed into a film set where thousands of children worked alongside artists, playworkers, and filmmakers to explore play in Wrexham.
PLAY – The Movie! is the vision of artist Rachael Clerke, commissioned by Tŷ Pawb with input from playworker Penny Wilson of Assemble Play.
The children worked alongside artists Ella Jones, Harold Offeh, Noemi Santos, Sarah Ryder, Jamila Walker and Rhi Moxon, local playworkers and 73 Degrees Films to collaboratively create an epic film that explores play in Wrexham.
The finished film features all the best moments from 8 weeks of footage. As you might expect with children in charge, there were plenty of wild and wonderful moments, including the search for Pigeon man, space adventures and a zombie attack – obviously!
‘Play is children’s culture’
Rachael Clerke said: “It’s been such an honour to work so closely with the wild, hilarious, inventive children of Wrexham on Play – The Movie. They made the gallery their own over the summer and the film reflects this beautifully.
“I’m so grateful to the team at Tŷ Pawb, all the commissioned artists, the amazing play workers we collaborated with and 73 Degrees Films for bringing it all together. Play is children’s culture, and it feels more important than ever to hold space for this. I can’t think of a better place to do that than Wrexham.”
Lead Member with responsibility for Tŷ Pawb, Cllr Hugh Jones said: “What a wonderful occasion this has been, for local children to be able to watch a film they helped to create, up on the big screen where they usually watch all their favourite movies.
“Exploring the benefits of play and creativity in children is something Wrexham has become renowned for. The project to create this film showcases this perfectly, with artists, playworkers, and creatives coming together at Tŷ Pawb to create something that perfectly captures the inspiring energy and imagination of the local children who took part. Congrautlations to the the team who have worked so hard to produce the exhibition over the last year.”
Play – The Movie! will be available to watch, in full, on Tŷ Pawb’s YouTube channel very soon. Join the Tŷ Pawb mailing list to get updates straight to your inbox
