Jo Southwell Local Film Maker Goes Hits LA
Jo Southwell, Founder and Director of The Henley Fringe and Film Trust has recently been enjoying success with her short film COVER ME.
As a film director/writer Jo made her debut with HOLDING ON in 2012. A moving short about a man’s struggle to hold on to the present as Alzheimer’s takes hold. The lead actor was GORDON KENNEDY. This short film has had international recognition in festivals. Reveiws include “Holding On ‘goes for it’. The limited framework of the ’15″ format doesn’t deter the filmmaker from going for subject density, beauty, empathy and affect. Admirable.” (D. Ogden Stiers) HOLDING ON is distributed by Shorts International and current in the TOP 10 Films to watch in Europe.
COVER ME was released earlier this year and has been screened at The Cannes Short Film Corner; BUXTON Film Festival as the “Highly Commended” Film and winning the reviewers choice award; Isle of Wight Film festival and this week it will be screened in Los Angeles where it has been nominated for Best Actress and best Soundtrack. The music was composed by local singer/songwriter TOTIE.
December will see COVER ME travel to The Mumbai Womens International Film Festival which seeks to increase awareness for women in the industry and global causes for women.
Reviews include: “the dramatic Shakespearean tone of the staging and the powerful delivery of the monologue by the actress elevates the story-telling quality to the tragic level of Macbeth or Hamlet only this is a woman’s tragedy. As noted above, the staging matches the tone of the great tragedies. The monologue kept my attention and stirred my compassion throughout, and the actress’s performance exceptional.” (Washington DC Shorts.)
Jo is currently in pre-production for her feature film “DEIDRE OF THE SORROWS.” The first live read through of the script will be held in Henley on Thames in December. Interested members of the public who would like to attend the read through are asked to email Jo on jo@josouthwell.com
www.josouthwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cover-Me/416241201814719
This is great news for Jo and for Totie – they have both worked incredibly hard and Jo has put a huge amount back into Henley via organising the excellent Fringe Festival in July and in many other ways – I hope she becomes hugely successful.