Hello everyone and welcome to a new post. My deepest apologies for neglecting my website for the past few months. Unfortunately, it’s been a tsunami of distractions. First writing the Endeavour book, then painting and decorating my flat, then I had a friend staying with me for a week and then finally, two weeks holiday.

I am currently working on a review of the Morse episode Death is Now my Neighbour. BUT, first I want to bring to your attention to this wonderful new independent film starring Anton Lesser and Louis Emerick. You will know Anton from Endeavour of course playing Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright. His co-star Louis Emerick has appeared in such series as Casualty, Vera, Coronation Street, New Tricks and Silent Witness among many others.

The writer and director of Galahad Jones is Bex Goff who bravely financed the film from her own savings. So far the film has been a finalist for Best Script/Short Film in the New York Independent Film Awards and also Best Drama and Best Actor finalists in the Bristol RS Festival.

Bex is trying to raise additional funding to be able to enter more festivals worldwide. Below are pictures from the set, a trailer, plus a few words from Bex.

To help with Bex’s fundraising click on this link https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/galahad-jones-short-film#/

Here is the link to Bex Goff’s website, http://www.bexfilms.com

 

GALAHAD JONES.

The film Galahad Jones is a comedy drama that tells the story of two army veterans from 3rd parachute regiment, both injured in a friendly fire incident in Northern Ireland in the 1980’s. 25 years on, Galahad, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, is struggling, barely existing on the fringes of society, working as a lavatory cleaner, whilst his friend Mitch, who was also caught up in the friendly fire incident, is homeless. One day a chance occurrence presents Galahad and Mitch with an opportunity that may enable them to find their way back from their hopeless predicaments, whilst at the same time, having the potential to jeopardise Galahad’s daughter Cleo Jones’ fledgling career in the police force.

Galahad Jones is very much an allegorical story of our time, with so many struggling to survive with the cost of living crisis, Galahad Jones is a story about redemption, about the difficulty of finding your way back once you’ve fallen out of society, something that can, and does, so easily happen to so many who suffer a setback in life.

The inspiration behind Galahad Jones came, in part, from a trip to London. Arriving at Paddington station one day and using the ladies toilets, I was struck by how almost invisible two cleaning ladies seemed to be to the hundreds of people who bustled in and out using the immaculate facilities they were working so hard to keep clean. Whilst working nightshifts at ITN in London, directing the ITV Morning News, I became friendly with the overnight cleaning staff. I spoke a lot with one lady in particular. She had emigrated from Africa, she had a disabled son. Her best friend had died suddenly, so she had adopted her late friend’s child. She worked all night and did two other jobs during the day to try and feed and clothe her family. She was lucky if she managed to get 2 hours sleep a night.

Daily I pass people living rough on the street, more and more people are struggling with the cost of living, and the numbers of homeless people are swelling by the day. They all look so sad and so lost, the forgotten souls. Having spent one Christmas working for Crisis Homeless Shelters in London, it became clear to me that
circumstances and situations that can befall any of us at any time, can lead to a life on the streets; illness; bereavement; breakdown in relationships; job losses; in this uncertain world it could happen to any of us, and yet, as easy as it is to fall foul of the system, and become one of the forgotten, invisible souls of society, how on earth do you find your way back?

I wanted to make this film to celebrate two such characters, Galahad and Mitch, homeless army veterans, both struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after
serving in the military, like so many others. I wanted to highlight their innate nobility and spirit, just because they, like so many others, have fallen on hard times, it in no way diminishes their integrity, or makes their lives any less valuable. There are far too many like them, and there will be more in the current political and economic climate. I hope this film helps people to remember them, and make all those struggling and suffering like Galahad and Mitch less invisible, and less forgotten.

Working with Anton Lesser.

I was absolutely thrilled when Anton Lesser accepted the role of Mitch Mullens in my short film, Galahad Jones. Having had the great pleasure of working with Anton on several previous occasions, I knew that he’d be absolutely brilliant in the role, as well as being so lovely to work with. I first worked with Anton on a feature film trailer, A Company of Schnorrers, where I was the 3rd Assistant Director, responsible for making teas and coffees, looking after the actors and directing the background artists and action. As it was a period piece, it involved horses and carriages, and irrepressibly reminded me of Acorn Antiques or French & Saunders wonderful take on The House of Elliot. It was a great script, the sort of Dickensian type of film I would have loved to have watched at the cinema, but sadly it never got made.

Bex and Anton Lesser on the Set of Galahad Jones.

In 2008, I wrote and directed a volunteer film for the Media Trust, for the Get Connected Charity which, as it dealt with sensitive issues regarding young people, it required a particularly empathetic, compassionate voice over. As an ardent listener of radio drama, I knew that Anton’s dulcet tones would be perfect, and I was delighted when he agreed to do it. We recorded the voice over at the ITN studios in Central London, and he asked me what I was currently working on. I was in the process of writing a short, six part radio comedy drama for BBC local Radio Bristol about an art collective struggling to save their local art gallery from closure, and he asked if he could read it, so, when it was finished, I sent a copy of the script to his agent, with a small part for him. He kindly agreed to come to Bristol and play the part of Trevor, in The Gert Lush, which we recorded entirely on location around Bristol, predominately around the St Nicholas Market, and at the RWA – Royal West of England Academy of Art. It was such a thrill for the whole cast to work with someone of Anton’s experience and calibre, and, as it was the first time I’d ever written or directed a radio play, unbeknownst to the rest of the cast, Anton offered to be the Assistant Director and helped me to keep the production moving and on time. We recorded for 2 full days, and it was the most joyful job I’d ever done.

(Listen to the Gert Lush at: – http://www.bexfilms.com/radio.html)

When I was casting for Galahad Jones, I knew that he would be perfect for the part of Mitch Mullens, so I contacted Anton and asked him if I could send him the script, which I duly sent to his agent. Two days later, I received a lovely email from him, saying how much he enjoyed the script, and could we talk later that day. His schedule was very full, In between filming the final series of Endeavour, and filming in Berlin for a Netflix series 1899, he was able to keep four days clear in his diary in November, for us to film Galahad Jones.

In addition to Anton, I was lucky enough to cast Louis Emerick in the title role of Galahad Jones. Despite the fact that neither Louis nor Anton have worked together
before, they formed a wonderful double act, and are totally convincing as long-time army buddies that have been through so much together.

Screenshot of Louis Emerick from Galahad Jones.

Working with actors of Anton and Louis’ calibre gave a huge boost to the whole production team, cast and crew, and the energy and professionalism they brought to their roles, was wonderful, as was their unstinting belief and support of this project. They would take the script and breath life into the characters, giving each scene a vitality, pace and energy that was such a joy to behold.

Fundraising.

As I only had a very small window of opportunity to film with Anton, I took the unusual step of going ahead with the production without any funding in place, and I relied on my own savings and took out a loan to cover the production costs. I am about to launch an indiegogo fundraising campaign (https://igg.me/at/Galahadjonesfilm) to raise money to be able to pay the wonderful supporting cast and crew who so generously gave their time and effort and have not received any payment, apart from some minor travel expenses. I would also like to be able to enter the film into festivals worldwide. We have so far been finalists for Best Script/Short Film in the New York Independent Film Awards and also Best Drama and Best Actor finalists in the Bristol RS Festival, but with the cost of living crisis, it would be wonderful to raise additional funding to be able to enter more festivals worldwide.

Bex Goff, Writer/Director Galahad Jones.

Here is the trailer for the film.

After watching the trailer please leave a like.

Please support Bex and her film with as much as you can afford to. I’m sure Bex would agree that all contributions will be gratefully received no matter the amount. Here again is the fundraising URL, https://igg.me/at/Galahadjonesfilm

Visit Bex Goff’s website here: http://www.bexfilms.com