FILMING has begun on a Leeds-based comedy drama.
The bitter-sweet 90-minute feature film, entitled Bremner, tells the story of a young amateur boxer and his pals in their quest for the big time.
The plot is thick with larger-than-life characters including Bremner’s dodgy boxing coach, a fake vicar, an Elvis impersonator and a drunken football-worshiping father.
It follows 17-year-old Bremner, played by actor Sonny Lumsden, in his desperate bid to impress his father by making a better life for his baby daughter.
His life is beset with unemployment, family problems, drug dealers, crime and the hidden demons of depression and suicidal urges which prove to be bigger than any of his opponents in the ring.
The only antidotes are the focus, dreams and the antics of the crazy residents of the fictional Belle Moore estate and friends of his local boxing club.
Bremner and his mates are determined to have fun, cause mischief, make money and resurrect their faltering amateur boxing careers.
The script was written more than ten years ago by Jason Lumsden, 40, himself a former amateur boxer with Hunslet Boys Club.
He said: “It’s not really a film about boxing – there’s not really many boxing scenes in it. It’s more of a film about life really. The script has been sitting around doing nothing for years.
“I’d always hoped to do something with it one day and this seemed like the ideal time.”
Much of the filming will be on the Lincoln Green estate in east Leeds but also other parts of the city will be used as a back drop.
Early scenes have already been shot in the Commercial pub, owned by Leeds United legend Peter Lorrimer. It is hoped filming will be completed by Christmas. Jason, from Adel, is a director of ACHE - Action For Children Who Need Help in Education.
Much of the cast is made of local amateur boxers and youngsters who used the ACHE centre in Osmondthorpe. Jason added: “We held castings and asked established young actors to come along but we the ones we ended up using have little of no experience. They came come across as more natural.”
Comments