Blue Pen
Blue Pen, made in collaboration with filmpro, is an experimental short film about censorship and the disappearance of dissenting voices. The film pays particular attention to the voices of women journalists in conflict zones, beginning with 19 year old, Dorothy Lawrence, who disguised herself as Sapper Denis Smith and enlisted for frontline action in WW1.
Winner of Picture This…Film Festival Award for Best Performance
Blue Pen, made in collaboration with filmpro, is an experimental short film about censorship and the disappearance of dissenting voices. The film pays particular attention to the voices of women journalists in conflict zones.
“Blue pen” is a casual term coined in WWI to describe the heavy edits and careful monitoring of the censorship committee. In 1916 all information was carefully controlled to support the war effort and to create hatred and suspicion of the enemy.
In 2016 the ‘spin’ might well have changed but we still have propaganda published as fact, reportage used to shape public opinion and the truth as always is the first casualty.
Creatives
Written by Julie McNamara
Directed by Caglar Kimyoncu & Julie McNamara
Produced by Chas de Swiet & Vital Xposure
Filmed by Zeynep Dagli
Edited by Caglar Kimyoncu & Zeynep Dagli
Sound Design Theo Holloway
Cast
Penelope Freeman
Matthew Gurney
Gareth Turkington
Simon Balcon
Suni La
Rhiannon Kelly
BSL interpreter Catrin Thomas
Audio description Alison Clarke
Music ‘The Ballad of Dorothy Lawrence’ by Lorraine Jordan
Installation
Produced by Crin Claxton
Set Build by Richard Rudnicki
With thanks to the people of Paziols, Cafe Six and Les Darling Artistes.
Blue Pen Audience Reactions
Blue Pen was screened for the first time in London at the Hackney Picture House.
Thanks to Diane and Mik Scarlet, Nick Llewellyn, Jocelyn Watson and Lesley Ewen and to all the audience who attended the launch of Blue Pen.
Thanks also to Claire Louissant for filming and editing this trailer
