A stirring film has been released by the team behind Coventry’s bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021 – just days before its final bid will be submitted.
Coventry City of Culture Trust is finalising the final bid document that will go to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport before the September 29 deadline.
The film, sponsored by PET-Xi and produced by Chris Bradley of Willowmann Productions and Mat Beckett of River Rea Films, features rousing and emotional contributions from Natalie Johnson, Havsa Oumar, Leon Phillips and Nilupa Yasmin who talk about the effect Coventry has had on them and their lives.
It is available to view here www.coventry2021.co.uk/OurFilm after being previewed at an event in the Houses of Parliament and then again at the Coventry & Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards.
Laura McMillan, Coventry City of Culture Trust Manager, said: “We are thrilled with the film. We wanted it to shout ‘Coventry’ and we are so pleased and proud with the end result.
“Ultimately, a city is about its people and that is what our bid reflects. The film captures the stories of a range of individuals who all have their own story to tell and the one constant within it is Coventry.
“We have 93-year-old Alan Hartley who was in the city on the night of the Blitz through to Sabir Zazai who moved here as a refugee in 1999 and went on to become CEO of the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre.
“Our bid shows Coventry as a young, diverse, innovative and resilient city that is on the cusp of something special – something that winning UK City of Culture in 2021 would help us to achieve.
“We are extremely grateful for all the support we have received from the city as a whole – from the public, businesses, politicians and all of our cultural and community organisations – as we approach the deadline for submitting our final bid.
“We must also thank PET-Xi for their help in making this film happen – we are very, very proud of it.”
Fleur Sexton DL, Managing Director of PET-Xi, said: “We work with young people in the city on a daily basis and I know the massive positive affect winning UK City of Culture would have on their lives.
“The bidding stages have really given the city a sense of pride and it has really brought everyone together. That’s why we wanted to get right behind this film and we hope it helps Coventry win the bid because this is our time to shine.”
Coventry City Council, The University of Warwick, and Coventry University are Principal Partners of the bid and are providing significant support. The Ricoh Arena is Bid Sponsor while Jaguar Land Rover, Adient, Friargate, Coventry Building Society, the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Airport, PET-Xi, SCC, Pertemps, CEF (City Electrical Factors), and Listers are also Bid Development Sponsors.
To show your support for Coventry’s bid on social media, go to @Coventry2021 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information, log onto www.coventry2021.co.uk