Red carpet rolled out for Wigan film premiere

But budding Steven Spielbergs from Wigan will see their production in the cinema next week.

Students and staff from One Vision Media, which provides film and media education for adults with learning disabilities, have spent the past 12 months working on The Little Match Girl.

Once the finishing touches have been made, the film will be screened at Wigan’s Empire Cinema next Thursday in a glittering premiere.

Kevin Rosental, chief executive of One Vision Media, said: “This is loosely based on The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen but it’s our own take on it.

“It takes us about 12 months to make a film. All our students took part in it - they used the camera, the clapper board, they’re all the crew. We have make-up and everything. It’s a big effort.”

The team at One Vision Media makes a film every year to help the students develop their skills.

It was created in One Vision’s green screen studio, as well as at various locations.

After months of hard work, they are now getting ready for it to hit the big screen.

Mr Rosental said: “We are still working on the film this week. We have done all the filming and are finishing the edit off. Last year we were working up to the day of screening, so we are really busy.

“The finished product will be absolutely brilliant.”

The film also marks the 21st anniversary of One Vision Media.

It was started by a group of five people in 1998 in a single room at Hope Enterprise Centre and has grown massively since then, taking over the building earlier this year in an asset transfer.

Mr Rosental said: “If you had said in 1998 we would have the building, I would say it was too big, but now we are finding we are running out of space quickly.

“This film is a celebration of 21 years of our service running. We have clips of other things we have done in it.”

The Little Match Girl starts at 7pm on Thursday, September 26 at the Empire Cinema.

As students arrive, they will walk along the red carpet and be snapped by photographers, making them feel like Hollywood stars.

After the 90-minute film, there will be a presentation and “Oscars” will be handed out.

Mr Rosental urged people to show their support by going along to watch the film.

“It’s so inspirational and an emotional evening, he said.

“It’s so nice for people to be able to see a person with a disability in a different light. It’s really heartwarming.”

Tickets cost £4, available at the door or by contacting One Vision Media on 01942 211000 or [email protected].