Lord Puttnam previews first film in 18 years at Curzon Goldsmiths opening
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Screen legend Lord Puttnam gave a surprise world premiere to his first film for 18 years at the official launch of the Curzon Goldsmiths cinema.
Lord Puttnam previewed his first film in 18 years at Curzon Goldsmiths
The producer used the opening of to play the trailer for his work Arctic 30 for the first time in public.
The new film tells the real-life story of a group of environmental activists seized by Russian troops in 2013.
Speaking at the official opening of the cinema on Goldsmithsā New Cross campus, Labour peer and environmental campaigner Lord Puttnam said he decided to end the ālongest career break everā due to the urgent nature of the filmās subject.
And he spoke of his hopes that the film could establish a new business model for cinema by becoming the first film to engage ā100 million interested participantsā via social media throughout the entire movie-making process.
The environmental drama-documentary is based on events which saw Russia hold 30 Greenpeace protestors after they attempted to scale an Arctic drilling platform.
After playing the high-octane trailer, the Oscar-winner behind some of Britainās most successful films like Chariots of Fire and Bugsy Malone said: āI have two grandchildren in their early 20s and their biggest crisis is that they wonāt be able to make both parties on a Saturday night.
āThis film will help me illustrate to them there are other cares in life.ā
āIf this film helps my two fabulous granddaughters come to me after seeing this and say, āGrandpa, what can we do?ā then it has done its job.ā
Lord Puttnam added: āThe two heroes of the film are young women. The filmās about them.ā
The former chair of the Joint Parliametary Committee on the Draft Climate Change Bill added: āI have no doubt in my own mind that climate change is the greatest crisis facing humanity.
āBut it also has the potential for us to have a shared problem ā and a shared solution. Weāre in otherās pockets and can solve these problems together.ā
The movie is based on the best-selling book Donāt Trust, Donāt Fear, Donāt Beg by Greenpeace publicist Ben Stewart who was one of the 30 held by Russian authorities.
The film which is due for release in 2017 uses footage shot at the time and interviews to tell the dramatic story which eventually saw the 30 environmentalist released following intense worldwide pressure.

The screening marked a coup for Curzon Goldsmiths. Lewishamās first full-time cinema for 15 years, the 102-seater screen opened to the public at the end of January.
The opening was attended by Goldsmiths students, members of the film industry and local dignitaries. Two short films created by students from the prestigious Screen School at Goldsmiths were shown alongside Lord Puttnamās work.
Labour peer Dame Joan Ruddock, who campaigned for Lewisham to have a cinema during her time as a local MP, told the official opening: āItās astonishing that this borough did not have a cinema for 15 years. It was not for want of trying but it never happened.
āThis a true breakthrough. I hope itās going to be a tremendous resource for the local community.ā

Warden of Goldsmiths Patrick Loughrey said he wanted the cinema to help āthrow open the doors of the campusā to the people of Lewisham. He added: āThese are exciting times for Goldsmiths. We have a music studio, a theatre, a cinema ā and a public art gallery due to open soon.
āWe want everyone around us to come and share and celebrate everything which happens here.ā
Curzon Cinemas Chief Executive Philp Knatchbull said ālike-minded partnersā like Goldsmiths helped create a new way of operating cinemas.
He added: āTogether we can build new cinemas and help build and sustain cinema-going audiences.ā