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Jacob TurnbullVillagers have premiered a film they spent four years making as an alternative to a pantomime in Covid.
About 100 people from Edale in Derbyshire were involved in making the comedy Stone of Stone.
The finished film was shown to residents at a special premiere held in a barn in the village on Saturday.
Director Al Boyd, 27, said: “It’s about a group of villagers that need to raise money for the village and in the end, after lots of things go wrong, they fall back on the idea of a robbery.”
Heather Currey“To hear them laughing at the jokes that I have been listening to over and over in the edit is honestly a feeling like I have never had in my entire life,” added Boyd.
“I have been really enjoying myself in the last couple of days.”
When they started making the film, Boyd was studying for an MA in filmmaking at Manchester Metropolitan University, which he finished in September 2024.
The film was written by villager Mark Wallington, who also wrote the 2007 film – The Man Who Lost His Head – starring Martin Clunes.
Nuala FowlerBarbara Cunningham, who played several parts in the film, said it was a great way to unite people in Edale.
“It’s been amazing,” she added.
“Having a film to show at the end is a bonus. The doing it was the important thing.”
A red carpet and PA system were brought into the barn for the black tie premiere, held for about 150 residents on Saturday.
More screenings are due to be held in the village hall for those who missed it.
Director Boyd will now return to running the village convenience store.
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