TV star Sir David Jason has dubbed Huddersfield’s Ben Sweet as the film industry’s ‘next top young talent’.
The Touch of Frost star has spoken out after directing Ben’s first film, All The Way Up, which this week swept the board at the Monaco International Film Festival.
The film, penned by the 32-year-old from Netherton, picked up six awards comprising Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Script, Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actor.
Sir David said: “It’s a fantastic honour for our whole team to see All The Way Up acknowledged in such a spectacular way.
“Celebrating the genre of films where values and entertainment combine is personally pleasing because I have spent my life reaching audiences with exactly the same approach.
“It’s important for the industry that these awards become bigger and better so that inspirational film-making becomes as commercially successful as it is critically acclaimed.
“My greatest thrill in making this film however, has been working with the exciting young talent of Ben and Shane.
“I hope everyone’s paying attention because we’ve only just begun.”
Ben co-produced the film with Shane Hamill and it was shot at The Queen’s Hotel near the railway station in Leeds.
Sir David offered to direct the film for free after meeting Ben on the set of Terry Pratchett film, The Colour of Magic, and being impressed with his comedy script.
Ben also managed to enlist a star-studded cast including Adrian Dunbar, known for films Richard III and My Left Foot and Lee Ingleby, famous for his role as Stan Shunpike in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Dunbar won Best Leading Actor for his role of ‘Charlie’ and Ingleby took Best Supporting Actor for his part of the bellboy.
Following the success of All The Way Up – a story about a life-changing encounter in a lift – Sir David has now agreed to direct Ben’s next film Shoeless Joe.
Ben, who used to play for Huddersfield Town’s junior squad, said: “We’ve got a taste for winning and there’s no stopping us now.
“Winning all these awards and receiving the chorus of praise from everyone at the festival was both humbling and beyond our dreams.
“But we were already on a high before the judge’s decision, as Sir David had just agreed to make his directorial debut for a feature film with our next project.
“We don’t want to be greedy but we have every intention of making the new film both a commercial and creative success.”
All The Way Up is a dark comedy about Charlie who has the perfect job, the perfect family and the perfect life.
But one day he decides to embark on an adulterous affair with a younger woman and sets off to meet her for a secret liaison in a hotel room.
On the way up the lift breaks down and Charlie gets stuck in there with the bellboy.
The film will be screened on TV next year.
