Janis Pugh
Press
Who’ll make it big in the arts world in 2009?
2 Jan 2009
Karen Price, Western Mail
The Director – Janis Pugh
Where have we seen her before? She may have only recently graduated from the London Film School but Janis is already making her mark on the industry in a big way. Her short film House, which is about the women in Flint who were connected to the Courtaulds factory, won her the scholarship. She recently won the Best Director accolade at the It’s My Shout film awards for emerging talent for her short film Butterfly. Another film, Blue Collars and Buttercups, also set in North Wales, has been shown at a number of festivals, including Edinburgh, Cannes and Munich. It’s won two awards, including a special commendation at the Encounters Film Festival in Britain.
Where will we see her this year? In February, Blue Collars and Buttercups will be screened at a festival in Paris. She is looking to film another short, Girls World, in North Wales early this year. She will also be attending the highly regarded European Filmmakers Producers programme called EAVE, where her feature script Balaclava Sands will be developed with like-minded European producers, in three different countries across Europe.
On directing: “I originally trained as an actress. I loved it but was a bit bored with what was on offer. I decided to go behind the camera and make visual work which I was interested in. As a writer/director I knew that my ideas were quite strong. A lot of my work involves politics. For me, the most important thing is to get audiences back to watch British cinema that really says something about their time and their past. Part of the joy of being a director is getting a group of people together (the crew) and inspiring them to believe in you.”
Hopes for the future: “The one thing about the film industry is you have to be patient. There’s no point going in all guns blazing. The development of Balaclava Sands in Europe is huge for me because I know at the end of that I will have a film that’s ready to go into production. I’ve been tipped as a British filmmaker to look out for. I’m going with it, but it will take time.”
Magnificent because: She’s passionate about producing films that mean something to her rather than being driven by purely commercial concerns. With awards under her belt and film festivals clamouring to screen her work, she’s an emerging talent in British cinema.
BBC Wales interview
July 2007
Janis was interviewed by Adam Walton on BBC Wales about her love for North Wales, the people and the places that draw her to film there. Click on the links below to hear some excerpts.
Community's roots help film director paint a truer picture
13 June 2007
Tony Challis, Evening Leader, North Wales
"London-based film-maker Janis Pugh comes home to North Wales to find her inspiration"
Please click below to read this article in
.pdf (part 1) .pdf (part 2) or .doc
Childhood memories inspire new film...
4 Aug 2006
Ronnie Parry, The Chronicle, North Wales
"A FILM shot on location in Halkyn has highlighted the talents of two rising stars.
Janis Pugh originally from Flint and Claire Barron, of Hendre, are fast establishing themselves as major players in the UK film circuit. Their latest offering, shot over 11 days and completed on Tuesday, is to be shown during the European film festival tour and eventually on television.
Blue Collars and Buttercups, written and directed by Janis, is a tale about a young girl named Tina. Claire played the role of Helena, alongside television stars Louise Kempton, of Holby City and Casualty fame and Sue Jenkins, who played Jackie Corkhill in Brookside . Janis was quick to pay tribute to 27-year-old Claire who grew up in Gwernymynydd.
She said: 'Claire gave a wonderful performance as the lead's sister. The story revolves around Tina growing up in a strong working class family in a largely ignored small town. It's about her being a little bit different and questioning the lack of choices.'
Acclaimed producers Alan Clark and Mike Leigh are major influences on Janice's career. She has also benefited from being taught by Mike Leigh at the London Film School in Covent Garden while studying an MA in Film Making.
The 35-year-old former Flint High School pupil's return also reveals another influence in her work. Janis said: 'I grew up there during the 1980s, a time of huge unemployment. During that period I was inspired by the community and its 'togetherness. It led me to direct a documentary called House about women who worked at Courtaulds in the 1940s and now live in Castle Heights.
'It's been a pleasure to be working back in North Wales and seeing my parents, Barbara and Alan, again. And the old ladies from Castle Heights have contributed a great deal to this film. They cooked our food every day and were ably supervised by my mother Barbara.
'Flintshire County Council kindly let us use a house on Tan-y-Bryn, Greenfield, and a lot of the estate's kids took part.'They were brilliant and Clwyd Theatr Cymru and the Halkyn community have been very helpful too. It was an excellent experience and Halkyn looked wonderful on film.'
Claire Barron gave her reaction to the film. She said: 'I definitely always wanted to be an actress and this is my best experience since leaving drama college. I've always liked filming and now I think I've found my goal in life.'
If you would like further information please email me at: pughjan@yahoo.co.uk