It was something of a Coronation Street reunion in Manchester as soap stars past and present headed out to support former Corrie star Ian Puleston-Davies as he celebrated his film director debut. Ian also wrote the movie Bolan's Shoes, which premiered at the Manchester Film Festival on Saturday night.
And a huge number of Ian's Corrie co-stars from over the years headed to the red carpet event. Ian famously played hot-headed Owen Armstrong on the soap from 2010 to 2015, before leaving to explore other projects and focus on his passion for writing.
He was joined by former Corrie favourite Katie McGlynn, who played tragic Sinead Tinker, and her pal Lisa George who plays Beth Tinker in the ITV soap. Mikey North, who plays Gary Windass in the soap, headed to the film screening alongside former Corrie faves including John Thomson, Scott Wright and Dean Fagan.
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And the film certainly met with their approval. Katie McGlynn said on Instagram after the screening: "Bolan's Shoes was mesmerising. Written and directed by the incredibly talented and overall superstar Ian Puleston-Davies, I was honestly blown away...
"The cast, the cinematography, the writing... Just so so brilliant! Definitely a must see."
Lisa agreed, saying: "Wow! Wow! Wow!! Heartfelt, mesmerising, funny, emotional, nostalgic - what more can I say? Ian Puleston-Davies you should be so proud of yourself!"
Ian's acting career went from strength-to-strength after leaving Corrie, including high profile roles in Sky's Tin Star, and as serial killer in Netflix original Marcella. But while acting remains his "day job" he's been passionate about writing for years, and hopes that this will now be the first of many director roles in the future.
The independent film has already been getting huge amounts of interest in the film industry. And Ian this week jets off to America where the movie will play to a host of US film festivals too.
The film stars acclaimed actors Timothy Spall and Leanne Best, as well as Ian's former Corrie co-star Andrew Lancel, and follows a group of disadvantaged youngsters on a trip to see glam rock legend Marc Bolan at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall in 1976. But they are to be involved in a tragedy which will alter the course of their lives forever.
The film travels between the 1970s and present day and boasts a backdrop of northern cities, as well as rugged, rural Anglesey. Ian was also able to use a powerful soundtrack from Bolan through the film, to capture the essence of that time.
It was a chance meeting with former Hollyoaks actress Terri Dwyer, who now runs her own film production company, that would set into motion the movie. Ian told the MEN: "I had known Terri since Hollyoaks days, and I knew she had set up her own production company called Buffalo Dragon.
"During covid, I happened to suggest we could both walk our dogs on West Kirby beach together, and it was just one of those cliched chance meetings.
"I asked what are you doing next? and she said: 'I'm looking for another script" and asked me if I had anything.
"I said funnily enough I've got something in my cupboard. I've always written. I had early success with [the TV drama] Dirty Filthy Love, I co-wrote that with Jeff Pope and it starred Michael Sheen, it got a lot of awards and attention.
"I felt I made a very good first album if you like, but then the difficult second album hadn't ever been made! I had a load of scripts in my cupboard and I came up with Bolan's Shoes and Terri said "I like this".
"I said I've got one tiny request can I direct it? She had this incredible trust in me and said yes.
"Had it not been for Terri's trust in me, I would never be here because you don't just get the chance to direct a movie."
Ian was inspired by watching the acclaimed documentary 7UP, where the lives of children have been chronicled every seven years, in the creation of Bolan's Shoes. He says: "I was interested in those flashbacks of kids growing up and that journey. How one tiny incident can change your whole path in life."
The film was shot across Summer 2021 at locations including Manchester, Liverpool, The Wirral, Port Sunlight and Anglesey. It all starts at Manchester's legendary Free Trade Hall, which is now the Edwardian by Radisson hotel on Peter Street.
Ian said: "We start the movie with a group of kids from a children's home on a coach trip who go to the Marc Bolan concert. We shot the exteriors there in Manchester, and then interior we used the Liverpool Royal Court. In the basement of the Royal Court we found all the old seats, so the auditorium in the film is actually old seats that were in storage."
The film has just been signed up by British distributors Munro Films with the hopes it will go out on release to arthouse cinemas across the UK. Ian then jets to the States for a round of American festivals and talks with US film distributors.
Chester-based Ian said he was delighted to have the support of so many of his former Corrie pals at the UK premiere in Manchester.
He said: "It's all really exciting and mad, it's my first film and I'm loving it. There's a whole bunch of my old Corrie pals coming to support me, bless them, to hold my hand and maybe get me a drink afterwards.
"I've been an actor on sets for 40 years, but you don't understand the stress of being a director, it's being hit from all sides with responsibilites and questions being thrown at you - you're not the child anymore you're the daddyo!
"It was a huge shock to me the enormity of being a director, but I'm now smitten."
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