Film maker dedicates Hollywood debut to Liverpool grandfather

A rising star of the filmmaking industry is dedicating his Hollywood debut to his late grandfather from Liverpool. Sai Karan Talwar is about to grace the dizzy heights of Hollywood with his debut short film, Ghanimah, but reveals how his passion was sparked by his film fanatic grandfather who owned a video store.

Ghanimah is a short film about the conflicting subject of Muslims joining the British military that has been met with critical acclaim, winning multiple awards at top film festivals globally. It is now being featured and having its US premiere at the legendary Chinese Theatre on Monday 26th July at the Dances with Films (DWF26) Film Festival in Los Angeles.

The dramatic masterpiece is a hard-hitting story of honour, duty, family, faith, religion and identity. It has so far won awards such as Best Film at the New Delhi Film Festival and was a Finalist for the Remi Award at WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. Ghanimah also had its UK Premiere at the 25th UK Asian Film Festival in the British Film Institute. Now about to hit Hollywood, Sai Karan Talwar reflects on his filmmaking origins.

Sai Karan Talwar said:- "I guess for me, it all started with my grandfather who was from South Liverpool. He was a huge film fanatic and when I'd visit him as a kid it was all he'd talk about. He ended up moving down to London and opened up a video shop called International Video Club. It was there I'd spend most of my spare time and worked in the shop as a teenager. I'd watch all sorts of movies, probably some I shouldn't have, but I was fascinated with how they were made and started to research them and what inspired the Directors. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in finance I worked for Origin Pictures and 42 Management & Production, before finally launching my debut production. To reach Hollywood with it is like a dream!"

In hindsight, the foundations were firmly laid for Sai Karan Talwar to achieve filmmaking success. His father, Dr. Shamender Talwar, was a large distributor in the UAE and launched films such as Stargate and Mr. Bean out there. Meanwhile, 2 of his uncles Sai Satish and Shiva Talwar were also key figures in the industry, 1 of them being a Producer for the BBC and 1 Head Of Marketing for Warner Bros.

The stars aligned with his debut film, Ghanimah, as he teamed up with Adi Alfa; an award winning Producer from his grandfather's city of Liverpool. Starring Mikhail Sen (House of Dragon, A Suitable Boy), James El-Sharawy (Tyrant, EastEnders) and Adil Akram (Spectre, What's Love Got To Do With It?), Ghanimah has made waves amongst film festival audiences internationally.

Sai Karan Talwar said:- "It's a powerful piece that explores the controversial subject of Muslims joining the British Army; raising a lot of conflicting issues within a family. I guess that's the point of filmmaking in my opinion; to raise important issues and to make people think and feel. The feedback has been incredible so far and I'm really keen to see how it will be received in the Mecca of filmmaking, Hollywood."

Ghanimah has now been showcased at over 30 film festivals around the world, yet this latest screening at the DWF26 Film festival in Los Angeles is set to be huge for the filmmaker; with the festival being a Top 10 North American Film Festival by USA Today. Now in its 26th year, Dances With Films is the largest indie film festival in Los Angeles.

Lauded by CNN and Indiewire and recognised as:- 'the future of independent film' by The Huffington Post, it was also voted as 1 of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals by Moviemaker Magazine. Dances With Films presents more than 250 films each year to the LA filmmaking community and Sai Karan Talwar sees his exciting debut as a tribute to his grandfather, Shri Sham Talwar.

Sai Karan Talwar summarised:- "It was my grandfather who sparked my passion, so to be collaborating with a Liverpool Producer and attending a prestigious Hollywood festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre is very special to me. I am sure he is up there looking down with pride, knowing that his conversations with me as a child and the countless hours spent in his video shop have resulted in the great achievement."

Ghanimah is being showcased at the legendary TCL Chinese Theatre, on:- Monday, 26 July 2023, at the DWF26 Film festival in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Ghanimah is a powerful and hard-hitting debut short film from Sai Karan Talwar about a young British Muslim man joining the British Army.

Check out Ghanimah on the Dances With Films website.

Follow the progress of Ghanimah via Sai Karan Talwar's Instagram Page

For more info on Dances With Films visit:-  DancesWithFilms.Com.

Liverpool gets ready to raise the curtain on 80th Battle of Atlantic Commemorations

CARE England, the largest and most diverse representative body for independent providers of adult social care in England, has welcomed the publication of the ADASS Spring Survey, but has expressed deep concern at the findings.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:- "These survey results indicate that although the short term funding boosts from Government have helped reduce the number of people waiting for care and increased support for people at home, this is simply not enough. Local Authorities have been set up to fail by Government. Whilst they have been allocated a £2.3bn share of the Social Care Grant, combined with £562m from the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund, Local Authorities have been required to deliver £806m in savings to their budgets, provision £692m of additional funding in 2023/24 to demographic pressures and will incur a cost of £1.8bn to deliver the National Living Wage increase in 2023/24. Consequently, Local Authorities are starting from a £400m deficit, before they even look to address staffing, inflation and wider cost pressures. Whilst it is incredibly welcome that 94% of Local Authorities chose to take up adult social care precept for 2023/24, Local Authorities are operating on a shoestring and require significant investment from central Government. Without intervention, we face an uncertain future. The survey highlights the increasing number of providers closing, ceasing trading or handing back Council contracts. The warning lights have never been brighter for the Government."

The ADASS adass-spring-survey-2023-final-web-version.pdf Spring Survey, published on:- 21 June 2023, outlines that most English Councils are not confident they can offer the minimum social care support in their communities required by law, according to the new research.

To improve social care, boost our economy and enable carers to continue working, social care leaders are calling on the Government to commit to:-

• Invest in support that helps people avoid the need to go to Hospital or a Care Home, and support for people to recover, get back on their feet and back home after Hospital during this winter.
   

• Increase support to carers and improve workforce pay; international recruitment is not a long term fix.
   

• A fully funded, long term plan to transform social care to ensure everyone in England can get the care and support they need when they need it. 

Martin Green continues:- "The future sustainability of the adult social care sector is tied to the sustainability of local Government. These findings underscore that local Government finances are not where they need to be to deliver a social care system fit for the future. There is a clear agreement that Government funds are making a difference, but far more is required. We need the political will to drive a sustainable market forward. It is promising that many of our messages have been supported by the findings of this survey. Not least, is the need to deliver a sustainable workforce. Earlier this year, we also recommended that the Government develops a pay framework to establish a minimum care wage, above the level of the NLW and tied to NHS band 3. Significantly, as a part of the pay framework, the Government aligns benefits, terms and conditions for care staff with those in the NHS, including pensions, statutory sick pay, holiday entitlements and access to training courses, the cost of which should be reflected in the Fair Cost of Care and funded by the Local Authority. Today's survey findings indicate that almost all NHS leaders believe that paying the care workforce more would be an effective means of supporting the challenges that are currently facing the social care sector."