The Norfolk-based producer of box office hit Calendar Girls has turned his talents to a new project.
Executive producer Nick Barton, who lives in Reepham, has got involved in a UK-Estonian dance film production after meeting Estonian filmmaker Teele Dunkley in his hometown.
Nick said: “Teele approached me with an interesting idea that she and her creative team have been working on.
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“The film is inspired by true stories and in a world riven by war and conflict in Eastern Europe, I really felt that this film, partly set in a Baltic State bordering Russia, would appeal to an audience worldwide.
"It is important to support new creative talents and to open people’s eyes to the different worlds and lives in countries other than our own.
"I’m positive that together we can make a brilliant and successful film.”
Teele is a former City College Norwich student who previously lived in Denmark and Malawi before moving to the UK 18 years ago.
She is director and co-writer of The Secret Folk Dancer and explained: “I’ve been wanting to make this film for years.
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"It’s a dedication to the Estonian people, the culture and joy of folk dancing.
"The theme of multiculturalism is important to me because my own daughter is British-Estonian and we have woven in some of the elements that she faces.”
The film follows a teen from a multicultural family’s life in London who keeps his passion for Estonian dance secret from his skateboarding friends until the two worlds collide.
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Producer Lesley van Dijk, who is originally from the Netherlands, also relates to the multicultural theme and love for dance:
Lesley said: “When I read the script, I immediately connected to it because of the folk dancing community and the young people’s struggles to find their way.
“We want to open people’s eyes that pursuing your life’s choices is a good thing – at every age.”
Teele’s latest film with Lesley is the short Losing Us which was made in Norfolk and is doing the festival rounds.
The Secret Folk Dancer will be Teele’s first feature film.
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