Do you recognise this Black Country hotel? WATCH trailer for film shot in Walsall
The cast and crew of a film that was shot in Walsall are on cloud nine after it scooped a top prize at the prestigious international London Film Awards.
The critically acclaimed anthology 'Checking In' delves into the lives of a range of characters staying at a hotel during a random 24-hour period.
Set at the Baron's Court Hotel, in Lichfield Road, Walsall Wood, the stories include a humorous look at a couple at war with each other, a singer looking for inspiration, a pair of costume fanatics examining their place in society, an Asian wedding where the bride goes on the run, while the final segment is a study of a one night stand.
Created by friends Dave Hastings and Kaushy Patel the movie won the Best British Film category to their delight earlier this month.
Mr Hastings, a media lecturer at Stafford College, and Mr Patel a technician at Walsall College spent three years filming it on a shoestring budget of £2,500.
"We got an email from the festival to say our entry had been accepted, then another saying that we had won. We can't believe and we're still pinching ourselves. We're walking on cloud nine. It's just a very nice Christmas present.
"We're are always making short films for our jobs, but we sat down one day over a cuppa in a supermarket and thought we'd bite the bullet and make a feature film. All of us worked for free, no one got paid. The fact that people voted for it means they must like it and that means a lot to film makers," Mr Hastings, 32, says.
The end result was shown to the cast and crew at a private screening at Wolverhampton's Light House Cinema, as well being entered around the world at other arts and film festivals, including in India.
It stars Nicky Preston, Roger David Francis, Reynah Oppal, Ernest Vernon, Tony Gibbons, Conner McKenzy, Laura Evenson, Christopher Smart, David Claridge, Suzanne Kendall-Morgan and Troy Dennison who took part in auditions and castings for their roles.
