Film 'too hot for Beeb' gets festival screening

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Film 'too hot for Beeb' gets festival screening
19 April 2007
A CONTROVERSIAL documentary reportedly dropped by the BBC is to be screened at a major film festival. Election East by Tower Hamlets film-makers Hazuan Hashim and Phil Maxwell focuses on the highly-charged 2005 General Election campaign in Bethnal Green and Bow. The War in Iraq, slums in Victorian England, homosexuality, democracy and religion feature in the 50-minute film.

Former Tower Hamlets councillor Mr Maxwell claimed: "Election East was in a commissioning process with the BBC but was dropped for broadcast when we refused to cut coverage of the strong anti-war sentiment that pervaded the campaign, together with an interview with George Galloway.'' But now the production has been chosen for Arabic news network Aljazeera's International Documentary estival from April 23-26 in Doha, Qatar.

Election East follows the campaign of Respect's Mr Galloway, his supporters and opponents. Mr Galloway, who founded anti-war Respect, ousted Labour's Oona King as MP. Mr Maxwell, 52, said: "The film tracks the anti-war movement and the political landscape of the East End, Galloway asserting his unshaken belief in Catholicism and Oona King describing George Bush as 'the most dangerous man on the planet'. Bethnal Green and Bow emerges as more than a microcosm of the UK political scene. Party workers show a resolve and determination fuelled by ideological differences not usually seen in the rest of the UK.''

Mr Maxwell works for Tower Hamlets Council, making educational films. He and partner Mr Hashim, 32, live off Brick Lane and have been working on film projects for 10 years. Mr Hashim specialises in editing and Mr Maxwell in camera work. BBC producer Amanda Richardson said she and the two film-makers approached a senior executive in the Corporation with a brief compilation tape about Election East but the idea was not pursued.

from HERE
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Sounds like it would be a good watch...