Bafta Awards 2015 - Northern Soul Film in Nominations

Good luck Elaine. Give all them luvies hell. When they get from up there own arses that is

Steve

This and an NME nomination just shows how successful this film is and it's crossover appeal to a wider audience. Amazing achievement, well Done Elaine, proud of you Missus x

Atta girl

Putting northern soul on the map to many that had been unaware of the underground music a winner what ever the outcome to many -

Well done Elaine! Being nominated is an achievement itself.

Good luck and hope you get it girl.

 - Kev

Well done Elaine, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, it's richly deserved, you did a wonderful job.

Tattoo Dave

A fantastic achievement and nice to finally see some recognition from the establishment. Hope she wins!

Ian D 

 Elaine will go far ,a great new talent in the movie world!

A fantastic achievement and nice to finally see some recognition from the establishment. Hope she wins!

 

Ian D 

Well good luck to the film, but still think the media and the establishment will never understand Northern Soul!  It's too good for them!

Keep it underground where it has always thrived, or they will just end up ridiculing the scene, just like they did in the late 70's!

Well done Elaine, it's richly deserved. 

Good luck! and well done!! x

Funnily enough watched it again last night with my non-soulie little sister. 

Great job Elaine and everyone involved good luck with the louvie awards 

John & Ali x

Nice one Elaine.  Another good excuse for a new outfit.

Well good luck to the film, but still think the media and the establishment will never understand Northern Soul! It's too good for them!

Keep it underground where it has always thrived, or they will just end up ridiculing the scene, just like they did in the late 70's!

If you look at The periods of Northern being underground you'll probably be looking at a handful of years late 60s / early 70s and the 80s up to mid 90s. Other than that its overground. That cat was well out of the bag long before this film, which in my opinion is one of the only times 'the media' has got it right.

If you look at The periods of Northern being underground you'll probably be looking at a handful of years late 60s / early 70s and the 80s up to mid 90s. Other than that its overground. That cat was well out of the bag long before this film, which in my opinion is one of the only times 'the media' has got it right.

Very true mate, those of us who hang on to the underground bit are probably deluding ourselves a bit really 

Very true mate, those of us who hang on to the underground bit are probably deluding ourselves a bit really 

I think we are immersed in the "scene" so much we can't see the wood for the trees. Still underground Steve,in the sense that certain experiences,that "being there" moment etc,can't be repeated by the media or by just joining the soul scene.

Well done for the Bafta award.

Don't let the Public Image get you down chaps,,,,all the best.....John Lydon (Steve's long lost cousin  ).

I think we are immersed in the "scene" so much we can't see the wood for the trees. Still underground Steve,in the sense that certain experiences,that "being there" moment etc,can't be repeated by the media or by just joining the soul scene.

Well done for the Bafta award.

Don't let the Public Image get you down chaps,,,,all the best.....John Lydon (Steve's long lost cousin  ).

Don't be Rotten….

Good Luck Elaine , long live Northern Soul

what an absolute vindication!, most of us were aware something was up, a short while ago. this really does the "soul" good. elaine constantine is an honest-to-goodness woman with an up close and personal perspective of the northern soul scene. she could quite easily have been ridiculed by the glitterati in general,..instead having embraced her vision and generated a close up, as close as it gets to most of our memories of what it was like to live the dream back in those almost hazy days now..against all adversity...she has emerged triumphant, with a celluloid production, steeped in unswerving devotion, but with realism and cold light of day.

 PEOPLE,...it has taken a woman's belief to deliver a testament to our united passion for our music......a woman...can we now all hold our heads high...we have no need to feign embarrassment ....it simply dosn't exist.

She deserves all of the plaudits bestowed on her...and to a man or woman...should she receive the glittering prize she so eagerly anticipates, we should ALL raise a toast to her...the person who perhaps, stood alone, when others doubted, but achieved what no one thought possible...a near as damn it representation of a by gone age, so revered and still cherished...done with justice and love.

now the curtain call awaits....let it be righteous...

Best of luck Elaine

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

A real disappointment in my opinion.

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

I see Billy Elliot won Best British Film at the 2001 Baftas, we could be in for a good night.

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

A real disappointment in my opinion.

You've just described Soul Boy not the Northen Soul Film, you sure you're not getting them mixed up

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

sorry but I must disagree with you here

always much easier to criticise than to praise

ok the film may not have been absolutely perfect, but for it to be perfect it would have actually had to have been filmed through many sets of eyes from the 60's through to the present day - which is obviously impossible

don't know your own background, but many, many things reminded me of how I got into northern - in particular -

the local youth club scenes - 100% bang on for me - was exactly how I remember it

the scenes of the guy listening to his first tape and beginning to get obsessed with some of the tunes on it - again this could have been me - or any one of us on SS

the drug side - I remember seeing people injecting speed - not nice - but very real

the film for me captured the timeframe exactly and is exactly how I remember it when I was 15/16

if its a bloody love story you want, with boy meets girl, boy steals girl from the "main man", then they all live happily ever after, maybe you should try a nice "rom com", there are loads around - Jennifer Anniston seems to be in most of them !!!

sorry but I really just don't get where you are coming from with this

only my opinion!!

jim

went to a couple of youth clubs in my time, the latter being st giles y.c. in willenhall. the mobile disco was a regular friday night feature...through this and encorperating the dj's, an all-nighter was eventually organized ( use of equipment you see! ). really, i suppose this grew from 74 onwards until sammies nighters started in 75....however, from about 72, i started going to monday nights at willenhall baths ( it shut down in the winter and a dancefloor was laid over the pool...empty of course! ).....there are a good many on here who will remember this.......with reference to hoards of music-of-the-day kids, standing round watching as a group of youngsters about the same age, did something totally different, dance wise. the dj's would slip in a few tunes every now and then...gradually, over the years...northern soul took over the playlist, almost completely, apart from 70's disco as it was simply referred to then...and more kids got into it. willenhall baths lasted for about 8 years, although the two dj's who started out had also grown older and progressed to putting on a saturday night event there, but by this time, 1980, it was lost on them...much in the same way that the scene was about to hit a rocky period...they used to pack 600 in the building on monday's though and over those years, lots of stuff that became big at the casino, could be heard there.....not just because they invested in the sounds theirselves, the regulars used to bring along tunes for them to play as well...something you wouldn't dream of doing or see happen now!........it really was a conceptual era.......

we have to be optimistic......this nomination sets a precedent......this music, this scene is an irresistable force.....for this film to win, let alone be nominated for an award, is an undeniable acceptance....FINALLY that it's part of british culture, and deservedly so......broadminded people understand it's place in the wider concept of contemporary music and that it is received with global recognition. to get to this point, to achieve an accolade it has to be put into context, how it all started..that is what this film replicates.

a life spent paying homage to northern soul has to be colorful, especially in teenage years, involving experimentation with drugs, styles, drink, sex and the music itself..finding out what it was all about.

elaine's film encapsulates life in the north west of england in an era of no prospects other than escapism...we know it's true because we've seen and lived it first hand..i think she's done a brilliant job of giving us a view of our heritage that is as close to real life as is humanly possible.

let us all hope it's equally possible for the powers that be, to deliver a long overdue acknowledgement.....in 4 days we will know.

we have to be optimistic......this nomination sets a precedent......this music, this scene is an irresistable force.....for this film to win, let alone be nominated for an award, is an undeniable acceptance....FINALLY that it's part of british culture, and deservedly so......broadminded people understand it's place in the wider concept of contemporary music and that it is received with global recognition. to get to this point, to achieve an accolade it has to be put into context, how it all started..that is what this film replicates.

a life spent paying homage to northern soul has to be colorful, especially in teenage years, involving experimentation with drugs, styles, drink, sex and the music itself..finding out what it was all about.

 

elaine's film encapsulates life in the north west of england in an era of no prospects other than escapism...we know it's true because we've seen and lived it first hand..i think she's done a brilliant job of giving us a view of our heritage that is as close to real life as is humanly possible.

 

let us all hope it's equally possible for the powers that be, to deliver a long overdue acknowledgement.....in 4 days we will know.

have you read the news article in full ?

its an award for

'Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer nominations'

how do you make the jump from that to all of the above ?

yes, i read the article when it was first announced. the film she has created is a reflection of what life was like on the 70's, but from a northern soul perspective.

i was simply relating to it, via a personal angle, one which will be duplicated by many my age, up and down the country.

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

Wrong film?

Any reference to Billy Elliot is a compliment!

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

That one`s called Soulboy! 

I enjoyed watching the movie and feel Elaine deserves the award.... All this talk of "keeping it underground" is pretty delude when £5 CD compilations have been available in every High Street for years. Some younger guys I know recently mentioned they had seen the movie and loved it. They know nothing about soul music, but have already purchased the soundtrack and asked to look at my 45's.... all because of the movie. 

Loved the film I could really relate to it from my early days of going to allnighters and everything that went with it. I learned a lot about life by going down that road more so than if had not done it, opened my eyes to a lot of things that is why I still enjoy doing it. Elaine is the only person that has showed how it was for many of us because she has done it herself, hence in my opinion her film beats all of the so called documentaries about the scene hands down. I wish her ever success in every thing see does.

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

As a semi pro critic its a shame you seem to have ignored both the actual style of filming, the real time scenes, all the action in the dark, the lighting etc, and also all the subplots going on, the dj ambitions, record discovery process, family challenges and lifes thrown away, that tied into lots of real life scene related experience that I thought were very skilfully woven through what I agree you could argue was a standard coming of age main plot, but then in most coming of age films its actually the sub plots that makes it stand out from the rest, as the journey is often the same at an overall level.

I think most people, possibly even Elaine, were surprised at the nomination. But at the end of the day it proves we can argue all day about the nuances of a Northern Soul film, but it being recognised just as a good film by film critics, and Elaine as a talented film maker probably makes it all worthwhile! And proves we don't know what we are talking about outside matrix numbers and run out grooves

Well put Jocko.

Good luck

 

As a semi pro critic its a shame you seem to have ignored both the actual style of filming, the real time scenes, all the action in the dark, the lighting etc, and also all the subplots going on, the dj ambitions, record discovery process, family challenges and lifes thrown away, that tied into lots of real life scene related experience that I thought were very skilfully woven through what I agree you could argue was a standard coming of age main plot, but then in most coming of age films its actually the sub plots that makes it stand out from the rest, as the journey is often the same at an overall level.

I think most people, possibly even Elaine, were surprised at the nomination. But at the end of the day it proves we can argue all day about the nuances of a Northern Soul film, but it being recognised just as a good film by film critics, and Elaine as a talented film maker probably makes it all worthwhile! And proves we don't know what we are talking about outside matrix numbers and run out grooves

you kept it shorter than my usual edification, but still said exactly the same thing...well said bro, proof the vast majority of us are on the same wavelength...i doubt very much weather even the most vehement doubters will resist cocking an eye at the tv, on sunday evening..even a begrudging smile in the event of a happy outcome....we, the northern soul fraternity are, by our very nature,a complex family, on a par with our musical tastes....elaine's film mirrors that to almost perfection, twisting and turning, with laughs and shocks along the way........let's all hope we have the last laugh on those who said it couldn't be done.

If it doesn't win we can always all chip in for a bootleg Bafta with exact repro label.

Really surprised to see this nominated! I thought it was a terribly predictable, stereotypical film. Not knocking the achievement of raising the funds and getting a film done, but to me it might as well have been Billy Elliott! Can we please have a dance film script that involves disenchanted youngster stumbling upon scene, instantly becomes a great dancer, cops off with the hottest NS girl in the club thus incurring the wrath of the existing (but bad) hot dancer?

 

A real disappointment in my opinion.

Well........you are entitled to your opinion, but the vast majority of folk on here who commented at the time of release seemed to think it was far from predictable and not at all stereotypical. Personally, the resonance with my life in the mid 70's was astonishing. I don't think anyone would have predicted quite how dark and gritty Elaine made elements of the film. It was a creation of great joy for me. And.....have you seen soulboy? or are you taking the piss?

the less said about soul boy, the better.....the fact is, elaine was in a position, through her own vast experience and insight, to take her time putting her film together, paying great care to all contributing factors.....painstaking at times......

HOW MANY people are there in this country who could say with all honesty and sincerity, that they could stand up and with conviction announce..they could portray northern soul any better?

alas,...it's not 1974 and it's doubtful that anyone then would have considered it worth the folly, sadly a year later footsee broke loose and so did that sceptical bastion of fleet street, the popular press..who never understood it then, and to a large extent, don't now.

is it only acceptable then, to produce something of this gravitas, because the scene has served it's time?

i passed comment elsewhere about comparisons with sir walter scott and the reintroduction of the kilt & bagpipes nearly a hundred years after "the clearances"

well, in the eyes & ears of the masses and the positive march of feet to the cinema doors, id say northern soul is very much in public vogue, it's taken time to be universally loved...but it is...no question.

this film rubberstamps that affirmation of love and gratitude.

In order to affirm some of the above comments, the "Northern Soul" soundtrack release has also been nominated for the Music Week Catalogue Campaign Of The Year too. It's been a huge success for the music business generally with incredible sales and an increased awareness in the potential of this music some 50 years later! It's incredible that in a time of massively declining CD sales, "Northern Soul" is Harmless's biggest-ever seller and one of the main sales highlights from 2014. This release brought a LOT of people back into the shops and has stimulated a younger audience that is keen to learn more. Fingers crossed! I'd LOVE it to win!

Ian D 

Well Pompeylor, as you started the adverse comments about the film - you don't seem to have much of a comeback!

I hope someone posts it on Youtube soon after she wins so I can see it

Classic. "You may have a shit job, but you iron your clothes and polish your shoes". You tell 'em Elaine.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/05/elaine-constantine-interview-northern-soul

I hope someone posts it on Youtube soon after she wins so I can see it

Don't you have a telly?

It's in the bag!!!

Don't you have a telly?

I live in Southern Spain Jim, no British TV

I live in Southern Spain Jim, no British TV

Sorry Dave, didn't realise that!

Right on Elaine. 

Sorry Dave, didn't realise that!

That's alright Jim, it has it's bonuses living here, no snow, decent summers, not much rain