A Manchester landlady has joined her pub on the big screen to raise awareness about the culture of knife crime.
Stephanie Thickett, who manages The Melville pub in Stretford, Manchester, was approached with a request to use her venue for scenes in Perpetuity, a short film about knife crime and youth culture which is already gaining attention on social media. The film follows Naomi, a youth worker suffering from PTSD after a traumatic knife crime incident involving a young person in her care. As her memories resurface through sensory triggers and fractured flashbacks, Naomi struggles to maintain composure in a world that expects her to stay strong.
Not only did Thickett readily agree to let The Melville, one of 127 North West pubs owned by the Joseph Holt brewery, be used as a filming location. She also ended up playing a key role as Maria — a character who supports Naomi through her trauma.
The call to use The Melville came from Moving Parts Media, a community-based production company that needed a space to shoot a club scene.
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The mother of one, who has run The Melville for four years after working her way up from part time bar staff, explained: “Our function room was perfect — it’s frequently used for events because of its size. What I didn’t expect was being offered a role in the film. But Perpetuity relies heavily on improvised dialogue, so I just thought, well why not – especially since I feel so strongly about the issues it was raising. Knife crime is a huge issue across the country. It’s vital we raise awareness about how it wrecks lives, causes lasting trauma for those who witness it and what we can do to tackle it”
“What`s more, I loved my character! Maria is a single, outspoken nail technician with a bit of a party animal side.”
Now set to premiere, Perpetuity has been submitted to several film festivals. Its producers plan to show it in community hubs to spread the message and promote understanding of the issues it explores.
A spokesperson for Moving Parts Media said: “Steph not only delivered a brilliant performance, but she also helped shape her character from the ground up and generously offered her pub as a key filming location. Her support was essential in bringing this story to life.”
Mark Norbury, director of pubs at Joseph Holt added: “As community hubs, our pubs are far more than just places to enjoy a drink – they are the beating heart of the neighbourhoods they serve. . This film raises such important issues and we`re glad Steph and The Melville could play its part.”
