A powerful new documentary is set to be screened in Liverpool this week, offering a compelling and heartfelt portrait of the city’s Walton district.
Commissioned by Hat Trick Productions (Have I Got News for You, Derry Girls) co-founder and managing director, as well as former Everton FC co-owner, Jimmy Mulville, himself a Walton native. Of People and Place is a 30-minute film shot entirely on location in Walton and aims to challenge recent narratives about the area and spotlight the community’s creativity and resilience.
It explores Walton through the eyes of its residents, highlighting grassroots initiatives and the transformative power of art. The ambition is to ensure the community isn’t defined by the 2024 riots, which spread following the Southport stabbings and included 300 people gathering near Walton’s County Road Mosque while the Spellow Lane Library Hub and a local shop were set on fire. The film is “a real celebration of community spirit” and offers up art and culture as an alternative to young people as a means of expression.
The premiere will take place at Alsop High School on the evening Thursday 9 October, with Culture Liverpool supporting the red-carpet event. Attending the premiere will be members of the community who feature in the documentary, Jimmy Mulville, producer Jaynie Miller, director Carl Hunter, along with pupils from local schools.
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Hat Trick’s Mulville said: “Walton was my home for the first twenty years of my life. It educated me at Alsop Comprehensive – as it was then – from 1966 to 1974 enabling me to follow my dreams. More importantly than that the people of Walton gave me a thorough education in generosity of spirit and resilience.
“The people I grew up with surprised you with their wisdom and cracked you up with their wit. They also took great delight in proving people wrong. In this beautiful film, Of People and Place, you will see that the people of Walton are to this day the same generous, resilient, good-humoured people who love to prove people wrong. I’m proud to be associated with it.”
Producer Miller added: “At a time where there is so much division in the world and on our own doorsteps, it’s been a pleasure to work on this documentary and to be reminded about the strength of community. The importance of the creative arts in bringing people together and lifting individuals out of their darkest moments, cannot be overstated.”
