A DIRECTOR from Bolton has helped create a short film to raise awareness of domestic abuse. Paul Blinkhorn, from Atherton, teamed up with writer Jayne Marshall to create Hand to Hand Combat, a seven minute movie shot during lockdown. It is based on a monologue originally written by Jayne which was performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2018 and aired on BBC Radio Manchester, The film features 45 women who all have links to Greater Manchester - including Bolton actress Julie Foy - performing the monologue. It was written after Jayne witnessed a man shouting at a woman in the centre of Manchester.
by David Prior
A cast of 45 Manchester-based women star in a new short film, backed by Creative England, that seeks to raise awareness of domestic abuse.
Written by playwright Jayne Marshall and directed by Paul Blinkhorn, Hand To Hand Combat launched on YouTube today.
It was originally performed as a play at the Royal Exchange Theatre and aired on BBC Radio Manchester, and was a winner of the Manchester Monologues competition.
Blinkhorn has received training from Creative England via the Ideate Manchester programme.
He and Marshall said: “if just one person is able to find comfort and safety from the film then we will have achieved our goal.”