A Lozells director is overwhelmed by glowing reviews of his debut Amazon Prime film. ‘Bluff’, shot by Muslim filmmaker Sheikh Shahnawaz, is now screening on the global subscription service.
Incredibly, the feature-length thriller cost only £1,500 to make – with one-man crew Mr Shahnawaz also producing and writing the film’s script. Filmed entirely in Birmingham, it follows the story of an undercover cop posing as a heroin addict. He conceals his identity to infiltrate a dangerous drug network.
Since launching on the streaming service, the Lozells-born director has been contacted by strangers around the world who were touched by his work.
The 27-year-old told BirminghamLive: “It’s been amazing to read reviews from strangers around the country and other parts of the world. One woman cried when she watched Bluff because she lost her son-in-law to heroin addiction. I feel incredibly happy to finally share it with audiences. You don’t make art only for yourself – you also want to share it with others.”
The Making of ‘Bluff’
Most of the crime flick is shot in Lozells, Handsworth, Edgbaston and the city centre. It has an entirely Midlands-based cast.
“Bluff was made over the last two years on a £1,500 budget,” said Mr Shahnawaz. “I was forced to make this film with my own resources.”
Mr Shahnawaz is dedicating Bluff, first shown to a Birmingham audience in October last year, to his late father who passed away from a heart attack. The former Coventry University media student said: “It’s deeply personal. Not only having to deal with my father’s death, but also because it’s set in Birmingham and deals with homelessness and the illicit trade of heroin – prevalent issues here.
Source: www.birminghammail.co.uk
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