LMH will next week play host to the first UK screening of new film Salmon Fishing
in the Yemen, starring Ewan McGregor, in aid of Oxford based charity Refugee Resource.
Based on a book by Paul Torday, the film stars Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt. The narrative centres around a fisheries expert who is approached to help realise a sheik’s dream of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert.
The film is set for general release in March, before which a star-studded London premiere will take place, but this event will be the first time it will actually be shown in the UK. There are scheduled to be two screenings followed by question-and-answer sessions with the writer, Simon Beaufoy, with proceeds from tickets going to Refugee Resource.
The charity works with refugees coming newly to the UK, often pairing them with a mentor, and aims to “improve well-being and facilitate the integration of refugees and asylum seekers — mainly in Oxfordshire — by providing practical, social and psychological support.”
Slumdog Millionaire writer Mr. Beaufoy, a graduate of Oxford University and resident of Jericho, expressed his attachment to the charity to the Oxford Mail saying the charity did “incredibly important work providing people who arrive from all over the world with support.” After hearing that the charity was low on funding, Mr. Beaufoy decided to show his support by way of the charity screening, for which tickets will be sold for £30-50.
Sue Snelders of Refugee Resource said that it was “amazing” that this would be first time the film was shown in the UK and that it was “very generous” of Simon Beaufoy.
Neither Mr. Beaufoy nor the charity revealed whether there would be any celebrities at the event. Ms. Snelders revealed that “we may have to put on some security for guests on the night,” however Franc Strazzeri of Mr. Beaufoy’s agency told Cherwell that “it is not a première, so it is unlikely, in my opinion that there will be any of the talent there.” He added however that he could not comment with any certainty.
Refugee Resource would not comment on the event to Cherwell directly because they had not been cleared to do so by LMH. The screenings will involve one matinee and one black tie evening event on the 15th January.
