Part of the Madding Crowd

Breaking from tradition and before this gets too strange, I'll relate a series of events. Obviously, they all connected to film.

Last week I entered and won a competition on Facebook from the film's page. It was to win tickets to a Gala Screening of 'Far From the Madding Crowd'. To enter, you had to send in a photograph of the countryside you had taken. I sent this:

To be honest, I'm not a lucky person and I don't win things (usually), not by luck anyway. This, was by luck. I didn't expect to win. I took the photograph a few years back, it is a view from Corfe Castle in Dorset and it won me a pair of tickets. Unfortunately, the Gala Screening is in Bridport, Dorset and is actually tomorrow (17th). I managed to swap days at work so I could go, but due to the long distance, my lack of transport and nowhere to stay that was affordable, I had to bow out.

I was really annoyed. I had started planning trains to get there, looking desperately for accommodation but alas it wasn't meant to be. I would go far for a film but I can't for a 4 hour journey. I actually really sad that I couldn't go. Sorry to get all melodramatic.

I found out on Facebook that the World Premiere was to be at BFI Southbank (favourite place). Luckily I finished early from work so headed down to the river. I almost fell asleep on a bench, tried to eat a bagel and drank the world's smallest latte. I got a space at the front next to two fans of Matthias Schoenaerts and thought, 'I'm in good company here'.

It started to get a little bit crowded but not Leicester Square crowded, people could still walk around with ease without the fear of being squished by watchers and fans. I was very excited about this film, not only because of the cast or the fact that Thomas Vinterberg directed, but also, its a British film and it's kind of a big deal. An adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic, costume drama, British film's bread and butter.

Anyway, back to the red carpet. I managed to get a few decent photographs, be blinded (and overwhelmed) by the photographers, all crowded into a small space opposite from where I was. I managed to get this gem:

We have our friend in the middle there, most likely making this one of the most awkward selfie red carpet photos ever?  Carey Mulligan is a great sport, she went round to all the fans, signing things from photos to scraps of paper to bags.

After posting the photo on Instagram (like you do) I was told to look at The Daily Telegraph the next morning. This is what I found.

 Not only did I make it into some videos of the event, but I appeared in some newspapers online and print. I think this might be a rare occasion, making the front page of The Daily Telegraph.

Of course the first thing I did was burst out laughing, then show my friend at work, send a link to my friends who were at the premiere with me, and my family. All had the correct response, laughing, because its so bizarre. But it is a great photo.

I take away from this last week, that I won a competition, but didn't get to reap the rewards (which I am still really gutted about) but I got to be at the front for a premiere of a film I've been waiting for  ages to see and I was on the front of a national newspaper. Pretty good week I suppose. Now I'm REALLY geared up for the film, which is out on May 1st.