BLUE

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MA graduate debuts feature film on Amazon Prime

Bath Spa University MA Feature Filmmaking graduate Deva Palmier is making a name for herself in the land of movie magic, with her most recent film ‘BLUE’ securing a sales agent/distributor and a release on Prime Video UK, USA and Canada.

BLUE is a supernatural drama, feature film, starring Rosie Allerhand, Chris Keelty and Gemma Jones (Rocketman), with songs performed by Shirley Henderson. The film is written, directed and lensed by Deva Palmier with music composed by Ben Morales Frost, edited by Nigel Bunyan and Ronit Meranda, and produced by Adam Gregory Smith of Hidden Art Films.

The film follows a mother coping with the loss of her daughter and documents the journey from grief to acceptance, with many poignant moments showcased along the way.

Speaking about the film’s production, director Deva said:

“We shot BLUE during lockdown and I cast my neighbours – a communications manager, a roofer and a teacher – to play the lead roles. They all fitted filming around their regular jobs and childcare and gave outstanding, touching performances. BLUE now has a sales agent and distributor and has been released on Amazon Prime USA, UK and Canada. We were honoured to also work with two BAFTA award winning actors, Gemma Jones (Rocketman) and Shirley Henderson (Awarded Best Actress in a musical at the Olivier Awards 2018).”

Not only did Deva make the most of the tricky lockdown conditions, the film was also shot locally, with most of production taking place in nearby Frome.

The film is an exploration of a mother’s love and delves deep into aspects of loss, love and trauma. Despite a modest budget of around £15,000, the film showcases visual quality way above its valuation.

Speaking about her passion for the project, Deva continued:

“All of my projects I write from my heart, written fundamentally from my deep core. It was so difficult to balance the tone of the film as people think you’re either making a tragedy or a comedy. For me, I think it’s really important to blend these tones together.”

Deva discovered more about her craft at Bath Spa University, where she completed an MA in Feature Filmmaking. Discussing her experiences at BSU, Deva reflected on the valuable lessons learned when looking to complete her first feature film:

“I studied an MA in Feature Filmmaking and it was brilliant. I had been trying to make a feature film for so many years but things fell through for one reason or another and I just couldn’t fathom how to make a feature film, but thanks to my MA I finally did! It gave me the confidence to look deeper and take what I was doing seriously.”

Deva’s determination in the face of adversity serves as an inspiration, with the director’s story certain to resonate with many aspiring creatives.

Looking to inspire the next generation of young filmmakers, Deva offered a key piece of advice:

“I cannot stress enough: just get a camera and make the film! My nickname is the ‘snow plough’, because I just keep going no matter what is thrown at me and that’s what you need. If you’re terrified, do it. If you feel you can’t do it, do it. Just make the film and stop waiting. Be terrified and go for it.”

‘BLUE’ is streaming now on Amazon Prime video on UK, US and Canada, with Deva AKA the ‘snow plough’ already planning to continue her momentum with the release of a second feature film, titled ‘Three Degrees’.

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