With the almost universal ‘Movember’ drawing to a close so too is the 2012 Philip Bloom Movember Film Competition.
Bloom is a 41 year old British independent cinematographer who is considered the ‘guru’ of independent film makers. He has travelled the world with SKY but also won awards and been widely praised for a wide range of independent documentaries and films. He was motivated to start the Movember Film Competition because he has “lost so many people so special to me over the years, from very young to old” including his grandfather who died of prostate cancer. His uncle has since been diagnosed with it but caught it early enough to be treatable.
One entry that caught Motherpedia’s eye is this one from Barcelona-based, Oliver Fowler.
Gone To Ground from Oliver Fowler on Vimeo.
His concept of ‘Gone to Ground’ came from a dream in which a man he cared about in was burying himself alive because he wasn’t doing anything about a difficult situation. Despite those around the man, including Oliver, wanting to help him, their feet were stuck to the ground.
“The idea for the film was to capture that feeling, the sensation of not being able to help someone in distress – yet from the perspective of being paralysed with fear. Men can be their own worst enemies when it comes to seeking medical advice.”
He says he wants his short film to encourage men, their friends, their partners and loved ones not to hide from their fear of illness.
“Share it. Please. And if you suspect there’s something wrong with someone, do your best to coax them out of their silence and their inertia,” Oliver says.
“The point is with prostate cancer is it’s so treatable but so many men don’t want to get tested.
“The test is intrusive but it could save your life.”
One in 9 men in developed countries will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Oliver says he is particularly mindful of the need for testing, especially since becoming dad to a gorgeous daughter.
“If you’re 50+, you should get a prostate test routinely. If you’re younger but have a family history of it, you should also get it done routinely.
“I wouldn’t want to leave my wife and daughter alone simply because I was too concerned about a test or thought it couldn’t happen to me.”
Oliver says he entered the competition as a contribution to raising awareness of ‘Movember’.
“The desire to tell a story that meant something to me, and to have others watch it - that is a thrill. The fact is if you make a film, no matter how short, you want people to watch and like it.
Oliver’s entry was filmed at Oakpool, near his native Newcastle, England – a place he describes as “wild, yet in tune with man’s subtle creations of mature country lanes and farmhouses dating back centuries, nestled in amongst wild moors.”
The haunting music to accompany it was both composed and played by Oliver as a homage to “one of the great unsung heroes of music, Philip Glass.”
You can donate to 'Movember' here.
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