Home | fayprestodocumentary

BAFTA-recognised festival and the UK’s only film festival celebrating female filmmaking talent across the crafts. The film is nominated in the "Editing" category.

25 Nov, 15:00 - Screening at BFI Southbank, London

http://www.underwirefestival.com/events/growing-up-is-optional/

14-19 Nov, Fringe Film Festival, London

Annual queer film and arts festival Fringe,

Screening at Hackney Showroom, NOV 19th 15:00

Festival program and tickets here: http://www.fringefilmfest.com/fringe-17/

10-15th Oct, Iris Prize, UK

BAFTA-recognised festival and the world's leading LGBT festival. Shortlisted for Best British Short.

http://www.irisprize.org/news/4576/

15-17th Sep, Women over 50 Film festival, UK

Awarded with a Special Commendation for Best Documentary 2017. Celebrates the work of older women on both sides of the camera.

http://wofff.co.uk

26-28th May, Fastnet Film Festival, Ireland

Won for Best Documentary 2017 at Fastnet Film festival.

http://www.fastnetfilmfestival.com

27th April, The Learning on Screen Awards, BFI Southbank

Won a Special Commendation at a ceremony at BFI Southbank.

http://bufvc.ac.uk/events/learningonscreen/nominations-announced-2017-awards

11th March, Screentest, UK's National student film festival

The film has been nominated for Best Documentary at Screentest: The National Student Film festival.

9th March, Screening at Rich Mix Venue, London

Including a Q&A with me and my contributor Fay Presto.

http://shortsightedcinema.com/programmes/transform-2017/

01

Fay Presto: Queen of Close-up

A portrait of the legendary Fay Presto; the UK’s most in-demand close-up and cabaret magician who would rather die on stage than quit performing

TRAILER

Play Video

About the film

Influencing hundreds of magicians and making way for women in the magic world, Fay’s humour and brilliance has led her to perform for the Queen on six separate occasions as well as doing private magic shows in countless of celebrities’ homes.

This 16 minute documentary reflects on Fay’s everyday life as a magician and, at age 70, an older woman in a youth obsessed entertainment industry. It touches upon gender roles and ageing, shows the struggle of earning a living as a performer, and, through her memories, gives us a glimpse into the glamorous days of the London 80s.

02

Doyenne of close-up magic

Fay Presto is a famous British magician and a member of The Inner Magic Circle.

In 2001, Fay Presto played herself in ITV's Emmerdale. In 1998 she was voted ‘Party Entertainer of the Year’ by Tatler Magazine. Channel 4 voted her "Bottle Thru Table" trick the 37th Greatest Magic Trick of All Time. Fay was part of an early movement in the UK magic scene, creating a brand new genre of Close-up magic, taking her special brand of magic to the restaurants of London. In 2012 Presto won the title of The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year 2012. Since 2014 Fay now is part of the UK touring show Champions of Magic, alongside fellow magicians Edward Hilsum, Alex Mclear and Young & Strange.

She’s recognised as an icon in the LGBTQ community and can still be seen live at her London residency Langan’s Brasserie every Thursday night, where she has been since the very start of her magic career.”

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

HANNA AQVILIN

CAMERA/SOUND

HANNA AQVILIN

EDITOR

HANNA AQVILIN

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

ANDERS HALLSTEN

COLORIST

MICHELLE CORT

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

JILL DAMATAC FUTTER

NANCY PLATT

MENTOR

crew

Director's statement

Fay Presto is a remarkable woman. As one of the first female magicians in an otherwise male dominated field, she is nationally recognised for introducing the thrill of close-up magic to a UK audience in the 1970s

At the time, magic was typically presented on stage but Fay revolutionised the art form, bringing it into restaurants and performing her tricks in immediate proximity to guests.

When I first heard about Fay I immediately felt that she would be a great character for a documentary. Not only has she built and maintained an incredibly successful career but she is also widely admired for her cheeky humour and colourful personality.

Fay has long been suspicious towards journalists and it was difficult for me as a filmmaker to gain access when I first approached her. Throughout the years, she has experienced a lot of prejudices and the media has often pushed for stories relating to her gender – rather than exploring her remarkable journey as a magician.

Hanna Aqvilin

Swedish director and journalist based in London

www.aqvilin.com

hanna@aqvilin.com

BIO: This documentary was produced as thesis film during a MA in Documentary Film at London College of Communication, UAL. Hanna Aqvilin previously worked for Sweden’s Public Television, with published articles in national newspapers. She has worked as a journalist in New York and Buenos Aires, and moved to London in 2015 as a candidate for an MA in Documentary Film at UAL’s London College of Communication.

To find out more about her previous and future projects, visit her website: aqvilin.com