Dancers 'ought to be in cinema' (From Oxford Mail)

Dancers 'ought to be in cinema'

5:18pm Friday 13th February 2009

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A Morris dancer has launched a campaign to get a star-studded film about her hobby shown across the UK.

Cat Moore, 28, from Graham Road, Bicester, has been described as a “force of nature” for her efforts to get Morris: A Life With Bells On into mainstream cinemas.

The mother-of-one has seen nearly 5,000 people sign up to her online campaign to persuade film distributors to take an option on the comedy, which stars Sir Derek Jacobi , Greg Wise and Ian Hart.

She said: “I think it looks amazing. It looks so funny and it sort of looks exactly how Morris dancing is.

“Morris dancing is a bit quirky and we know it looks funny and you have to dress up in funny clothes.

“We take the dancing seriously but we don’t take ourselves seriously, and it seems to capture that.”

Morris: A Life With Bells On has been shown in a few village halls and community centres, but failed to be released UK-wide after film distribution companies said they considered morris dancing “a bit niche”.

The film is shot as a mock documentary and follows Derecq Twist, who intends to perfect a daring and innovative version of the dance called Extreme Morris.

When he is expelled from the Morris Circle, the hobby’s governing body, he heads to America, but faces an agonising choice between his love for dance and his new life.

Mrs Moore, who has not seen the film but has watched a trailer online, said: “I think the film will get rid of a few stereotypes people have about Morris dancing.

“The production company really wants the film to be shown and it has shown it to the distributors and they loved it, but they didn’t think there was an audience for it.”

Her petition reads: “We, the undersigned, are desperately excited about the film Morris: A Life With Bells On and would like it to be shown in cinemas all over the UK and preferably the world.

“We promise that if it is showing in a cinema near to us we will flock to it in vast numbers.”

Morris dancer Jane Bird, 32, from Faringdon, who is one of 4,849 people to have signed the petition, said: “I haven’t seen any evidence people don’t want to watch the film. I have seen lots of evidence that people do.”

Lucy Akhurst, the film’s writer and director, said: “I am completely overwhelmed by the petition. It is extraordinary. They are getting about 1,000 signatures every five days.

“It could well lead to full-scale distribution of the film. If it does I will owe Cat the most extraordinary place at the premiere.”

A trailer for the film and a link to the petition are at morrismovie.com ghamilton@oxfordmail.co.uk

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