1 IN 4 Movie Festival Introduction A Streetcat Named Bob

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I am actively helping promote Preston's UCLan University One In Four movie festival, and tonight, I am introducing the movie myself to the audience. This is the speech I'm giving to do that. The film is A Streetcat Named Bob, reviewed by me on other pages on Mylot. Welcome to the 1 In 4 Film Festival. We’re about half way through a week of amazing screenings now, with a film about an astonishing cat, but is much more than an ‘aw, isn’t he lovely’ movie. It is a very true story about (without spoiling the plot for you) a man, recovering from serious drug addiction, homelessness and sheltered housing in Britain, the reality of the life of Big Issue sellers which will hopefully make people think twice about casually saying no thanks when offered a copy, and also a study of how having problems and issues can alienate us from our families, the first people we might hope and expect to stand by us. It is the family separation faced by James Bowen the main character in the film, that I relate to most of all. Having issues, not conforming, being a bit of an embarrassment leading to most of the family cutting you off, not being welcome to the family house even at Christmas and new year – been there, faced that. Bob, in some ways overshadows his owner. A Street Man Called Jim would not be a interesting a movie, but there are lots of Jims and Arthurs out there, who won’t get the kind of breaks Bob creates for his carer (I use that word quite purposely here). You will see just how much Bob and Jim came to care for one another as the film unfolds. I also recommend James Bowen’s books, on which the film is based. They are very moving. Bob is undoubtedly an amazing cat, and it is Bob you see most of the time on screen playing himself, though with the help of eight stunt cats and two animatronic cats too, (yes I watched the DVD extras as well as the film itself) but it is also Jim’s story and one faced by hundreds of addiction recovery people on the streets today. Comensus exists to bring awareness of the 25 percent of the population facing some kind of mental health crisis as well as the many people who support them, and care for them, professionally and just by being family and friends who stand by them in their hour of need, often at some strain and risk to their own well-being. Many people still hold the mentally ill, homeless, the addicts, the loners, the different in any way among us, in fear, loathing and contempt. Comensus, as the educations on offer at UCLan and other universities, help to destroy the fears and taboos around the Bobless Jims out here. Fear of the mentally ill is a social phobia in just the same way as homophobia, xenophobia and other hatreds are. Education and the arts, including the cinematic arts, help to change such deluded, dangerous perceptions. I would like to see our own festival one day look at mental health presentation in literature, poetry, art and music too. Comensus is largely run by volunteers. If you want to learn about depression, you don’t just have to read a text book, you can talk to those who have been there, and who still have depression. If you want to know what someone faces for being gay, or transexual, ask them. My family life was never the same after I disappointed them through my long indulgence in a cult, due to being brainwashed. My long term unemployment has been thrown in my face constantly. Virtually any family argument ended with me being told that without work I had no rights. Even after I escaped the cult my family still saw me as someone to distance themselves from. I used to jokingly call myself the mad uncle in the attic who no one referred to in polite company but I ended up becoming that very person. I ultimately had to change cities to avoid literally ending up on the streets. Unlike James Bowen, I doubt if I could survive the experience. It has been meeting other Comensus volunteers and the team here that has helped me to feel less alone, less alienated, and better able to share my insights. Movies such as we show here at the annual festival get the message over better than I can though. Our university students, the medics and social workers of the next generation, already have the longing to understand and a passion to help those in need. That’s why they chose social welfare study over civil engineering. I’m not saying civil engineers don’t care. We need their kind of bridges too. Many here today undoubtedly want to help make a difference for the better for everyone too. Hopefully movies like Streetcat, Coco, and A Fantastic Woman, will help others to think more about what it really means to be one of the One In Four too. If you feel that you can support Comensus, we always need more volunteers, as speakers, writers, leaflet distributers, campaigners, friends, willing to help shatter the misperception of many who either wouldn’t watch movies like those we screen, or who would fail to see the important meanings in such presentations. Enjoy the movie, enjoy the adventures of a truly incredible and beautiful cat, and remember that it is as much a story about Jim, Arthur, Tom, Anne, Mary, and thousands of others, with or without cats, and in many cases, without a Comensus too. Imagine how James Bowan might have fared had Bob never entered his life. There will be a question and answer session after the movie so do stick around for that after the credits roll. Cue the film, Lights, camera, action….. . Youtube - trailer for the movie Arthur Chappell