Following the screening of the film, as predicted, I was too emotional and downright scared to remember anything

I was meant to say when I stood up to thank everyone...

In fact, I blacked out completely and can't remember

any of what I ended up saying in the end 

(and that was before even sniffing a drop

of alcohol).

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So please let me take the time to 

thank you all properly:

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Obviously, you gotta start with your

mamma. This whole thing started from a

conversation I had with my mum whilst she

was washing up. She told me about the concept of the play I based the film on and I was off. She then proceeded to put up with me making a nest and living at the dining room table for the next six months, whilst I researched and bought and wrote and prepared and phoned and emailed in every single waking hour, making around 400 cups of tea and coffee a day.

Then she put up with me when we didn't get the funding the first time around and we shelved Last Summer for a further six months.

AND THEN she put up with the first step being repeated, with double the brews being made and double the electricity being used and double the hours spent at the dining room table.

Thank you for never feeding or even giving me an ego, and in turn, thank you for always believing, and encouraging me to believe that all my goals are achievable.

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Thank you also to my brother who donated many a hoodie and fleece and even his laptop whilst mine briefly went into a coma. And to Paul, my mum's partner, for never finding any of your generous favours too much. From driving up and down Greater Manchester and the Peak District to borrowing vans and equipment from work.

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In fact, my entire immediate family (including the cat, who was disturbed and cuddled profusely at obscene hours of the night), need medals for tolerating Last Summer being the subject of every conversation for eighteen months solid... I can't promise that will change for a while after the film's release...

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To my dearest friends, one of whom flew home from university especially for the screening as a surprise, I love you with all of my heart. I may have poured blood, sweat and tears by the gallon into this, but along with my biological family, you, my tiny adopted family, have been wiping it all up, no questions asked and without judgement.

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The Crew of Last Summer:

You absolute legends.

You talents.

You glorious human beings.

It's fairly obvious to say, 'I couldn't have done it without you guys', but what I mean is I couldn't have done it without each of you as people; without each of your characteristics. I've become closer to the people on the team who I already knew before the project took off and I've made new friends along the way too. I can't stress how much I'd love to work with every single one of you again. This project would've been so, so different if just one of you never came on board.

Your dedication and passion for this film blows me away and I'm stunned daily by the faith you put into it.

So, 'grateful' is a dismally small word to use here.

Thank you, thank you, one million times over.

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Ali.

The other 50% of the cast.

My Ben.

I couldn't have asked for a better on-screen partner and your knowledge and understanding of Emma and Ben's story really did breathe life into the whole piece. You taught me so much and you stuck with me right from me first sending you the script, asking if you'd have a read and if you'd like to come on board. I will never be able to thank you enough.

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To Reuben's Retreat...

I've had to sit here shaking my head for so long before finding the words to say:

Your generosity, when everything you work towards relies on the generosity of others, has been overwhelming. 

From catering days one and two of the shoot, to giving us space to shelter from the rain, to sharing our work online and cheering us on and putting us in touch with people who can help us...

23 hugs and kisses from each of us to all of you.

And with said references to #23 in the script:

I know when you see these in the physical world they're signs from Reuben, but who says we can't send him messages too?

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To my mum's neighbours, Glen and Jo, who were pretty much responsible for the screening coming to life, thank you for your unlimited generosity in the most random of areas, from getting signs printed, to buying 16 bottles of fizz for the event itself. You, and your cats, are legends.

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To all of the establishments and institutions that helped us, whether it was via money, advice, research facilities, tech and gear, filming locations, event locations, catering or social media support, you were invaluable to our success. You gave us the foundations to build our story and to reach out to our audience.

Thank you for EVERYTHING.

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To Paula Morris, who wrote a little play called Last Summer, way back in 1985:

I don't know where you are in the world, or what your name is now, or if you're still writing. I don't know if you still have a copy of your script or if you kept the original newspaper clippings. 

But I want to thank you for writing your version, so that my mum could be in it, so that she could tell me about it, so that I could write my own version based on the concept of yours.

I would love for you to see our film one day and I would love to see the original script too. It will be interesting to see the differences in dialogue and characterisation and the plot itself.

Until then, I hope you have been well!

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To our fantastically generous sponsors:

COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE ANY MORE AWESOME?!?!

Your enthusiasm and support for this project has staggered me. I am so, so humbled by your faith and response. We very literally couldn't have done this without you.

You did everything from pay for the paper cups we put tea and coffee in on set, all the way to paying for the additional equipment hire. You paid wages and hired locations. You paid for transport and accommodation. You paid for costume and props. You paid for the tools we needed to make this thing real. To bring this thing from page to screen. And that is truly, truly magical. Each and every one of you are special human beings and you will never know how deeply I love you all for what you have done.

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To the people who doubted me; to the people who doubted that this film would ever hit camera, let alone a screen; to the people who doubted it would make people laugh and cry; to the people who thought I would/should give up after one try; to the people who doubted just how much I wanted this to happen and just how likely I was to succeed in making it happen:

Thank you for inadvertently making it even more likely.

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And finally, thank you to all those who came to the screening.

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us after the film.

Thank you for having your picture taken on the bench that was used in the film.

Thank you for writing in our guest book, which I was only emotionally stable enough to read weeks after the screening.

Thank you for sharing our experience with us.

Thank you for travelling and cheering and all of your words of support.

We hope you had a lovely evening!

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Thank you for getting to the end of this message, dear reader.

And so, to all those who care about this little film, thank you for making my dreams come true.

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Amy JK xx

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