Hastings film-maker promises lighted-hearted movie will lift spirits

The movie is now available on Amazon, one hour 37 minutes long and with a 13+ certificate, the tale of frontman Aaron who apparently has it all.

The mates, the band, a girl – and cancer.

“When he meets someone new, only he can decide whether to rock until he drops or grow up to survive,” Joe says.

“We were going to have a cinema release, Brixton and Greenwich and maybe some others, but it isn’t a big loss to me.

“I don’t think that that’s anything that I am too worried about.

“I think it is a good thing in a way. I think people have a desperate need to get to see some good films (online) because the industry has slowed down to a stop almost. I think to have it coming out now on Amazon is almost like the perfect time.

“It is a dreadful time for most people, but I think people are going to need a light-hearted film to watch during lockdown and beyond.

“And also I think music films have come much more into fashion than when I first made the film.”

Joe, who grew up in Hastings from the age of 11 and went to Hillcrest School then Filsham sixth form, said: “I was at film school at the University of Greenwich at the time. I wrote the script after my second year, during the summer, but I had had the idea in my head for quite a long time. It was something that I put down on paper.

“The starting idea was the lead singer of a really bad rock band with throat cancer. I played in quite a lot of bad bands when I was younger and that inspired me for some of the antics and some of the storyline in the film.

“There was a small chance that my university would let me make the film, and I managed to persuade them, and I made it for my thesis. I was able to use a lot of their equipment. We put it together on a very small budget.”

As for the cancer element of the plot, Joe was inspired by the death of a Hastings friend from cancer at around the age of 18 – and by the juxtaposition of “going out and having fun and hav-ng a young life and getting drunk… and feeling guilty” about the friend’s passing.

“I made the film about seven years ago, and it has taken a long time to finish it. It was finished, but there were a few scenes that needed to be reshot.

“I was lucky enough to know quite a few actors that were able to help me get it together, but without paying them it was extremely difficult to get everyone together at the same time.

“It was a question of just cutting and recutting and then the film distributors have had it for a couple of years.”

But Joe hopes people can now enjoy it: “I think it is a heart-warming film, especially for the times we are in at the moment.

“The subject matter is extremely dark, but it is very much a light-hearted humorous film.”

South of the River has been released for streaming on Amazon, Sky Store and iTunes.