A fan-made film marking Bradford City’s Wembley triumph from the perspective of 1,000 supporters was shown for the first time during a big screen premiere at the National Media Museum last night.
The 13-minute movie, pieced together from mobile phone clips sent in by supporters, was played to friends and family of director David Nowakowski days before it makes its public debut on Friday.
The ‘social media experiment ’ saw the 28-year-old, of Wibsey, use Facebook and Twitter to ask fans to film their capital day out when the Bantams returned to Wembley for the second time in three months for the League Two play-off final in May.
He was inundated with footage from as far away as Hong Kong and Australia, which he then edited together using the help of the Minneapolis Film School in America, where he now lives.
We Made History: The Fans, filmed before, during and after City’s 3-0 win against Northampton Town, is now being shown at the National Media Museum as a trailer to three films over the Christmas period.
“All those months ago when I came up with the idea I never imagined it would come to this,” said Mr Nowakowski, a member of Bradford band Scars on 45.
“If I had only received a few clips that would have been it, but we got so much material we haven’t been able to use it all.
“We’ve been working hard to make it absolutely perfect and I hope people really enjoy watching it and reliving that historic day. It is absolutely amazing, albeit emotional, to see it on the big screen. There are so many great moments and I’m so grateful to all the fans who sent in their clips.”
The project has been supported by the National Media Museum and David Wilson, who is director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film.
Mr Nowakowski said he was now considering submitting the movie to film festivals and hoped it would be shown on the big screen in Centenary Square during next year’s World Cup.
Mr Wilson added: “This is a real meeting of hearts and minds, using new technology and social networks.”
The film will be shown before Nebraska at 5.40pm on Friday and before showings of It’s A Wonderful Life at 11.40am on Saturday, December 21 and 5.05pm on Boxing Day. To book tickets visit nationalmediamuseum.org.uk.
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