The movie has ben nominated in 5 categories at the International Filmmakers Festival of World Cinema. Deborah Hadfield for best film and best director, Tabatha Williams for best actress, Jason Stevens for best actor and Dave Prowse for best supporting actor.

The cast and crew will be attending the red carpet awards which take place at the end of October!

Director Deborah Hadfield says "It's a thrill to be honoured in this way and I am grateful to everyone who has made this possible.

I am particularly delighted for my 3 wonderful actors who have been nominated, they really have earned this recognition of their work!"

Director Deborah Hadfield and the premiere of The Kindness of Strangers is featured in the press.

Director Deborah Hadfield was interviewed by the BBC on the premiere of her movie The Kindness of Strangers which will be screened at the Palais de Festival on Friday May 21st...also the director's birthday!

Debut director lives Cannes dream

By Fiona Pryor Entertainment reporter, BBC News, Cannes Director Deborah Hadfield at work on The Kindness of Strangers Deborah Hadfield at work on her first feature film

It might be where the stars come to tread the red carpet, but the Cannes Film Festival is also an important place for new talent to win their big break.

There is business to be made on the French Riviera, which is why first-time feature director Deborah Hadfield was so desperate to get here.

She endured a 20 hour mini-bus ride from England, travelling more than 1,000 miles overland because the volcanic ash cloud grounded her flight at the last minute.

"We were lucky to get a mini-bus so quickly," she reflects, remaining upbeat despite the prospect of a repeat journey on the way home.

At the moment, however, only one thing matters - finding a distributor for her romantic thriller The Kindness Of Strangers.

The film, which screens at the festival on Friday, stars David Prowse - best known for playing Darth Vader in Star Wars - as a man who searches across Europe for the truth behind his sister's death.

'Nerve-wracking'

"The dream is that we secure a high level distributor," she explains, which could give the film commercial life.

"The great thing about being here is you have a chance to meet people that, otherwise, it might take years for you to get meetings with."

One day it will be nice to be in competition with a major film

Deborah Hadfield Film director

Ms Hadfield, who only started shooting short films in 2005, confesses she is starting to feel the pressure about publicly unveiling her movie for the first time.

"Showing the film to industry people is very nerve-wracking," she says.

"Up until now it's been my pet project - my baby - and having it scrutinised is the moment you find out if it's more than just a dream. It's the moment of truth.

"But at the same time, it's a dream come true to actually have a film screened at Cannes.

"I think it's going to be quite an exciting moment. That's the beauty of Cannes. It makes you believe that your dreams can come true."

However, making the film was not an easy task. Ms Hadfield - a former journalist - says finding the finances to make the movie was the "most difficult challenge I have ever undertaken".

She adds: "If you're an established director it's tough enough to get money, but if you're a first-time director it's virtually impossible."

'Chasing the light'

It seems the mother-of-one relishes a challenge, but even she was surprised at just how much she had to take on.

"Most people when they do a low budget feature film would keep it to a local location with a very small cast," she says.

Hadfield worked with actor David Prowse on the film

Instead, Ms Hadfield took her entire cast and crew to Rome and France.

"We only had nine days to do it and we covered probably about 4,000 miles there and back."

Short of time, they worked long hours - some nights only getting an hour of sleep - before starting again.

"We were always pushing time. It was never about where can we eat and sleep - it was always about chasing the light," Ms Hadfield explains.

The actors rehearsed in the back of the minibus while they travelled, whilst Ms Hadfield spent a lot of her time trying to solve problems that arose during production.

"We were constantly having to be creative about how we did things and where we did things," she says.

Despite the sleepless nights and hard work that has gone into the project, the newcomer is already planning her next film.

"Film is a very difficult industry to survive in," she admits.

"One day it will be nice to be in competition with a major film and to get to that level, but for now to take this first step is exciting."

Director Deborah Hadfield has two films showing at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2010. The Kindness of Strangers will be premiered at the Palais De Festival on May 21st. Her film Naughty has been selected for the Short Film Corner at the festival too!

The Kindness of Strangers star holly Kenyon, played Beatrice is featured in Welsh papers over her appearance at the Cannes Film Festival for the movies premere.

Director Deborah Hadfield is gearing up to start work on her new feature film Sweetest Love. The movie will begin filming this summer in England, Rome and France.

The romantic comedy will star Tabatha Williams, Alessandro Parrello, Jason Stevens, Gemma Deerfield, and Holly Kenyon.

Deborah will unveil all the details of the project at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Queen Bee Films is scouting locations in Rome, Florence, Tuscanny, Nice, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Leicestershire.

The crew which made The Kindess of Strangers will be back together to make Sweetest Love which is inspired by a John Donne poem.

The love triangle follows Angela Thompstone who is in love with two men, but one of them is a ghost. Director Deborah Hadfield says "I'm thrilled at the chance to work with my team again.

"I am blessed with such a talented cast and crew who can literally perform miracles."

"Making The Kindess of Strangers gave me an appetite to share another great adventure with them."

Director Deborah Hadfield uveiled the first cut of the film The Kindness of Strangers to cast and crew at Cineworld in Burton up Trent. The post-production team is now completing the movie ready for screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May. They will be holding an exclusive preview for staff at the Hoar Cross Hall Spa Resport before putting the finishing touches to the movie.

The new trailer features music specially created by La composer Matthew Llewelyn.

The films is in post-production and the first assembly received a fabulous reception at the American Film Market in LA. The trip was made possible by the Department of Trade and Industry which has been supporting Queen Bee Films export campaign.

The movie features Darth Vader icon Dave Prowse, famous for his role in Star Wars. The movie filmed on locations across Europe including Amalfi, Rome, Passo Oscuro, Monte Carlo, Cannes, Alps, Paris, Dover, Burton, Hoar Cross and Swadlincote.

Queen Bee Films

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Debut director lives Cannes dream