Image Credit: @Ceryslovesfilm on Instagram
Ceryslovesfilm is a North East TikTok creator with over 130,000 followers. She built her following by reviewing movies online and rating her follower’s favourite films. In this article, I discuss with Cerys her experiences at the London Borderlands film premiere, North East representation and being a woman in the film critic space.
Her recent invitation to the London premiere of Borderlands in Leister Square was a remarkable milestone. “It was completely not what you would expect. It’s more of an experience,” Said Cerys.
Cerys describes herself as “chronically early” to everything. When given a designated time for arrival, she figured five minutes earlier wouldn’t hurt. But it turned out that these are given specifically to ensure the flow of the premiere runs smoothly with the two cinema screenings.
After signing in at the NDA desk Cerys made her way in ready for her photograph. The first surprise of the night came right away: the red carpet. “ A red carpet is a lot smaller than you would expect, it’s tiny ”
The red carpet is still glamorous but far less over-the-top. “Especially because ours was indoors, it’s maybe like only 5-10 meters long”
The premiere made sure to raise the stakes for other movies. They kept things fun and interactive by creating Tiny Tina’s Fun Fair, where they gave out game tokens to attendees and had actors walking around. They had all the carnival classics like claw machines, toy car racing and knockdown games.
Cerys was then escorted to the cinema. She shares how she didn’t initially realise the IMAX and Super Screen share a connecting door . She initially walked into the IMAX screen, feeling thrilled—“Oh my God, I’m in an IMAX screening, life is great!”—but then they directed her to the smaller screening room, which she reffered to as a slightly humbling moment, yet still states her gratitude for the experience.
The seating was unallocated, and they treated everyone to complimentary drinks and snacks.
Afterwards, she had to place her phone in a secure bag and sign several agreements, promising not to discuss the film until a specific date and time.
What Cerys didn’t expect was how much downtime there would be. “The first time you go, you think it’s going to be moving all the time, but there is a lot of time where you just have to sit and wait. It’s about getting everyone through and getting all this positive press.”
The chance to take part in an interview and offer your opinions on the film is, for many, one of the most thrilling aspects of a premiere. Following the screening, Cerys was eager for the opportunity.
However, she humorously noted that her honesty in the post-premiere interview might not have endeared her to the industry. “I think I gave the world’s worst interview answer.” Said Cerys
As she found herself standing in line for an interview, there was one thing she hadn’t anticipated: the pressure to give a highly praised review. Back on the red carpet, Cerys saw adverts for interviews going around and was unsure whether she was meant to give the film a high rating.
She admits to turning to her boyfriend, stating that this is her “time to shine.”
However, when the interviewer asked her how she felt about the film, Cerys candidly didn’t hold back. “I was just like, ‘I didn’t love it.’” She laughs at the memory. “I don’t think I was meant to say that,” she said.
Cerys made light of the situation. “ In 10 years, if I ever become a film critic, at least people can look back and say, Well, at least she was honest.”
Cerys highlighted the importance of events like this for people from the North East, reflecting on how she didn’t have any North East representation growing up when watching films.
Cerys also addressed the issues of being a woman in the film industry. She recounts an experience at the Borderlands premiere where she noticed people assuming her boyfriend was the more prominent figure and asking for his name instead of hers.
“People just assume I’m stupid. I know I’m not very good at articulation, but I’m not stupid,” said Cerys, pointing to issues of gender bias in film critique.
Cerys explains that there is borderline misogyny in the online film community, particularly by men belittling female critics and insulting their intelligence for enjoying traditionally feminine films such as Barbie.
While the London Borderlands premiere was full of surprises, Cerys described it as an incredible experience. One that not only gave her a taste of the industry but also furthered her passion for film. Cerys continues to carve a name for herself in the film critic field as she has since been invited to the London premiere of Gladiator II.
