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2 crews, 1 city and 24 hrs

It’s already been compared to the American classic Boyz in the Hood and labelled as Britain’s first hip hop musical; 1 Day follows the violent life of two inner city gangs and claims to closely depict everyday life faced by some young people in UK inner cities.

Shot on location in and around Handsworth, the film's entire cast of actors are all from the local streets.

The controversial film, part funded by Screen West Midlands is due to be released in UK cinemas on 6 November 2009 and is already causing quite a stir. Concerns have been raised by Birmingham’s community that the film glamorises a gangster lifestyle of guns, crime and money, while also portraying black youths in a negative way.

Flash watches his back (picture from the film)

A day in the life of a hustler

Written and directed by Penny Woolcock, 1 Day follows 24 hours in the life of Flash, an inner-city hustler who’s day steadily gets worse when he finds out local gang leader Angel is being released from prison and wants his £500k he left with him for safekeeping. Short of the full amount Flash needs to find the money fast.

Angel threatens Flash

Flash's day gets more and more intense as he's pursued by rival gang members, the police, his three irrate baby mothers and his grandmother.

Film maker Penny Woolcock says the film is a fiction not a documentary but it is telling a truth.

“Something terrible is happening to the young men in our inner cities. Boys are excluded from school; they then get bored and are easily drawn into street crime and drug dealing. Nobody cares that marginalised young black, Asian or white men are killing each other,” says Woolcock.

Watch clips from the movie 1 Day

1 Day the movie

1 Day on BBC WM

So does the film reflect real life on the streets of inner-city Birmingham?

1 Day War Song

Various community organisations, West Midlands Police and community leaders were involved in a consultation process throughout the making of the film; young people from the local communities were also involved to ensure the film depicted real life on the streets.

BBC WM's Phil Upton Breakfast Show explored some of the controversy surrounding the locally made film.

Listen again to interviews featured on the show including: 1 Day script writer and film director Penny Woolcock, lead actor Dylan Duffus who plays Flash, Chris Dyer from Safer Birmingham Partnerships and Derrick Campbell a government advisor on gun and knife crime.

Behing the scenes

An interview with Penny Woolcock

Film director Penny Woolcock is no stranger to Birmingham. Her 1997 screen drama, Macbeth on the Estate, was filmed on the Ladywood estate. Over a hundred local people from the estate took part in the film, in front and behind the camera.

1 Day film director Penny Woolcock

In an interview about making the hard hitting film 1 Day, Penny talks about experiencing everyday life in Birmingham's Afro-Caribbean community and learning street slang.

Penny explains: "If people say that this film offers no redemption then they’re right. Redemption is up to us, you can’t just stick it on the end of a film to cheer yourself up.

"Young men involved in drugs are making money. As the pastor says in the film ‘I know that crime 'does' pay, otherwise people wouldn’t do it - It’s not a black thing. It’s a thing. And it’s true whether we like it or not."

Gun crime on Birmingham's streets

Guns in the city

Bringing Hope, Young Disciples and Mothers against Guns are just a few of the many Birmingham organisations that are working to solve the issues of knives, guns and gangs in the city also supporting those affected.

Thelma Perkins runs an organisation called Mothers in Pain - in an interview on BBC WM's Joe Aldred Show, Thelma commented on some of the issues raised by the film.

“I’m not saying that people should be in denial that this sort of thing is going on, but now the issues are going to be hyped up even more. What I would ask is, what is being done for the people who want to leave that sort of lifestyle and do something positive with their lives?"

Who's Afraid of the hood? - debate at the Drum

Who’s Afraid of the Hood?

In July 2008 the Drum in Aston brought together a panel of key players to debate the cause and effects of violent gun and knife crime in Birmingham’s inner city and the impact on families and communities.

Listen again to the debate:

1 Day the movie

So does 1 Day glamorise a life of crime? The film is due to be released in cinemas across the UK on 6th November 2009, viewers will then get the chance to make up their own minds.

SHOWING IN THE FOLLOWING CINEMAS ACROSS BIRMINGHAM & BLACK COUNTRY

(CERT 15, 101 mins)

1 Day War Song

SHOWCASE BIRMINGHAM: Kingsbury Road (A38), Erdington, B24 9QE, 0871 220 1000

VUE STAR CITY: Star City, Unit 29, Watson Rd, Nechells, Birmingham, B7, 0871 224 0240

EMPIRE CINEMA: Bristol Rd, Rubery, Rednal, Birmingham, B45, 0871 471 4714

CINEWORLD WOLVERHAMPTON: Bentley Bridge Leisure Park, Wednesfield Way, Wedn, WV11 1TZ, 0871 200 2000

SHOWCASE WALSALL: Bently Mill Way, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 0LE, 0871 220 1000

SHOWCASE DUDLEY: Castle Gate Way, Dudley, DY1 4TA, 0871 220 1000

Watch clips from the movie 1 Day