Films

'Dennis' played by Jeff Caffrey

Salford's Third Jesus?

‘Madhouse’ is the latest offering from REEL mcr, the Manchester community film-making company which premieres at the Salford Film Festival on November 12. (find out more by clicking on the link under ‘See Also’)

It tells the story of Dennis who, believing that he is the Messiah, spreads the word around the Salford estates. He is joined by a host of other sad characters like Mad Maggie who have been driven into mental illness by the trials of life in the impoverished inner city.

Jeff Caffrey - a writer who scripted REELmcr's 'Gas & Air' and 'The Lost Boy' plays Salford’s first black Jesus in his debut role in front of the camera.

‘Jesus was a really fun part to play,' he said. 'It says a lot about Salford that it’s the home of the cinematic Jesus and the birthplace of socialism through Fred Engels. There must be something in the air.’

The film is described by its makers as a ‘realistic slice of Salfordian life’. Shot on location at the Angel Community Centre and Agecroft Cemetery, Madhouse was devised by ordinary mums, dads, teenagers and kids on the Seedley and Langworthy estates, and inspired by their own experiences and surroundings.

One of them is Rachel Morrison, a single mum from Langworthy, who plays a psychiatric nurse Kim in her second Reel Mcr production.

Her own mum has mental health problems and Rachel helped to script some of the scenes drawing from her own experiences when she suffered bulimia as a young girl.

She explained that REELmcr has really made a huge impact making films in the Salford area.

‘Every kid in our street wants to be in one, and people keep coming up to me in Morrison’s wanting news of the next movie. They really are changing lives and giving opportunities to everyone.’

Rachel is among a group of the community actors in the area who are now forming themselves into REELsalford to make their own films as an independent company.