Harry Lighton wins Bible based film competition

Harry Lighton, from Portsmouth, has won The Pitch film competition.

Bible Society is one of the main sponsors of The Pitch, which asks filmmakers to come up with a short film idea based on a Bible story, character or theme.   

Ten finalists pitched their ideas to a panel of film industry experts at the finals this weekend (15 and 16 January). They unanimously chose Harry’s pitch, with the working title Go Home, as the winner. It’s based on the Bible story of Elisha from the book of Kings and focuses on the part of the narrative where Elisha arrives in Bethel and is taunted by a group of youths insulting his baldness.

At 24 years old, Harry, who is a film maker and teacher, is The Pitch competition’s youngest winner. He said his film was inspired by a series of hate crimes against Poles in the wake of the EU referendum. It tells the story of a Polish teenager and her single-mother who are subject to xenophobic abuse.

Luke Walton, Director of The Pitch, said, ‘Harry took an obscure story about Elisha and contemporised it by linking it to post referendum Britain. He understands film language and has responded brilliantly along the way to comments from experts and judges.

Harry has won a cash production budget and help from producers to make his film. When it is shot, later this year, he will also go to Hollywood and meet a host of industry professionals who will give him feedback.

Hear more from Harry Lighton and find out about Bible Society’s support for The Pitch in this short film.