A woman from Lydford, who grew up with a love of film, has produced her first ever feature film, which will be shown at Tavistock Wharf from tomorrow.

As a young girl, Margot Douglas, loved going to the Tavistock Wharf cinema. She remembers staring at the big screen and falling in love with film. Growing up in Lydford, Margot later went to Okehampton College in the 2000s where her love of film grew as she set her sights on a career in film and TV. Margot went onto study film at Staffordshire University before moving to Manchester to continue her media career.

Now Margot is celebrating a huge achievement: the theatrical release of her debut feature film Wait for Me. Margot, produced the low budget feature film with Manchester-based production company Old Hall Films during the coronavirus pandemic.

Margot said: 'Making Wait For Me during the pandemic and with so many changes happening in the industry, we’re all thrilled that it’s pushed through and resonated with audiences. I am delighted to be able to show this film in the very cinema that awoke my passion for film.'

Filmed with the help of Screen Yorkshire, Wait For Me tells the story of Alison, who, after arriving in England from Ireland, ends up working with Max, a small-time gangster at the behest of her criminal father. Max has a fixation with Alison, which is the only reason why she isn’t in prison or dead. When she meets Sam, a damaged man trying to move beyond his troubled past, he opens Alison’s eyes to the fact that life can be a beautiful thing if you meet it halfway. She comes to a stark realisation: If she doesn’t make some changes, she might not have long left in this world.

Directed by Keith Farrell and written by Bernard O'Toole, the film stars well known British and Irish actors including, Karen Hassan (Vikings,The Fall) as Alison, Sean McGinley (Braveheart, Bleak House) as Ged, Elva Trill (Jurassic World: Dominion, Line of Duty) as Karen, Neil Bell (DUNE, Dead Man's Shoes) as Max, Rebecca Atkinson (Shameless, Silent Witness) as Lisa and rising star Theo Ogundipe (Top Boy, Love Without Walls) as Barry.

Wait For Me premiered at Manchester International Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Director and was subsequently picked up for distribution by Munro Films.

Matt Looker from Total Film has called the film 'a poignant tale about determination and facing your demons' and the RTE Guide has praised Karen Hassan’s “terrific central performance” and described it as 'an impressive feature debut'.

Of her film’s theatrical run at Tavistock Wharf, Margot said: 'To have my film showing in the very cinema I grew up going to feels like a full circle moment.'