Phoenix Rise: A Groundbreaking Coventry-Based Drama Premieres
The glitz and glamour of the red carpet was brought to life at Finham Park School in Coventry, as actors and media professionals gathered to celebrate the debut of the new urban BBC series, Phoenix Rise.
This much-anticipated series, which was filmed and set in the Coventry, has been generating buzz among locals and critics alike, with many hailing it as a breakthrough moment for the city.
The night was filled with excitement and triumph as the cast and crew came together to mark this milestone occasion, which is set to propel Coventry into the spotlight of the entertainment world.
The halls of high school are a familiar setting for many, but the new drama series is set to shake things up with its portrayal of the complex realities of growing up.
The 10 part-series follows a group of teenagers, who have been excluded from school, as they take their first steps back into education.
From issues of identity and self-discovery, this show promises to be a gripping exploration of the ups and downs of life.
The producers met hundreds of young people in Coventry and selected many locals who had never appeared onscreen before.
The leading stars, Jayden Hanley, Alex Draper and Lauren Corah at the Bafta screening of Phoenix Rise (Credit: Instagram/@jaydenhanley1).
Jayden Hanley, who plays 15-year-old adrenaline junky Darcy, said: “I'm really looking forward for people to feel represented and that’s a big thing we’ve tried to achieve,”
The Birmingham actor describes the characters in the series as similar to how his peers were during his own education in the Midlands.
Actor Jayden Hanley having photographs at his first red carpet premiere (Credit: Instagram/@jaydenhanley1).
“I hope that a wider range of people resonate with our characters, and I think we’ve achieved that,”
"A big thing in the West Midlands is community and we definitely saw that when we were filming in Coventry,”
“I could see when we were filming how much this means for the people of Coventry. It a very rare occasion and we’re looking to break that barrier.” Mr Hanley continues.
Actors Krish Bassi, Fintan Buckard and Jayden Hanley posing on the red carpet (Credit: Maddy Griffiths).
It is reported that producers Perrie Balthazar and Matt Evans are inspired to "give hope to the underdog" and positively portray working class students from more suburban areas.
Finham Park Secondary School played an integral role in the production, with 40 of its students taking on the challenge of appearing as extras in the series.
Rebecca O’Doniel, the Head of Performing Arts at Finham Park Secondary School, says she could not believe when the BBC were first shown around the school.
“It has been an amazing and great opportunity for us and our students, especially in performing arts.”
The BBC have held workshops for Finham Park Secondary School students, who alike the show’s characters, have had a challenging access to education.
“It's really opened our students' eyes, most definitely towards the different careers they can get into.” Ms O’Doniel adds.
Adding to the excitement of the premiere was a live performance by Junior, a talented Coventry artist who created and performs the music for the series.
Artist Junior performing his original music that is heard throughout the Phoniex Rise series (Credit: Maddy Griffiths).
For Solihull actor Emmanuella Martins, the opportunity to play a coming-of-age role as a black woman is a source of great pride and inspiration.
Ms Martins said: “As well as learning from this being my first acting job, I’ve learnt to develop my characters confidence and self-love,”
“It’s amazing how proud people of Coventry are of their city and its history and culture.” she continued.
The Q&A revealed how close the actors have become since filming started 18-months-ago (Credit: Maddy Griffiths).
The Phoenix Rise poster displayed at the premiere (Credit: Maddy Griffiths).
Phoenix Rise is available on BBC iPlayer on March 21 and its launch will be broadcast on BBC Three on March 24 at 19:00.
Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the night's events straight from the cast themselves by following @CovFeed on Twitter.