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DramaComedyDocumentaryAnimationExperimentalMusic
For All The Tea In England
Kerry McLeod
average rating from 19 members 
       
documentary | 2007 | London | 13 min
Published 21 Jan 08
A tea break-sized glimpse into the many and varied ways that Britain’s favourite brew is enjoyed today – and it’s not always a simple case of tea bag and milk.
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synopsis
In so many ways, the image of tea as something quintessentially British is synonymous with a sepia-toned image of our nation – whether tea cosies in a working class home or a group of ladies sipping tea from fine china. Yet with nearly every nation on the planet now represented in this country, how true does that image remain? ‘For All the Tea in England’ is a tea break-sized glimpse into the many and varied ways that Britain’s favourite brew is enjoyed today – and it’s not always a simple case of tea bag and milk.
short fact
For ages I didn't do anything about getting this film together, because I thought my obsession with the idea of tea - not the drink so much, but the feelings that drinking it evokes - was a completely subjective thing, and a little frivolous for a documentary. But as soon as I started talking to people I realised how many share my obsession, people who may not have my very British working class background, who may be from other cultures, traditions and generations but who all have this ritual that means the same to them – it makes us feel better about life!
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crew
  • director Kerry McLeod
  • producer Anton Califano
  • editor Napoleon Stratogiannakis
  • director of photography Donald Ng
  • sound Darko Mocilnikar, Fabrice Pougnard
  • music Graham Jeffery
  • researcher Ebony Tapper
  • online editor Sue Giovanni
  • executive producer Jules Hussey
    		•
    festivals, awards and screenings include:
    • DFG Screening, The FleaPit, London, 2007
    • Rushes Soho Shorts, Soho, 2007
    • Non-Multiplex Cinema, Roxy, London, 2007
    • Iranian Documentary Festival, Tehran, 2007
    • Marbella International Film Festival, Marbella, 2007
    format
    digital
    budget
    £5k
    © 2007 Kerry McLeod

    comments
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    comment by Denise  LeCroy
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    posted Jul 10, 2008

    This is brilliant! I am going to post a link to it on my tea blog http://uniquelytea.blogspot.com
    comment by Lucy  N
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    posted Feb 17, 2008

    Absolutely agree about the signigicance of tea in Britain. In fact, myself and a friend entered the BAFTA Orange 60 seconds of fame competition with that in mind entirely. We used the British cuppa within the context of the brief "Unity".

    It didn't get selected for the competition but we really enjoyed making it.

    Tea lovers have a watch!

    http://icanhaz.com/simplydelicious
    comment by Ian  Nisbet
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    posted Feb 14, 2008

    Made me want to go make a pot of tea immediately!

    Not the usual PG Tips either - but spicy aromatic tea with ginger, jasmine, cloves etc.

    This film makes tea-drinking feel heart-warming, desirable, pleasurable, sociable.

    Watching this film felt comforting.

    Just like a nice cuppa!.
    comment by Ellie  Califano
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    posted Jan 31, 2008

    Wow i remember this word for word! The voiceover on some of the shots make the impact really effective and it's really interesting to find out about how different cultures drink tea. xx
    comment by Paul  Mallaghan
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    posted Jan 31, 2008

    Loved it. Nicely shot, some great characters, intimate atmosphere, gentle pace - captured the soothing warmth of a good cup of tea brilliantly! Congrats to the filmmakers.

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    useful links
    produced by
    The Newham Short Film Production Scheme

    selected by
    This film was selected by Rushes Soho Shorts Festival where it screened in 2007
    Documentary Filmmakers Group


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