The Chamberlain News

Birmingham: never knowingly undersold

John Lewis, famed for its Christmas adverts, is launching its latest feature: ‘Forward – A Film for Birmingham.’

The video is released as the retailer counts down seven days to the opening of its new Birmingham store. Its doors are unlocked next Thursday as part of the Grand Central development. The redeveloped New Street station is unveiled on Sunday.

The film was made by Blue Monday. John Lewis says it is a short film to celebrate the city and its people. It says it features a variety of individuals who live and work in Birmingham, “the emotive film follows Birmingham’s stars of the future – medics, musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs – as they go about their daily activities, capturing their passion and pride in the city that they call home.”

The stories include food enthusiast Dom Clarke from Peel & Stone who is part of the city’s culinary transformation. He is joined by husband and wife team Zaki and Ghaniah Hassan-Smith, doctors leading the way in cutting-edge medical research at Queen Elizabeth Hospital; Birchfield Harriers and Team GB 400m star Jarryd Dunn; and Alpesh Chauhan, the assistant conductor for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra making an impact on the international stage, amongst others.

Lisa Williams, Head of Branch, John Lewis Birmingham, said:

As a community we can be quite modest about our achievements, and it’s John Lewis’s hope that this celebratory film will be a landmark art piece enjoyed and shared by the city and its people today and for years to come.

Rory Barber from filmmakers Blue Monday said:

Birmingham just does what it needs to do without shouting about it, there’s a warmth and an honesty to things that are made here, the people who represent the city and to its community.