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Posing proudly on the red carpet are, left to right, Alison Peebles, director of Afterlife; Mary Sage, mother of actress Paula; Shirley Henderson, who plays Ruby; Alan Sage, father of actress Paula; Paula Sage, Special Olympics Great Britain athlete who plays Roberta; Andrea Gibb, screenwriter; Catherine Aitken and Ros Borland, producers. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Great Britain] |
Special Olympics Great Britain athlete and debuting Scottish film actress Paula Sage celebrated her starring role in AfterLife at its London premiere on Wednesday, 11 August, at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema. A reception was held following the premiere at the Flowers Central Gallery on Cork Street with Sage in attendance, along with co-star Shirley Henderson, director Alison Peebles and screenwriter Andrea Gibb. The official release in Europe was 13 August 2004, although the movie has been seen in limited release and entered into film festivals prior to that date.
The 24-year-old Cumbernauld actress auditioned for the film with little prior experience on the stage or in front of a camera. AfterLife director, Alison Peebles, was adamant that the part be played by an actress with Down syndrome and visited special needs groups throughout Scotland. Sage was selected from among 12 other candidates. "The cast and crew all had a personal association with Down syndrome or special needs, or some sort of sensitivity towards it," said Peebles. "I think it touched a lot of people."
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In character from Afterlife: Shirley Henderson as Ruby, Paula Sage as Roberta, and Kevin McKidd as Kenny. Sage is an avid film fan and was familiar with McKidd's work in Trainspotting and Shirley Henderson's role in Bridget Jones' Diary. [Photo courtesy Soda Pictures]
McKidd is a patron of Out of the Darkness theatre company, which aims to help people with learning difficulties find a voice. "Out of the Darkness Theatre Company devises and produces their own special form of theatre — one that can speak to all. The work is of a professional standard and the heart and soul they put into it makes it a truly magical experience. To witness it leaves you with something special and unforgettable. I'm very proud to be its patron," said McKidd.
Through inclusion in the arts and drama, Out of the Darkness wants to challenge stereotypes and help the people they work with to experience the dramatic process on an equal footing with professional actors and technicians. "I think it is very important for the people we work with to have the opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside professional actors. People see what can be done, they learn to work hard and to perform to higher standards," said Tina McGreever, Artistic Director of Out of the Darkness. |
A synopsis of Afterlife: journalist Kenny's (Kevin McKidd, Trainspotting) career is beginning to take off in Glasgow, aided in no small part by his ambition and guile for getting the grittiest story. He enjoys his life but is drawn to the possibility of a promotion in the United States, a possibility reliant on getting the scoop on a controversial doctor. Living a very different life, Kenny's mother May (portrayed by Lindsay Duncan, star of Mansfield Park and Under the Tuscan Sun) spends her days looking after her pride and joy daughter Roberta — the character played by Sage. Roberta is a bright, sassy and artistically gifted girl with Down syndrome, content in her life with her mother and her art. Their two lives converge when May asks Kenny to look after Paula while she goes to a medical appointment (she has been diagnosed with progressive cancer). Although brought up in a protective, dependent way, under the unexpected care of her brother (during his road trip to interview the doctor), Roberta discovers her own spirit. May is racked with worry over Roberta's future after she has dies; will her son rise up to his familial responsibilities to Roberta as she has done for the last 20 years or will he walk away?
"Paula has this skill to find a depth in a scene which many trained actors I've worked with can't do. It was a really special experience working with her and very inspirational," said McKidd.
"This story has a broad appeal because of the way it spotlights the dynamics of the family," said Peebles. "It has been a very personal story for a lot of people in the cast and crew ... Kevin's character, Kenny has to choose between his career and looking after his sister; difficult choices like these confront people every day. But in saying this, there is a lot of humor in this film, a lot of vitality brought through by the remarkable performances of the actors, especially Paula's. The issues in the film are challenging but it resonates with warmth and life."
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Actresses Shirley Henderson and Paula Sage pose for photographs at the premiere of Afterlife. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Great Britain] |
Giorgio Armani, President and Chief Executive of one of the world's leading fashion and design houses, has been inspired by Sage's work in the film. "Paula has Down syndrome and she plays a character with Down," explained Armani. "Historically, directors have cast actors without disabilities to play characters with them — such as Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot — but the director of this film, Alison Peebles, decided to cast Paula. This is true progress." Both Sage and Peebles welcomed his support. "I'm flattered that he was moved by my story and has chosen to raise awareness about Down syndrome," said Sage. "It's great."
In lieu of traditional gift giving last holiday season, Armani decided to dedicate an international fundraising and awareness campaign to children around the world with Down syndrome, after being inspired by Sage and by his encounter with Antonella, a young girl with Down syndrome, for a calendar to raise awareness and funds for the Italian Down Syndrome Association. (In January 2004 Armani announced the publication of Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport, a book of photographs of athletes from around the world, including Special Olympics athletes. Published in May by the art publishing house Skira, Faces of Sport is part of an Armani fundraising and awareness campaign on behalf of Special Olympics — all profits from sales of the book will benefit Special Olympics.)
The film received the Audience Award at the 2003 Edinburgh International Film Festival and critical acclaim at both the London Film Festival, the American Film Institute's Los Angeles Perspective Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
In addition to inspiring others through AfterLife, Sage was delighted by the recent news that she qualified for Special Olympics Great Britain's National Summer Games in Glasgow in July 2005. Sage will represent the Scotland West Region with her fellow netball* team players.
"I'm really excited. It's fantastic to make the Olympics," she said. The National Summer Games will include 2,500 participants from throughout Great Britain competing in 23 Olympic-style summer sports including sailing, golf, equestrian, athletics and aquatics at 11 venues.
* There are two classifications of sports in Special Olympics: Official Sports and Nationally Popular Sports, which are sports that Special Olympics authorizes for inclusion in training and competition programs based on criteria and procedures that includes the determination that the addition of the sport will enhance the year-round aspect of sports training and competition that is fundamental to Special Olympics and provide meaningful opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities, including age-appropriate activities, activities for lower ability athletes, etc.
Netball is an example of a nationally popular sport. It is a fast, skillful team game based on running, jumping, throwing and catching. Teams may include up to 12 players, but only seven may take the court at any one time. Each player has a playing position determined by the areas on the court where they may move. The playing positions are shown by identification letters worn above the waist, on both the front and the back of the player. The object of the game is to score as many goals as possible from within an area called the Goal Circle; note that only two players from each team may score goals, the Goal Attack and Goal Shooter. Netball evolved from basketball; it was first played in England in 1895. In the first half of the 20th century, netball's popularity continued to grow, with the game being played in many British Commonwealth countries. In 1995 netball became a "recognized" Olympic sport. Recognized sports, such as climbing, golf, roller skating and surfing, are acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee, and the International Sports Federations that administer these sports must ensure that their statutes, practice and activities conform with the Olympic Charter. For more information on netball, visit the International Netball Federation Limited Web site.
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