What Happened Next

On today’s films, it is worth remembering that the Romanian Bruce Lee piece took a producer two months to set up. That film from May 2014 won a number of awards, including a Royal Television Society award, whose judges said it was a “remarkable film with brilliant pictures and great storytelling”.

Since then, the police raided the tunnels and evicted their tenants, in order to break up a drug ring. Sadly one of the characters in the film, eighteen-year-old Catalina (“This is where I destroyed myself”) died four weeks after it was made. The team went back for her funeral. Again, some fascinating, poignant, searing scenes.

The other film, by Allan Little, formerly at the BBC, is here. Little is one of the best writers in the business; his ability to pack so much into a few, simple words is unparalleled. Get tips on the principles of good writing from him here. That damning indictment from his university professor -“You have a pleasing turn of phrase, but nothing much to say”- is worth remembering whenever you write. Rule One: Always Know What You are Trying to Say.