Film premiere announced for project combating knife crime in Milton Keynes, in tribute to late 17-year-old

A movie premiere has been organised for the first feature in the ‘The Lewis Initiative’, paying tribute to the stabbed 17-year-old.

Lewis Wenman was killed in Milton Keynes in November 2020, his death is one of many incidents that inspired this film project.

The production has been created by Junior Filmmakers, a local organisation which offers youngsters a grounding in the world of film and television.

Throughout the series, the focus will be on creating movies that discourage young people from participating in knife crime.

A spokesperson for the project said: "His death drove home the urgent need to create communication and engagement programmes with young people to reduce the use of knives

and save the lives of young people."

The filmmakers sighted other stabbing related deaths in Milton Keynes as a source of motivation to the group. The deaths of Ben Gillham-Rice and Dom Ansah in late 2019, and Jay Fathers at the start of 2021 as well as Lewis were mentioned. Less than two weeks ago, another murder investigation in Milton Keynes, was launched in relation to a stabbing, further highlighting the need for projects like this.

Premiering at the Harben House Hotel in Newport Pagnell on June 26, the film will then be shown to councillors, community leaders, schools and young people. The films will also be aired at school assemblies, after their official premieres. The production later this month, is the first of four short films.

The special guest speaker at the premiere will be Darren Gee, an advocate against the use of knife crime by young people. Gee spent years in prison due to his role in a gang murder, so knows that trappings of that lifestyle firsthand.

Five free tickets can be claimed by emailing the company at [email protected], to win the tickets people must explain where they found out about the event. Tickets

are on a 'first come, first serve' basis.

A murder trial is ongoing, investigating Lewis' death.