Rose Gold is an incredibly charming short film that beautifully encapsulates the essence of Manchester’s vibrant music scene, intertwined with themes of resilience, camaraderie and the human spirit.
Directed by Simon Powell (Girl Shaped Love Drug) and produced by Antony Crank (Coronation Street), it delivers a poignant narrative centred around Rose (Chloe Lea), a young girl grappling with the weight of responsibilities far beyond her years in the early 1990s Manchester.
At its core, the film is a testament to the power of music as a universal language that transcends barriers and brings people together. Rose’s journey sees her navigating the challenges of balancing school, a job and caring for her mother, who battles multiple sclerosis.
However, amidst the struggles, she finds solace and hope in the pulsating beats of 90’s house music.
The character of Rose is portrayed with remarkable depth and authenticity, thanks to a compelling performance by lead actress Lea, who also stars in the upcoming Dune: Sisterhood TV series and won a BAFTA at the impressive age of 13.
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Rose’s journey starts from a place of despair to one of empowerment and belonging, which is both heart-wrenching and inspiring at the same time.
The relationship with her grandmother, simply referred to as Nan (Julie Glover), adds another layer of emotional depth, that’ll have you welling up to belly laughing in an instant – highlighting the complexities of familial bonds in the face of adversity.
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Central to Rose’s transformation is her connection with Ian (Jordan Akkaya), a charismatic club DJ, and his eclectic circle of kindred spirits. Rose finds herself immersed in a world of freedom and self-expression, far removed from the confines of her daily struggles.
The togetherness depicted among the characters is palpable, serving as a poignant reminder of the community and solidarity the Manchester music scene created.
One of the film’s standout features is its electrifying soundtrack, which serves as the heartbeat of Manchester’s music scene.
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Seamlessly woven into the narrative, the pulsating rhythms of 90’s house music elevate the viewing experience, transporting audiences back in time to the euphoric dance floors of iconic clubs like the Hacienda.
Overall, Rose Gold is a triumph of storytelling seamlessly blending themes of resilience, music, and companionship into a captivating cinematic experience — a true testament to the enduring power of the human spirit to find light amidst darkness, and a love letter to the infectious spirit of Manchester.
While this is merely the short film rendition, Powell and Crank (who also plays Bernard) put across such a wave of relatable emotions even in the half-hour run-time, we’re beyond buzzing for what unfolds with this incredible story and characters that the cast and crew brought to life.
Bring on the feature film and keep your eyes peeled for when it drops. Oh, and yes sir, I can boogie!
Featured Images — 53 Degrees North – Film(supplied)
TV & Showbiz
Chris Brown arrested at luxury Manchester hotel just weeks before major tour
Daisy Jackson
Singer Chris Brown has been arrested at a five-star hotel in Manchester on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
The ‘Forever’ singer, who is set to play four huge shows at the Co-op Live arena next month, was arrested at The Lowry Hotel around 2am today (Thursday, 15 May).
It’s been reported that the arrest is in relation to a bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago against music producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub.
Chris Brown, 36, flew into Manchester on a private jet on Wednesday, 14 May, and was later arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police at his hotel.
In a statement, The Met told The Sun: “A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 02:00hrs on Thursday, 15 May on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
“He has been taken into custody where he remains. The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on 19 February 2023. The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.”
Abe Diaw has alleged that Brown ‘smashed him over the head with a bottle’ in the attack on him, at around 3am at Tape nightclub.
Diaw has launched a civil claim against Brown for $16 million (£12 million) in damages for injuries and losses suffered as a result of the alleged attack.
Chris Brown has 10 UK tour dates in the pipeline as part of his ‘Breezy Bowl XX tour’, which includes four at the Co-op Live on 15, 16, 24 June, and 3 July 2025.
Announced on Tuesday, 13 May, ITV confirmed that work on the first-ever Coronation Street and Emmerdale collaboration is now underway.
The flagship serial franchises both have huge nationwide followings in their own right, attracting more than 8 million viewers every week.
Moreover, with both Manc’s much-loved Corrie and its Yorkshire counterpart having faced financial struggles in recent months, this announcement couldn’t have come at a better time.
Writing in an official joint press release, the two shows revealed they will “join forces in an unprecedented, one-off special episode to launch the broadcaster’s new power hour of soap, which begins on ITV1 and STV in January 2026.”
The ‘power hour’ is part of the channel’s plans to readjust its approach to its regular programming laid out earlier this year, with this serving as an eye-catching way to promote the new schedule.
Put it this way, provided they keep the crossovers up North and avoid you know where, this is the kind of thing we can get behind…
Corrie characters reacting to the mere thought of heading to London 🤝 Manc parents whenever one of their kids mentions leaving 0161. 😂
The statement goes on to read: “The distinctive worlds of Emmerdale and Coronation Street will merge for one night only in a ‘mash-up’ of our two favourite communities.”
ITV believe they have come up with an “ingenious way of linking the two universes” before having them return to Greater Manchester and the Dales, respectively.
The episode will be a self-contained one-off special, but one that sees them canonically grounded in the same entertainment world forever and, you never know, if the idea is a hit then it could be the first of many to come.
As if that wasn’t enough, to make the prospect even more interesting, the producers are inviting members of the audience to choose which two characters they would like to meet and interact with in the scene – keep your eyes peeled on their social media for more information.
Coming in January 2026 (specific release date yet to be confirmed), this is not one you want to miss.
We’re also glad to see the pair of long-standing soaps and institutions of British telly have got off to a strong start this year, raking in 124 million streams on ITVX with each episode now available on the streaming platform ahead of each night’s episode.
You can expect a big viewer spike when this one goes out, that’s for sure.
The Manc -
9th February 2024 
