Hostage Film Screening Raises Nearly GBP10,000 For Charity

a film about their 1980"s ordeal. 'A charity screening of Blind Flight, a film about the 1980"s Beirut hostage crisis, raised nearly GBP10,000 when shown to raise funds for torture survivors this week. The two men on whom the film is based, John McCarthy and Brian Keenan, were in the audience when it was shown at the Tricycle Cinema, Kilburn on behalf of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. Both men, who are patrons of north London-based Medical Foundation, later answered questions from the stage about their ordeal. They were joined by the two actors who portrayed them, Linus Roache and Ian Hart, to talk about the making of the film along with director John Furse and producer Sally Hibbin. The Monday-evening event also featured BBC TV special correspondent Jeremy Bowen as question master, while celebrities Jude Law and Billie Whitelaw attended a reception afterwards. The film goes on general release in April. Malcolm Smart, director of the Medical Foundation, said later: "We were delighted to have the film screened on our behalf. It is a work of real integrity which celebrates the strength of the human spirit in adversity - a theme to which those of us who work with torture survivors can readily relate. "It was also extremely gratifying that the audience felt moved to back our work with donations totalling nearly GBP10,000." The Medical Foundation provides medical treatment, practical help and psychological support to victims of torture. Each year it helps between 4,000 - 5,000 new cases, most of them asylum seekers and refugees. It is based at 111 Isledon Road, London N7 7JW. Donations to 0207 697 7788.