THE FIRST YEAR
A film by Ian McDonald
2021 / 88mins
The First Year tells the inside story of Jamie Driscoll’s first 12 months as the new North of Tyne Mayor. Jamie is not a typical politician. In fact, this ex-martial arts instructor, doting father of two, and grassroots socialist activist, had only been a local councillor for one year prior to being elected as the first ever Mayor of a vast region covering 2,000 square miles and representing 880,000 people in the North East of England. With unique access to Jamie and his team, this observational documentary provides a wryly humorous take on what happens when an individual takes up political office. And in a year dominated by Brexit, protests against Donald Trump’s visit to the UK, the rise of the youth climate change movement, the suspension of parliament, a General Election, and then Covid-19, Jamie’s first year as Mayor coincided with the most turbulent year in post-War British politics. The First Year is a story of a nation at a crossroads, of a country in a crisis, and how one man from the provinces bucked the national trend to become a self-declared Corbyn-supporting ‘socialist in power’.
Director: Ian McDonald
Camera: Ian McDonald & Evripidis Karydis
Assistant Camera: Ang Gao
Editor: Ian McDonald
Producer: Geetha J.
Produced by Interventions Films
