Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Gorgeous Anna is lady in red as she wows in Venice
Festival success leads to date request
Not content with rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s biggest movie stars, Coatbridge actress Anna Russell-martin marked her big screen debut’s success at the Venice Film Festival by asking Scottish pop superstar Lewis Capaldi out on a date.
Anna, who was a natural on the red carpet at the only major European film festival to go ahead this year due to Covid-19, plays the lead role in The Shift, which scooped the short film nomination for the European Film Awards at the lavish Italian event.
A Coatbridge actress celebrated her first movie tasting major success at the Venice Film Festival by asking Scottish pop sensation Lewis Capaldi out on a date.
After rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest movies stars in the world, Anna Russell-martin now hopes to catch the eye of the Glaswegian musician.
Anna, 21, played the lead role in independent flick The Shift, which took home the short film nomination for the European Film Awards at the lavish Italian event – the only major European film festival to physically go ahead this year due to Covid-19.
Last month the Advertiser told how this marked Anna’s first film role following a successful career in musical theatre for the former St Andrew’s High School pupil.
And immediately following The Shift’s Venice honour, Anna tweeted singer Capaldi the flirtatious message: “I won an award at Venice Film Festival. @ Lewiscapaldi will you take me on a date now? X”
The Someone You Loved hitmaker has yet to respond to Anna’s request but she remains hopeful of catching his eye.
Anna said: “I’ve had no luck with Lewis yet – but give it time!
“This was the first time I’d ever been on a red carpet and it was an amazing feeling.
“I am very grateful to Laura [Carreira – The Shift director] for making all of this possible.
“I am so proud and pleased for her that The Shift has been nominated for the short film prize at the European Film Awards. Laura worked so hard on the film and she deserves this recognition.
“Everyone had their face masks on, which made it slightly surreal, but you could still see how glamorous everyone was.
“It was great hopping about from film to film and Laura and I were treated superbly well. We felt like stars.
“Being in Venice was a fantastic experience, especially for my first film role, and I will never ever forget it.”
The Shift is the second movie written and directed by Edinburgh film-maker Laura Carreira, a 2019 Bafta Scotland nominee with her previous production, Red Hill.
Set in a Glasgow supermarket, the nineminute film tells the story of an unnamed woman, played by Anna, on a zero-hours contract.
Anna explained: “You see her full day from walking her dog to doing her weekly shop – in the reduced aisle – and then at the end she gets a call to say her shift has been cancelled.
“She really needs the work and money and it is snatched away from her in a heartbeat.
“It’s a subject matter that is more relevant than ever with a lot of people out of work, on furlough or facing uncertain futures because of Covid-19.
“It’s almost like a little documentary and is very moving.”
Anna added: “In terms of the future I would like to work in both film and theatre but realise the latter could be tougher due to social distancing measures.
“Hopefully being at the Venice Film Festival will open some doors for me.”
This was the first time I’d ever been on a red carpet and it was an amazing feeling. Being in Venice was a fantastic experience, and I will never ever forget it Anna Russell-martin