When British filmmaker CAROLINE ROWLAND randomly picked a group of Olympic debutants to star in the official London 2012 film, First, she "could not have hoped for a more stellar cast," according to Ashling O'Connor of the LONDON TIMES. Among the 12 young competitors chosen from 4,600 contenders were Team GB Gold Medal cyclist LAURA TROTT, Kenya Gold Medal distance runner DAVID RUDISHA, Irish Gold Medal boxer KATIE TAYLOR and South African Gold Medal swimmer CHAD LE CLOS. Rowland directed and produced the feature-length documentary film, which is released next week. Rowland: “I would like to say I had a crystal ball, but it was blind luck.” The film, which cost £750,000 ($1.2M) to make, chronicles "the ups and downs" of the 12 athletes from their homes to their first Olympics and global recognition. Shooting started only six weeks before the Games after "protracted discussions" between independent production company New Moon and the IOC. The IOC "eventually awarded a seven-year commercial distribution licence," after which the film will become the "intellectual property of the Olympic movement." Rowland found the IOC "much less controlling than she was prepared for" (LONDON TIMES, 11/14).
