MAKERS of a film about a disabled North-East football fan have become the first production company to showcase their film at the European Parliament.

Darlington-based film company, Pimm Productions, took their trailer for Acceptance, a drama based on lifelong Darlington Football Club fan, Paul Hodgson, to Brussels to meet with members of the European Parliament and explore funding options.

The visit was arranged by Stephen Hughes, MEP for the North-East, who has hailed the film “the next Billy Elliot”.

The inspiration for the film came from Mr Hodgson, known as Flipper, who was disabled by childhood meningitis and wrote a book, Flipper's Side, in 2000, which describes his devotion to the Quakers and challenging the stereotype of a “wheelchairbound victim”.

Mr Hughes said: “The film has all the makings of the next Billy Elliot. It is a tremendous story of Paul’s disabilities, his life, and his almost unhealthy support for Darlington Football Club, and how he has come through it all.

“It would show lots of people that they too can overcome their disabilities.

“It was an excellent visit - there was so much enthusiasm for it. I now want to introduce the film to other commissioners to gain more support for it.”

During the visit earlier this week, Mr Hodgson, together with the film’s director, Dan Perry, and Pimm Productions member, Ian Carter, met with members of both the arts and disability committees to explore funding options for a full-length feature film.

Mr Hodgson said: “It went really well and I am really proud. Even if we don’t end up getting any funding, it was a great opportunity to show our work and get noticed by European Parliament.

“We presented the trailer to 25 MEPs and held a question and answer session. To get that many people to come and see us was brilliant.

“It has been a long journey and we have come on leaps and bounds since we first announced our plans, and we are getting more and more people interested in it.

“Stephen Hughes is very passionate about this and it is great for Darlington.”

The trailer for the film was premiered in 2011 at The Northern Echo arena. To view it visit indiegogo.com/projects/acceptance--4