Olly & Alex with a copy of Duthie's journal 'I Cycled Into The Arctic Circle'

Inspired by profoundly deaf cyclist James Duthie’s solo trip made back in 1951, the pair will retrace key stretches of Duthie’s original route, travelling from Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden, crossing into the Arctic Circle just north of Overtorneå on the Swedish/Finnish border.

Pushing on further north, way up into the land of reindeer and the Midnight Sun, they will eventually reach the northernmost tip of mainland Europe, the North Cape (Nordkapp).

Duthie was prohibited from reaching this northerly pinnacle by poor quality roads. Olly & Alex plan to complete this final stretch of the trip on his behalf, and in his honour. The journey of 1500 miles is expected to last around 5 weeks.

They are raising money for the film Dummy Jim and the National Deaf Children’s Society.

CLICK TO READ MORE & SPONSOR OLLY & ALEX

Follow them on Twitter.

The £1500 main prize went to Rich Curtis, from Alabama, USA, who is from the same Shoals area where Dr Helen Keller was born.

Sight Unseen

His work titled Sight Unseen comprises 20 textured paintings on paper.

Dummy Jim received a Highly Commended Award – £200 plus the ‘E.D.G.D. Fairfull-Smith’ Award & keepsake.

‘It has been a great honour to have the Dummy Jim website included in such a prestigious show as the Helen Keller International Award’ said Matt Hulse, director of the Dummy Jim project.

‘James Duthie, on whose story Dummy Jim is based, shared with Helen a genuinely optimistic, determined spirit & a firm faith in the power of knowledge & education to transform lives. Like her, James was also a great communicator & lover of the natural world.’

‘Sadly James was killed in a road accident back in 1965, but I have no doubt at all that he would have been intrigued by & proud of his connection to this show.’

‘On a personal level, I vividly remember reading about Helen Keller during my childhood. Recently I rediscovered her book ‘The Story of My Life’ & was struck by how deep an impression it must have made upon me back then & how she continues to influence my work to this day.’

Artist Deirdre Nelson will present ‘Knitting Fog’, an exhibition she created during a three month residency on Uist.

The team will highlight existing connections between the two works and explore how they plan to collaborate in the future.

This is a BSL interpreted event with interpreter Jo Ross.

The event, which is part of Matt Hulse’s FilmCraft Weekend, will take place at Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh at 7pm on Sunday 1st February.

The journal tells a story of a profoundly deaf James Duthie, known as ‘Dummy Jim’, who travelled 3000 miles on his bike in 1951, from his village in Scotland via France to the Arctic Circle.

The movie maker is raising funds to complete the project through the sale of special Dummy Jim merchandise and a percentage of these sales will go towards NDCS drama workshops for deaf children and young people.

The film director is appealing to people who believe in unique, innovative and independent films to support the project.

Dummy Jim has already attracted support from Jerwood Charitable Foundation. Well-known BBC ‘Switch’ actor Samuel Dore had been cast in the lead role.

Matt Hulse explains: “James ‘Dummy Jim’ Duthie had a real affinity with children, both deaf and hearing. He was concerned with their welfare, both in the UK and overseas, and shared with children a genuine, open-hearted curiosity about the world around him. It’s particularly appropriate therefore that the partnership is with a charity who shares the same interest in the welfare of children. “

“This partnership is of immense value to us. The public support of a well-established and respected charity sends out a clear message of validation and good will towards Dummy Jim. We look forward to developing the relationship with NDCS and helping raise money to support both the charity’s work and the making of our film.”

Ruth Couthino, NDCS Development Manager, adds: “We are pleased to have become a charity partner for the ‘Dummy Jim’ movie and are grateful to the team for supporting our arts projects for deaf children and young people.”

“Access to the arts is extremely important for deaf children. The opportunity to express themselves through a variety of creative forms can help deaf children develop their self-confidence, emotional intelligence, and conceptual understanding.”

An interactive website has been created in advance of a feature film to give visitors a chance to explore some of the highlights of Duthie’s journey.

The event featured a live set from the film’s composer Daniel Padden along with The One Ensemble and projections of Super 8mm film shot along the original route of James Duthie’s trip to the Arctic Circle.

The One Ensemble

Samuel Dore, the talented deaf actor who will play the character of Duthie, gave an eloquent talk about his role in the film, and shared his insights into what life must have been like for a profoundly deaf young man back in 1951.

French actress Marie Denarnaud traveled to Scotland from Paris specially for the occasion & read aloud from Duthie’s journal ‘I Cycled Into the Arctic Circle’.

Samuel Dore & Marie Denarnaud

With grace & style she bravely handled Duthie’s text which includes peculiar, old-fashioned words like ‘perigrination’ & Scots towns such as ‘Kirkcaldy’.

A short ‘teaser film’ directed by Matt Hulse called ‘God Gives Nuts But He Does Not Crack Them’ was also screened which features Samuel & Marie in character.

The short film enjoyed its premiere earlier in the week at The Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams, a unique & original film festival established by Mark Cousins & Tilda Swinton.

BBC2′s See Hear filmed the launch.

The event was skillfully BSL interpreted by Jo Ross.

Matt Hulse would like to thank CCA Glasgow for their in-kind support & help in making the event such a success.

James Duthie’s account of his epic, 3,000-mile adventure will be made accessible for the first time in years in a new film of his story.

The factory worker, who was deaf and could not speak, set off on his global quest armed only with a blanket, a few jumpers and his diary.

Now his words will feature on a new animated interactive website, Dummy Jim, which will be launched at a ceremony in one of Glasgow’s trendiest nightspots.

The event is aimed at promoting and raising funds for the new film, which will be partly shot in the north-east.

Mr Duthie, known affectionately to friends as Dummy Jim, completed his journey in 1951. His tale is being brought to the big screen by award-winning film-maker Matt Hulse.

His script is based on the journal Mr Duthie kept during his trip.

The diary was eventually published but has not been available for several years.

A spokesman for the film-makers said: “The website offers an opportunity to explore Duthie’s world in advance of the film’s making. Users can travel on a pedal-powered journey, experiencing its highs and lows and learn a little sign language.”

The launch party will feature a live set from the film’s composer, Daniel Padden, and his band, The One Ensemble. The party, in the city’s CCA venue, also offers the chance to meet the film’s stars, including deaf actor Sam Dore who plays Jim.

(This report originally featured in The Press and Journal and was written by Jamie Buchan).