Living in Hope gets its first UK theatrical cinema showing on 7 June at Showcase and Watershed cinemas in Bristol. Guy is seen to arrive at Showcase with a camera to record the event. The film sits underneath Star Wars Attack of the Clones. For Guy and John this is an historical moment. For most other people just another UK release of a film they haven’t heard much about.

All week teams of T-shirted flyerers have patrolled the streets of Bristol, James Martin, tireless runner, has added to the mix by putting up posters on all available space. Apparently about 60% of people they all speak to have heard about the film. Spirits and hopes soar.

The reviews start to come in and they’re not bad. Even the local hard-man-to-please Robin Askew (Venue) finishes off his review by saying: "Living in Hope looks terrific, brims with talent and bodes well for the future of feature film-making in the city."

But the film gets slated in Sight and Sound in a bizarrely vicious critique. Someone seems to be taking themselves (and the film) a little too seriously. One student reviewer says: "Without a doubt, the funniest student film I have ever seen." Another adds: "If you are, have ever been or are thinking about being a student this is well worth a watch…".

The film sells out of 10 of its 14 performances at the indie Watershed Cinema. This is a huge boost and proof that the local student audience wants to see the film. Sadly it doesn’t fare so well at Showcase. The team slowly (and painfully) come to the realisation that LiH just isn’t a multiplex movie.

Guy and John head to Cardiff on June 14 for the opening at the indie Chapterhouse Cinema. It isn’t a great success, with only a handful of the audience staying around for the Q&A session afterwards. The film is suffering from serious underexposure, despite the flyering campaign and an on-going PR exercise that sees Guy on BBC Radio Wales and various press articles out and about.

Without a major distributor on board or finance for advertising, the film is in danger of slipping by. It’s also becoming apparent that although the team believes the film has wider appeal, its core audience is students and they are all in exam hell or at home.

John disappears off on holiday after agreeing with Guy to delay any further release of the film until Freshers’ Weeks in other uni towns. Guy continues to search for further distribution across all media in all other territories. The feeling is growing that the film will do very well on DVD and video, but that we need some more theatrical for exposure.

The dream of a nationwide release seems to be slipping slowly away.