THANK YOU STAN TRIBUTE

BAFTA-award winning animation and director Tony White has taken two years to create
a unique hand-crafted animated tribute (in a short documentary style) to football’s greatest
ambassador (Sir) Stan Matthews, in honour of his centenary year. The centenary of Stan's
birth was Sunday, 1st February 2015. 

The film, which was inspired by the book Stanley Matthews: The Black Man with a White Face
 by Geoff Francis, has already been entered into more than 20 film festivals around the world,
and will be screened in locations as far flung as Los Angeles, Ohio and Mexico (for which a
special Spanish version has been created). The UK version of the film has been voiced by
Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley, who is a Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary
Football Committee. Joan knew Stan well in his final years and shared a passion for football.
Also featured in the film are the voices of Desmond Tutu and the shy maestro, Stan, himself.
Music for the film was composed by James Bell of All Out Music. 

The film was well received at its first public airing at the Beeston Film Festival, Nottingham, and
the shorter ‘Birthday Tribute’ version was screened on a new commemorative page for Stan
Matthews on the Football Association’s website. The 'Birthday Tribute' version was chosen for this
purpose as the full film with the narration had to be reserved in order to be eligible for
film festivals.