South Bermondsey is on the brink of cinematic glory as a filmmaker is set to document the journey of a local pie maker debuting his stall at a food market.
Filmmaker Eren Kaplan will craft a short documentary on piemaker Dennis Newman, aka 'Den', chronicling the crafting of perfect pie and mash, celebrating this traditional working-class food, and preparing for the debut at The Blue Market.
The stall, named 'The Pie Den' for its closeness to the 'Den' Football Stadium, promises mouth watering delights for locals and visitors.
Eren explained to the News Shopper that the idea arose when Den offered his pies to the crew during the production of a BBC TV series.
Eren said: “Everyone loved Den’s pies; the BBC director said it was the ‘best pie she ever had’.
“We started talking about creating a documentary, I knew it was interesting and wanted to follow Den’s journey.
“I asked Den if he was interested in creating a film and his eyes lit up - we started talking about his plans and dreams, and he told me that his dream is to one day travel around the world selling pie and mash.
“Den is a man in his 60s, full of energy and ambition – I feel like he’s a character that we all love, and I want to share his journey with everyone”.
The Pie Den will be at The Blue Market in South Bermondsey on Saturday, June 1, for just one day only.
The documentary is set to follow Den in south east London, looking at the origins behind the pie and mash shops, and a deep dive into where Dennis grew up.
It aims to promote a small business, at this time of high costs and intense competition, while also providing an opportunity for people to learn about this fading London tradition.
Eren told the News Shopper that the “main focus” will be preparing the food leading up to the big event.
Eren explained: “I’ll look at filming in the kitchen, setting up the pie stand, and finally serving it to people.
“It’ll be a mix of interviews, the process of him making the pies, and a lot of fun. “I think it’s going to be a two day shoot – the first day will be interviews, what makes Den special and his story.
“The second day will be the day of the big sale and to see the reactions.”
Filmmaker Eren Kaplan is no stranger to creating community orientated films, as one of his short documentaries, 'I Am West Green Road' countered the media portrayal of Eren's childhood high street in Tottenham, which was named as 'London's Unhealthiest'.
To support the production of this heart-warming documentary, Eren has launched a GoFundMe, inviting pie enthusiasts and film lovers to contribute towards showcasing the story of The Pie Den and its creator.
From equipment rentals to crew salaries, every donation will help Eren assemble his team and create a film that helps to give Den’s pies justice.
You can donate to the Gofundme here
Funds will also go towards post-production costs, potential extra shooting days and even graphic design for Den’s business branding.
Eren added: “Within two days we raised more than £2,000 which is really good.
“Another thing that’s important is that every donation gets you a free pie at the event, so hopefully this gives us a nice crowd for when he sells his pies for the first time.”
Follow their journey over on Instagram: @erenkaplan.film/@dennis.newman1
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel