People at CineTrail

When I first came up with the idea for CineTrail it was born from a mix of two things I have always loved: film and travel. I have always believed that stories do not just live on the screen. They are tied to real places that hold their own magic. Walking through a street where a favourite scene was filmed or stepping into a pub that once doubled as a movie set can change the way you experience both the film and the place. That feeling is what I wanted to share with others. The response so far has been both humbling and exciting. In the first two months more than 3,000 people downloaded CineTrail to explore filming locations and our TikTok community has grown to over 105,000 followers. Seeing people engage with the app, ask questions about locations, and share their own experiences has confirmed to me that there is a real appetite for film tourism and cultural discovery. It is one thing to have an idea. It is another to watch it resonate with thousands of people in such a short space of time. For me, CineTrail is not only about fan culture. It is about communities. Every filming location is part of someone’s home, whether that is a village, a city, a café, or a cinema. By drawing attention to these places we encourage visits that support local businesses and highlight heritage that might otherwise be overlooked. When a user tells me they discovered a new part of London because of CineTrail or a small café gets more visitors after being featured, that is when I feel the project truly has impact. Looking ahead, my vision is to build CineTrail into a global platform for cultural tourism. There are thousands of filming locations around the world waiting to be discovered. I want CineTrail to be the bridge between the films people love and the places that bring those stories to life. This is just the beginning, but I am proud of how far we have already come and even more excited about what is next.

Lester Freshwater

Founder