You can imagine my delight on receiving the following message on my answerphone last year. " Hi, Charlie. It's Sven. Long time no see. I promised to invite you to my first premier in Leicester Square. So I am. It's on Friday in four weeks' time. Can you come?" I could and I did and it was wonderful.

Sven Hughes was in the Fifth Form when I became Tutor of H Social. He was also in his dark period, artistically and temperamentally. But then life was not easy for him at the time for a variety of reasons. However, one of the great qualities that he had, and of course retains, is his sense of humour. I remember one memorable Red Nose Day , I think when Dennis and Diana arrived in Hall dressed as bovver boys much to the delight of lunching Radleians. Sven had asked me to accompany him into Hall. Of course I agreed and so we entered Hall, I in my tuxedo and Sven looking stunning in one of my wife's dresses and beautifully made up by Barbara Sykes, the H Social matron at that time. The applause that greeted us was thunderous and the wolf whistles deafening. As we reached the dais to collect our meal, we met Garry Wiseman accompanied by a visiting mathematician. Quite properly, Garry introduced us to his astonished guest. "This is my housemaster and one of his boys."

Sven will be primarily remembered at Radley for his involvement in the cultural and artistic areas of College life. He may have been a fearless and lunatic rugby player, but more remarkable was his manic performance in a Social play which landed him a part in the College production of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'. Even more memorable was the work that he produced in the Art Department. He produced a number of striking and in some cases sinister pieces that would earn him an A grade at A level. But for me as a longstanding cinephile, Sven's choice of subject for his long essay was of greater interest. He decided to write on the work of the acclaimed film maker Derek Jarman who was preparing 'Edward II' for distribution. This was the moment that Sven's association with the world of cinema began. Having been introduced to Jarman, he was invited to the premier of 'Edward II' followed by a party in London. How could I refuse his request to be able to attend both events! Sven's four year long friendship with Jarman provided him with a rare and privileged insight into low-budget film making, as well as advice on how to approach his own work. It was at 18 that he co-directed a 20 minute short featuring 'Supergrass'.

After Radley, Sven attended film school in London. The Director of Studies described his first production entitled 'Matrix' as "an exciting and complex film, the very best ever produced here at that stage of the course". The film was shown at a number of venues in London. The young film maker was praised for "his acute sense of the visual, combined with a lively and mature sense of humour" which made him an outstanding student. While completing his degree, Sven co-wrote his first feature, 'Icon', which was optioned by Hallmark International and Nobel Films. He wrote an hour long video, 'No Anorak Required' and was Arts and Science correspondent for the magazine 'Fix'. He also worked as editor and head of marketing for Small World productions.

On graduating from film school Sven was taken on as a director at Brewer Productions, directing commercials and pop promos. 1997 saw him co-write a second feature 'Car Chase' and join Brann Ltd. In January 1999 he was awarded a Capel (international advertising award) for a short film for Guinness with the engaging title 'This is my life. This is my fridge.' He directed a number of short corporate films as well as continuing to write. Scripts included the TV adaptation of 'Car Chase' and a psychological thriller 'Killennium'. The year 2000 saw Sven no less busy. He wrote and/or directed a number of short and feature films, including 'Hit List' which is where we came in. Intended as a pilot for a feature film 'London 2000', 'Hit List' tells of a twentysomething advertising agent who, after a failed relationship, uses her work database to target young men in a quest for revenge. Tapping into the zeitgeist that gave us Brett Easton Ellis and Ally McBeal, the film has an iciness that echoes 'American Psycho' and is genuinely chilling.

As I write Sven is in pre-production on 'The God Machine', his first feature as writer/director for Screen Partners International shooting in September of this year. He is also in 'pre' on his next short 'Play Rape'. Whilst awaiting the release of his most recent commercial in a number of London cinemas, he is developing his next feature 'The Grey Men'. In a difficult business it is clear that Sven could go far. As the Director of Studies at film school says; "Sven is not someone who plays with the medium - he is someone who knows how to work with it ... a most exciting investment in the future of film in this country and beyond."

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