Completed - ENGLISH - Drama, Social issues, Black comedy - 18 minutes
An elderly man meets a young woman in a café, and the deal that follows will alter their lives forever.
Year of production : 2020 Director(s) : Lorna NICKSON-BROWN Writer(s) : Lizzie CLARKE Cast : Lizzie CLARKE, Graham SHORT, Julie BROWN, Adaya Monique HENRY, Andreja ŠAPIĆ Producer(s) : Dom RILEY, Alexzandra JACKSON (BFI NETWORK)
An elderly man, Ned, waits alone in a greasy spoon café. A young woman, Mia, receives payment for sex in her nan’s council flat and hides the cash in a cupboard. Mia returns to her domestic routine and prepares food for her nan, Rose. After sharing dinner with Rose, Mia joins Ned in the café. He asks her if she is ready. She reluctantly agrees and they make their way to his flat. Together they drink, dance and share stories. As Ned dances with total freedom, Mia is mesmerised. In this moment she expresses her love for him, in the way she knows how. Ned leads Mia into his bedroom and removes his belt. As they sit together on his bed, Ned guides Mia through tying a tourniquet and filling a syringe with a lethal dose of morphine. Reassuring Mia, Ned passes away peacefully. Mia wakes in the early morning next to Ned. She takes his sports bag and leaves. Returning to her nan’s flat, she takes the cash from Ned’s bag and quietly hides it in the cupboard. Some weeks later, Mia and Rose enjoy an ice cream by the beach in Margate. Mia watches her nan smile. Caught in a moment of doubt, Mia looks out to sea as the tide turns and the ocean begins to swell.
Country(ies) : UNITED KINGDOM
British Council VL 2021 BFI NETWORK