Secret Child is a 2018 British biographical drama short film directed by Yewweng Ho and is his directing debut.[1] The screenplay, written by Sam Hoare, is based on the memoirs from the book Secret Child by Gordon Lewis.[2] The film stars Fiona Glascott, Austin Taylor and Aaron McCusker, and tells the story of a single mother and her eight-year-old son meeting her man from her past after nine years.[3]
| Secret Child | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Yewweng Ho |
| Screenplay by | Sam Hoare |
| Based on |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Darius Shu |
| Edited by | Struan Clay |
Production companies | Lewis and Ho Productions |
Release dates |
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Running time | 17 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Secret Child had its world premiere at the Hollyshorts Film Festival in 2018 and was nominated for Best Period Piece,[4] and its London premiere at New Renaissance Film Festival, in which it won Best Debut Film. The film has received over 20 international awards and nominations with generally positive reviews, who praised the performances of Glascott, Taylor and McCusker, Ho's direction and Darius Shu's cinematography of the film.[5]
Plot
editAt the age of eight, Gordon (played by Austin Taylor) is introduced to a much older man called Bill (played by Aaron McCusker) by his mother, Cathleen (played by Fiona Glascott).[6]
Cast
edit- Fiona Glascott as Cathleen
- Austin Taylor as Gordon
- Aaron McCusker as Bill
Production
editIn 2017, producer Gordon Lewis and director Yewweng Ho teamed up with cinematographer Darius Shu to begin principal photography of the film.[7] Fiona Glascott (Brooklyn, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald), Aaron McCusker (Bohemian Rhapsody, Shameless) and Austin Taylor (My Cousin Rachel, Doctor Who) were cast in the main roles for the film.[8]
Lewis is in talks to develop Secret Child into a full-length feature or a television series with his second book Secret to Sultan coming soon.[9][10]
Release
editSecret Child had its world premiere at the Hollyshorts Film Festival at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on August 13, 2018.[11] The film had its London premiere at Closeup Arthouse Cinema at the New Renaissance Film Festival on August 24, 2018.[12][13]
Reception
editCritical response
editAnna Mayers from Close Up Culture praised the film as '...beautiful" and that it was '...brought to life in a sweet yet truthful way'.[14]
| Year | Festival | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Hollyshorts Film Festival | Best Period Piece | Nominated |
| Oniros Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated | |
| Best Short Film | Won | ||
| Alternative Film Festival | Best Period Piece | Nominated | |
| European Cinematography Awards | Best Short Film | Won | |
| London International Motion Pictures Award | Best Narrative / Fiction UK Short Film | Nominated | |
| Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Cinematography | Won | |
| Best Actress | |||
| Best Director | Won | ||
| Best Editor | Won | ||
| Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | |||
| Festigious International Film Festival | Best Narrative Short | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | |||
| Best Director | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | |||
| Honorable Mention for Actor | |||
| Best Original Score | |||
| Best Picture | Nominated | ||
| Gold Movie Awards | Best Short | Won | |
| Kerry Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated | |
| Largo Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated | |
| Best Director | |||
| Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | Best Drama Short | Won | |
| Best Director | |||
| Best Cinematography | Nominated | ||
| New Renaissance Film Festival | Best Debut Film | Won | |
| Oniros Film Awards | Best Short Film | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Nominated | ||
| Open World Toronto Film Festival | Best Director | Nominated | |
| Overcome Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | |
| Sydney Indie Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated | |
| The Lift-Off Sessions | Best Short Film | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Cinefest | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| Queen Palm International Film Festival | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Gordon Lewis | Secret Child Film". Secret Child. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Gordon Lewis | About". Secret Child. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Gordon Lewis | Secret Child Film". Secret Child. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "2018 Festival —". www.hollyshorts.com. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Cinematographer who studied in Bournemouth and is up for awards". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Gordon Lewis | Secret Child Film". Secret Child. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Cinematographer Darius Shu shoots to make things and people stand out | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ ""Secret Child" - short film portrays pain of growing up in an Irish mother and babies home". IrishCentral.com. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "'I couldn't have published this memoir if my mother was alive - it was too painful for her' - Irish man raised in mother and baby home". independent. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Gordon Lewis | Official Website". Secret Child. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ "2018 Festival —". www.hollyshorts.com. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Secret Child". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Cinematographer who studied in Bournemouth and is up for awards". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ Mayers, Anna (30 June 2020). "Secret Child – Short Film Review". Close-Up Culture. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Gordon Lewis | Secret Child Film". Secret Child. Retrieved 11 April 2020.