NEVER LAND | SHORT climate-change action drama
WRITER | DIRECTOR
STARRING | KEELEY HAWES, JOHN NETTLES & MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE.
WRITER/DIrector
NEVER LAND grew from an idea Anna had about two children sailing away from a flooded England in a boat. Her final script won the Ideastap short film fund, which had several rounds of pitching, with people knocked out each stage. Anna received £5000 to make the film - which is not a lot for what it included: children hanging out of windows, a flooded England, animals and multiple locations... Even the judges said it wasn't possible on the budget but they loved the idea.
Set during the floods that battered Britain in 2015, this climate-change action film that tells the tale of eleven-year-old Noah (Llewy Godfrey) who is increasingly terrified that his lovely old England will be swept away. Noah's parents (Marcus Brigstocke and Keeley Hawes) think Noah's obsession with leaks is foolish, but even they can't deny the growing storms that threaten to drown their little fishing village. After mishearing a pair of fishermen (John Nettles and Brian Bovell) talking about the superior flood barriers in the Netherlands, Noah plans his escape to 'Never Land'. The only person who takes his plan seriously is his wild-hearted next-door neighbour Katie (Emmy Marriot).
NEVER LAND is about one little boy's fear of water, but it is also a response to the dramatic winter floods which are increasingly becoming part of British life, and life all over the world. Through the eyes of Noah, NEVER LAND aims to give a fresh perspective on climate change and emotionally engage audiences to act. As a part of this aim, Anna partnered with the charity Cape Farewell to raise money and awareness for this issue.
After some initial set-backs, Anna found a fantastic producer in Robyn Forsythe of Union Pictures. Together, they made the film possible. For additional funds, they ran a successful Indiegogo campaign, which achieved 98% of it's target in three days. They procured sponsorship from Green Kit, a sustainable lighting company, and recruited a BAFTA and Oscar-nominated crew. Their cast included Marcus Brigstocke, Keeley Hawes, Brian Bovell and John Nettles, all of whom worked for free on the project because they believed in the strength of the script. NEVER LAND was filmed during February 2016, in locations around the South West including Port Isaac and Bristol.
NEVER LAND has been part of the official selection at the following film festivals: Underwire Film Festival, Aesthetica Short Film Festival, BFI Future Film Festival, Lisbon International Film Festival, Chicago Children's Film Festival, Almaty Indie Film Festival, Women In Film & TV official showcase. It won 'Best Narrative' in the shorts category at the Women In Film & TV official showcase 2018.
Press:
BBC Spotlight
ITV
