Heart On Sleeve

Aim

This film aims to portray a pro wrestler battling addiction and personal demons, highlighting how support can help over come challenges.

Archie, a daredevil wrestling performer known as "The True Valiant," has built his legacy on fearless stunts and high-flying risks, all fuelled by his love of the bottle. But for the first time, he attempts a dangerous stunt sober, determined to face his demons rather than drown them.

As the pressure mounts and temptation lurks at every turn, Archie isolates himself, unsure how to cope without his usual crutch. Pastor Philip, a laid back but deeply intuitive Catholic priest, sees the signs of a man on the edge — signs he once knew too well. With quiet wisdom and his own painful past in addiction, Philip reaches out, hoping to guide Archie toward a healthier path — one of faith, self-discovery, and the courage to be vulnerable.

Ashley Bridgeman: Writer/Director

"Heart on Sleeve" marks my directorial debut. In this project, I reflect on the themes he aims to explore throughout his storytelling career, offering emotionally grounded narratives that shed light on mental health and men's vulnerability.

I am an emerging writer and director based in West London. For this film I wanted to focus on exploring the vulnerabilities and split identities of characters who conceal their true emotions behind a brave façade.

"Heart on Sleeve" marks my directorial debut. In this project, I reflect on the themes he aims to explore throughout his storytelling career, offering emotionally grounded narratives that shed light on mental health and men's vulnerability.

Neve Taylor - Executive Producer

Hi,

I am Neve Taylor, and I am the Executive Producer on Heart On Sleeve. This film explores themes of mental health and sobriety within professional wrestling. What inspired me to create this film was because I wanted to tell an authentic story about the struggles that so often remain hidden behind the performance. Through this story, we can hope to inspire others, encourage conversation and show those who are navigating their recovery while pursuing their passion.

Katy Kennedy - Graphic Designer

As the graphic designer for Heart On Sleeve, I set the visual tone for our audience through my bold design style. I joined this project thanks to my love for gritty, daring media, and my love of realistic mental health representation within film. There’s no time like the present to highlight the struggles within an industry as competitive as wrestling, and I weave these deep themes throughout our graphics.

I hope this introduction has helped you all learn about the team's ambitions and love for this project, what it means to us individually, and how it's brought us together for a strong reason. We, the Heart On Sleeve team, hope to show new additions to the team in the coming months! 

We are also starting to look for cast/crew so if would like to become part of our vision and join this team or you have any inquriries/questions for u mail us at: [email protected]

Serving as our wrestling partner, Kingdom Wrestling is a pro wrestling sports entertainment promotion that has successfully combined high-energy athletic entertainment with a deep commitment to faith, with roots not only in entertaining people but also in anchoring the community through mentorship and helping shape personal transformation. We are grateful and excited that their core beliefs in this partnership will help bring more wrestling mixed with faith to life in this film.

As our charity partner, Build On Belief is a lived-experience recovery organisation (LERO) that focusesthat focuses on peer-led spaces where people can connect, rebuild confidence, and access support free from judgement, regardless of where they are in their recovery journey. With recovery hubs, people can do a wide range of activities such as art and music groups, badminton, boxing, and mindfulness, really focusing on the brighter future ahead of addiction, which is ultimately the main point of this film and partnering with this charity will help us highlight the leading role in making it.

The team on Heart On Sleeve appreciate and cherish these partnerships on this film and how our goals intertwine, and we can’t wait for more to come as the months go on and we get closer to filming day.

We will start shooting early in the new year, so please help us create our vision.

These funds will contribute to equipment, travel costs, catering, fee for our cast and crew as well as entry fees to film festivals.

If you are not able to donate, there are other ways you can help us! Spread the campaign with your family and friends.

Here you can subscribe to our newsletter on our website: https://heartonsleevefilm.beehiiv.com/

Since building our production, we have applied to a few funding opportunities and was fortunate to be long-listed to Slick Films. We thank them for recognising our film and with your donations we can take this film to the next level. 

Our collaborators would also love to see your support, trying to portray this powerful message our film represents.

Support Kingdom Wrestling by going to their events https://www.kingdomwrestling.org/

Support Build on Belief by donating to their cause: https://www.buildonbelief.org.uk/

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 4th December 2026 at 6:39am