King Henry - a queer short film

Aim

We need your help to support the creation of this queer short film shot and set in Cornwall. Filming summer 2023!

WHAT IS KING HENRY?

 "Teachers at a Cornish secondary school are playing catch up to the 21st Century as two teens are elected as prom kings"

A ten minute LGBTQIA+ short film shooting this summer in Cornwall, UK.

King Henry follows Henry, a 16 year old gay teen on prom night, which happens to be his last night in town before he and his family move away. The film follows him in his final few hours with his chosen family, as he and his boyfriend are nominated prom King and Queen.

King Henry explores themes of queer identity, the toxic legacy of Section 28 and anxieties that remain around discussions, acceptance, and safety of queer identities within educational spaces. The film explores these notions through the lens of the rituals, traditions and the rite of passage of Prom Night in the UK, the end of secondary school and the anticipation of next steps.

WHY NOW?

It's been 20 years since Section 28 was repealed here in England, the law that prevented teachers from supporting and discussing homosexuality in educational settings. However, there is currently a backlash against these discussions taking place. Conversations around LGBTQIA+ identity are vital in education and there is research that shows that they are beneficial for everyone, regardless of identity. King Henry sits right in the middle of this discussion. Set in 2010, the story explores the anxiety and resistance some teachers have towards discussing LGBTQIA+ issues in the classroom due to being uncomfortable discussing these themes, even to this day, in an environment where the students know more and are more accepting than ever. 

King Henry will also be supporting the development of multiple artists and filmmakers in the southwest, such as students from the School of Film and Television Falmouth University, students from Exeter College and various other cast and crew members.

WHERE WILL MY MONEY GO?

King Henry is being supported by Screen Cornwall and Sound/Image Cinema Lab in association with Falmouth University. This is through a blend of some funding and Executive Producing support.

However, King Henry is a big production. We have big ambitions and we need extra funding to make this film to the standard it deserves to be. Filming takes place over four days in late summer 2023. This money will go towards cast, crew, art design, accommodation, travel, equipment hire, editing, grading, festivals and beyond.

Your help in this process is massively appreciated and it will help us make something both entertaining, impactful and something really special.

WHO'S INVOLVED?

Director - Harry Faint (he/him)

Harry is a filmmaker, queer researcher and teacher from Cornwall, currently based in Exeter, Devon. He is the host of podcast QUEER REFLECTIONS in which he interviews individuals about their experiences with LGBTQIA+ representations in visual media. He is also an equality and diversity speaker, and a regional ambassador for the south west for IT GETS BETTER UK. He has worked on several short films in both the story and sound departments. KING HENRY is his directorial debut.

Writer - Natalys Willcox (she/her)

Natalys is a filmmaker living in Falmouth. She moved to Cornwall in 2016 to complete an MA in Film & Television at Falmouth University. Natalys is a writer director, whose first short comedy improvised film WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU DREAM ABOUT CAR PARKS? was screened at several film festivals, including Bath, Isle of Man and Swindon. In 2020, Natalys directed a BFI Network and Screen Cornwall supported short film called DOG YEARS which screened at Cornwall Film Festival, Manchester Film Festival among others. She has worked on several shorts and features locally, including BAIT, MAKE UP, THE TAPE, BACKWOODS, and YN MOR. Natalys is interested in the juxtaposition between queer stories and rural settings. She was inspired to write King Henry after discussions with Harry about their experiences of being gay at school, and being among the only students that were out.

Producer - Will Darch (he/him)

Will is a Producer, Writer and Lecturer in Film and Creative Media at Arts University Plymouth. He studied Filmmaking and Media and Cultural Studies at UWE Bristol, graduating in 2010. Will had experience working at the BBC and TwoFour Productions before deciding to move into film and media teaching in 2014. He continues to work on creative projects. In his spare time, Will is part of a creative team who produce Jogo Bonito. Their work explores and generates conversations around the vibrant and complex culture and artistic space that surrounds football; speaking to leading journalists, he has shed light on LGBTQIA+ and human rights issues in elite football. Will is thrilled to be part of King Henry, which he hopes will spread hope to audiences and ignite more conversation around LGBTQIA+ education in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Director of Photography - Charlie Davis (he/they)

Charlie is a Cornwall based cinematographer and is very excited to join Harry and the rest of the crew. He loves exploring the relationship between characters and their environment, and using the camera to invite the audience into that intimate space. Charlie hopes to use his cinematography to visually capture the essence of being a queer teen. His recent credits include 1st AC on OPEN COUNTRY (dir. Jonny Dry 2023) and 2nd AC on FORBIDDEN LOVE ON THE SHORES OF GREECE (dir. Joshua Bransgrove 2022) and MACKLING (dir. Jonny Dry 2023), as well as camera trainee on MAB HUDEL (Ed Rowe 2022).

Editor - Boris Halving (he/him)

Boris Hallvig is a Devon-based filmmaker and photographer specialising in film editing and colour grading. He is passionate about the South West and collaborating with other creatives to put rural narratives on-screen. Boris has worked on films as an editor and colourist that have been nominated and won several awards (Exeter Phoenix Two Short Nights Audience Choice Award, BFI Best Short Film Award, English Riviera Film Festival Award). Nothing gives him greater satisfaction than labouring through the puzzle of an edit, working in-step with a director to transform a collection of files into a film that moves and breathes and captivates.

and more crew!

IT GETS BETTER UK testimonial:

"It Gets Better UK is part of the global It Gets Better Project which envisions a world where all LGBTQ+ youth are free to live equally and know their worthiness and power as individuals. Our global mission is to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe. We do that through sharing the stories of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Harry is one of our Regional Ambassador in the South West, working to forge links with the local community, sharing those positive and inspiring messages. King Henry embodies that vision, both through storytelling, but also powerfully sharing what it’s like to be an LGBTQ+ youth, their journey of self-discovery and acceptance. We’re proud to be connected to that powerful story."

Dr Alex Rhys

Director of IT GETS BETTER UK

SUPPORTED BY:

Image credits in order:

Two Men Dancing by Robert Mapplethorpe (1984)

Still from Deep Red (Argento, 1975)

Still from The Virgin Suicides (Coppola, 1999)

Still from The Virgin Suicides (Coppola, 1999)

Still from Another Round (Vinterberg, 2020)

Still from Looking (Haigh, 2016)

This project successfully funded on 6th April 2023