Always on
This project successfully funded on 19th December 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Street Shepherd – A Gritty Short Film About Hope
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
We need £5000 to get this film made. We have raised £15k. We need the last 25%. Be part of this film and help us tell this story about hope.
Logline:
Melanie, a working-class vicar and recovering addict, has kept her past buried to survive within the Church’s rigid order. But when Lizzie, a queer teenager who appears on her doorstep, is cast out by the Church, Melanie faces a choice: stay silent or risk everything to offer true sanctuary.
Director's Statement:
"Street Shepherd" is a personal narrative influenced by my experiences in working-class communities, recovery, and faith. Growing up on a council estate and training for ordination, I became disillusioned with the Church's institutional priorities over people. In a time of deepening inequality, rising homelessness, and increasing hostility towards marginalised communities, this story feels urgent. Street Shepherd is a reminder that compassion is a radical act – and that hope, when shared, can quietly change the world.
This film is a deeply personal tale inspired by my own experiences as a vicar-in-training for ordination in the Church of England, when a young LGBTQ+ woman was discriminated against within the Church, leading to devastating consequences and my departure from the Church itself. I know this story because I’ve lived it.
The Team
The film has an excellent team on board. “EastEnders,” “Red Dwarf,” and “Strictly Come Dancing” star Jake Wood and Jason Flemyng, the star of “X-Men: First Class,” “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking” and “Snatch” lead the cast.
Melissa Wilson, an acclaimed actress and filmmaker, co-produces and directs from her own award-winning script. Jacob Sarkisian, who produced Spiff starring House of the Dragon actor Tom Taylor, and the Rainbow Crossing Academy featuring Louis Ashbourne Serkis, will produce. Melissa Wilks, who starred in “Grange Hill” and “The Bill,” also co-produces.
The Aim
Our total budget is 20k, and we have already raised 15k through private investment from industry professionals who seriously believe in this exciting project. We are now looking for community-based funding to find the last 25% of the money we need to make this film.
Because that’s what this film is about. Community. This is a story about people and the desire to do good. In this current climate, we need more stories about hope. So, if you’re a fellow dreamer who CHOOSES to see the good in people, then please CHOOSE to join our community and make Street Shepherd a reality.
And, don’t worry. We know what we need to do to make this a reality. This is a team of serious filmmakers. Street Shepherd will happen, so why not become part of this team and say that you are involved in a project that will contribute positivity and hope to the world? A story you can be proud of.
This film will also serve as a proof of concept for a planned feature film, the script of which has received a prestigious screenwriting award, so there is some serious strength behind this story and this film. It also means you can join us on a journey not just for this short film but also the planned feature film…
We will use these remaining funds to pay cast and crew, and hire the equipment we need to make the film. It’s that simple. But, we wouldn’t ask you to do this for nothing, as we believe good people deserve to be rewarded, so while we accept any donation little or large (every penny counts!) check out the rewards on offer below to see if anything takes your fancy…
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made