WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Cian Llewellyn
produced by Jack Pollington
A couple’s relationship is at a cross roads - as he attempts to break up, she thinks he’s about to propose. But will an impromptu chess game finally force the truth to come out?
Fred and Holly have met up at London’s most eccentric pub, the Nag’s Head. Fred’s there to confess he’s been cheating and that they’re breaking up. But he’s nervous…so nervous in fact that Holly assumes he’s about to propose and tries anything to keep the conversation from getting serious, since she wants to keep things casual. To her aid come the pub’s ‘House Rules’ requiring the couple to engage in an impromptu chess match, strictly enforced by an over attentive waiter who sees all, says little but implies plenty. As the battle on the board reflects the psychological one between Fred and Holly, the distraction tactics become more obscure and the frustration, palpable.
ABOUT THE FILM
The Fool’s Mate stars Chris Lew Kum Hoi and BIFA Winner Nell Barlow as the couple in question. At Kino, we first became aware of this awesome short when it was submitted to our Kino London Short Film Festival. It was selected to screen and Nell Barlow earned a Best Performance in a Comedy nomination. The film also played at the BAFTA/BIFA qualifying Bolton International Film Festival, and the Wales International Film Festival. It was recently released online via Omeleto.
ABOUT THE FILMmaker
Cian Llewellyn’s debut short, ‘The Outing’ gained UK and US recognition, picking up 11 Official Selections and 4 Awards including ‘Best Short Comedy’ at the Wales International Film Festival and during the lockdown of 2020, Cian wrote, performed and produced ‘The Bike’ a short film, shot entirely on an iPhone, inspired by his own experience of fear and anxiety in a Covid lockdown which went onto win ‘Best Monologue’ at the Imagine Rain Film Awards and ‘Best Covid Film’ at the Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CIAN
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your filmmaking background?
Having initially trained as an actor at RADA, I adapted Dylan Thomas’ timeless short story ‘The Outing’ into a short film. Born in Nottingham and fiercely proud of my Welsh roots, we shot it in the village I was brought up using a group of local friends, not actors, relying on their natural wit, camaraderie and chemistry to come through on-screen. It was a great fun to make and opened my eyes to directing and in particular it’s very collaborative nature.
I then ran on commercials and high end TV, including Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ - watching him work was enlightening and inspiring. He actually watched ‘The Outing’ in a prison cell in Canterbury on the last day of the shoot which was pretty special - thankfully he liked it.
In 2020, following the death of a close friend, I wrote a monologue on the nature of fear and anxiety during the Covid lockdown. We shot it in the area surrounding my parents home and I edited it myself. It felt fulfilling to have something creative going on during that strange, empty time and poignant that something positive came out of something tragic. It was a bit of a wake up call personally too - proving that there’s no excuse not to be making something - even if it is on an iPhone. A year later we shot the Fool’s Mate.
Tell us about the genesis of The Fool's Mate?
I love a pub and the older, more characterful the better. I was introduced to the Nags Head when at drama school and as I grew into film I couldn’t help but think it would make for the most brilliant set - unique, beautiful and eccentric. Every single thing you see in the pub, apart from the House Rules board, is as you find it - it’s one of London’s great gems.
First and foremost, I wanted to make something engaging and entertaining that didn’t take the audience for granted. I was keen for the story to somehow reflect the idiosyncrasy of the setting and to play with the characters having very clear goals but mistaking each other’s. As an audience we are in a privileged position (or so we think…) jumping between both characters to understand what they want, then to see that manifest in them being unable to be honest for fear of hurting the other person, in a way only the British can do so brilliantly.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making The Fool's Mate and how did you overcome them?
We shot the film in May 2021 towards the end of the second Covid lockdown. The landlord of the pub, Kevin Moran, is nothing if not eccentric and I couldn’t track down his whereabouts or phone number - it transpires, fittingly, he doesn’t own a mobile. Instead, I posted a hand written, wax stamp sealed letter through the front door and hoped for the best. A month later I received a call from an unknown number, it was Kevin. He took a little persuading…we needed to close the pub for the two day shoot, or at least not open until the evening, and he said he’d never closed for anyone apart from when the government forced him to and he wasn’t starting for me. Luckily we managed to twist his arm. Years ago he was an extra in films and secretly, and most certainly by the end, he loved the experience.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences. Tips and tricks for other short filmmakers looking to crack the festival circuit?
We were fortunate enough to have our premier at BAFTA/BIFA Qualifying Bolton International Film Festival which is brilliantly run and in a great city. But I’d say try not to make something with the sole aim of ‘cracking’ the festival circuit - it’s almost impossible to do so and even the most successful of films receive plenty of rejections. I think it’s just important to remember (and I have to remind myself of this) that every festival is subjective, it’s just a few people’s opinions and very often there can appear to be no rhyme or reason to an acceptance or rejection. Try not to pin your hopes on any one specific festival and celebrate all the acceptances. Tell the story you connect with the most and feels worthy of the blood, sweat and tears short films require - if it’s true to who you are you’ll have the best chance at festivals anyway. Just to add, we genuinely loved KINO - Dustin and the team are a force of nature and have created a vibrant, celebratory event in some of London’s most beautiful art house cinemas. Kudos.
How did you find the online release of your film compared to your festival run?
We submitted the film to Omeleto and they released it three weeks ago. I couldn’t believe it as the viewing numbers kept going up and two weeks in we were at over 66k views. The whole point of being an artist is to put your work into the world and have it seen, so reading all the positive comments, people sharing and liking it has been incredibly satisfying and rewarding - in that sense, it feels like the film has truly found it's audience.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Use every contact you have. Be as tenacious and courageous as possible. If it feels risky and uncomfortable (but just about in reach) then do it. Just go make something!
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
Money - it’s widely accepted that short films are the way you progress your career but there just aren’t enough short film funds. Crowdfunding is a great option and then it’s self funding but even once you’ve finished the film you’re paying for the privilege to submit to festivals. The industry knows that 95% of people making shorts have no money but it also uses festival recognition, which you pay for, as a career barometer. So those with the most to gain (career wise) also have the most to lose (financially). That can be very demoralising for young filmmakers - especially when, in most cases, there’s no feedback on your work - something feels broken to me in that system.
Something a little less tangible is the lack of any real ‘ladder’ especially for director’s - there’s no clear path that people can walk, knowing they’re ticking off achievements one by one, like the qualifications of a lawyer or doctor. But in all honesty it is the work and the process of that work that is so invigorating. Getting up every day and thinking how I can make the next film - there is no better challenge than that.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I love Thomas Vinternberg - anything by him but in particular, ‘Festen’, ‘Another Round’ and ‘The Hunt’. I’ve loved, ’SuperNova’, ‘Fanny and Alexander’, ‘Un Prophete’, ‘The Fallen Idol’, ‘Local Hero’, Withnail and I’. They are in the front of my mind at the moment as I’m developing something in that vain. It's not a film but, 'A Spy Among Friends' on ITVX - brilliant storytelling.