About A Girl



Year: 2001


Running Time: 9 mins
Crew:
Director....................................Brian Percival
Writer.......................................Julie Rutter Ford
Producer.................................Janey de Nordwall
Editor.......................................Phil Tune
Director Of Photography......Geoff Boyle
Cast
Girl...................Ashley Thewlis
Father..............John Slater
Mother.............Sue Jaynes

Short Synopsis:


As a girl relates stories about her ordinary teenage life, there is an uncomfortable sense of sadness underlying her easygoing tales, but it is not until the end that we find out the disturbing truth.


Awards Won:



The film won several awards including:
  • 2001 BAFTA for Best Short Film;
  • Edinburgh Film Festival Prize for best Short Film;
  • City Light Award for Best Short Film;
  • Granada TV Short film Award;
  • Best Short at Raindance
  • Turner Classic Movie Shorts top prize.
About the Film:

Brian Percival chose to shoot such a gritty script for his first short film as a reaction against the glossy commercialism of the adverts he had worked on before. But this was not unproblematic, as cinematographer Geoff Boyle explains, " It was a real struggle, not lighting everything beautifully. Every shot was lit, but Brian and I found ourselves constantly reminding each other 'It's not a commercial.'" They shot on Super 16 during one week at the canal-side in Manchester.