Made on a comparative shoestring over 3 years, this creative telling of a young father's WWII experience as he strives to return home to his family showcases the creative talent of its teenage writer, director...and actor, Elliott Hasler.
Pieced together from conversations with his great-grandfather, the story unfolds over several months as young Charlie is first captured by the Italians in Africa before finding a freedom of sorts, although there remains the small matter of surviving for months in occupied Italy. Interspersed with scenes from home in Brighton as his young wife (Tup) struggles to bring up their young son, Charlie encounters both friend and foe as he travels North and, ultimately, home.
With some musings on the futility of war, this is an astonishing debut feature that sets a solid foundation for a rising talent in the UK film industry.
Pieced together from conversations with his great-grandfather, the story unfolds over several months as young Charlie is first captured by the Italians in Africa before finding a freedom of sorts, although there remains the small matter of surviving for months in occupied Italy. Interspersed with scenes from home in Brighton as his young wife (Tup) struggles to bring up their young son, Charlie encounters both friend and foe as he travels North and, ultimately, home.
With some musings on the futility of war, this is an astonishing debut feature that sets a solid foundation for a rising talent in the UK film industry.