Sharp Shorts Year 1
Running Time: 17mins
Year: 2021
Synopsis: Hannah is a withdrawn, awkward teenager who has been asked to leave school for not participating. Her mother has set her up with a trial shift at a beauty salon and pleads with her to do her best and Hannah, knowing this is her only option to turn her life around, reluctantly agrees.
FILM CREW:
Director: Leyla Coll-O’Reilly
Producer: Laura McBride
Exec Producer: Gillian Berry, Tiernan Kelly, Rebecca Thompson, Mar Vila Barcelo, Alice Whittmore
Writer: Leyla Coll-O’Reilly
DOP: Lorena Pages
Editor: Jack Goessens
Sound Design: Richy Carey
Composer: Richy Carey
Production Design: Iveta Smidte
Costume Design: Elle Wilson
Hair & Makeup: Kat Morgan
Cast: Mollie Milne, Michelle Donnelly, Sharon Young
Photo credit: Tiu Makkonen
FESTIVALS:
Interfilm International Short Film Festival November 2022
BFI London Film Festival October 2022
Bolton International Film Festival October 2022
Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival August 2022
Leyla Josephine is an artist originally from Glasgow, now residing in Prestwick. She is a performance poet, theatre maker, screenwriter, facilitator and project leader.
Her solo shows Hopeless and Daddy Drag have taken the UK by storm with sold out shows across the country. Hopeless was runner up for Saboteur’s Best Spoken Word Show 2018. Daddy Drag won the Autopsy Award 2019 which celebrates artists making ground-breaking work in Scotland. It was also shortlisted for Filipa Braganca Award 2019, which honours solo female artists creating important work at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Leyla’s short film Groom was funded by Short Circuit and BFI Network and produced by Lothian Films. She was mentored by Lynne Ramsay and Jennifer Reeder through the process. Groom has played at BIFA, BAFTA and Academy qualifying festivals including Edinburgh International Film Festival, Bolton Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and Glasgow Short Film Festival where it won Attic Pitch Award. Leyla won First Prize for Direction at Academy qualifying Rhode Island Flickers Fest. Groom was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA 2022.
Leyla has been named one of Screen International’s Rising Star Scotland 2022. She recently took part in Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab and is part of the BAFTA Connect.
Lothian Films is an Edinburgh based independent Film and TV production company founded by Laura McBride, which has a focus on championing diverse voices and women writers and directors from both Scotland and further afield.
Laura has produced award winning short films, including recently completed Scuzz, written and directed by Alia Ghafar which was commissioned by BFI Network. Laura and Alia are currently developing Yellow Moon – Alia’s first feature which is an adaptation of the play by acclaimed Scottish playwright, David Greig.
Laura has over 7 years’ experience working within the Scottish Film and HETV industry across development, production, exhibition and education. She is currently P/T Head of Development at Compact Pictures working with John McKay, has worked in-house at Synchronicity Films as assistant to Claire Mundell, has managed events at Edinburgh International Film Festival and has production department credits on The Cry (BBC One), Only You’ (The Bureau), Get Duked! (Sigma) and Vigil (World Productions).
