The Out by Writer and Director Harry Brandrick is a poignant and personal story. His own father battled with drug addiction for most of his life. Processing this relationship provided the seed for this story. The Out follows a recovering heroin addict who is trying to get his life back together after leaving a penitentiary.
Synopsis: Liam is a 35 year-old recovering heroin addict. He looks after his young daughter for the first time after prison and getting clean.
Harry Brandrick has made 3 narrative short films, Roxanne, Between Walls, and The Out, alongside several other short-form pieces. He created The Out to shine a light on the real-life struggles people face. He wants to tell a story that makes the audience question their views on why people go to prison. Harry wants how we, as a society deal with addiction.
Watch Official Trailer for THE OUT as directed by Harry Brandrick
Allan ‘Seapa’ Mustafa is a BAFTA-winning actor/writer. Known for co-creating, writing, and starring in PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING which had great success at the Royal Television Society Awards and the BAFTA TV Awards, winning in the Scripted Comedy category at both. Allan starred in the short film BOSSMAN (selected for the Thunderdance and Colchester Film Festivals) and most recently in LOVE WEDDING RESPECT. He was named as one of Broadcast Magazine’s ‘Hotshots’ in 2014.
After having worked on various music videos and commercials for production company 33Red Films, THE OUT is producer Jack Wright’s first narrative short film for the producer Jack Wright. He has a keen interest in stories that explore social issues and unheard voices.
Producer Grace Bridger has produced a number of projects alongside Writer/Director Runyararo Mapfumo at Dessymak Productions. Their short film MASTERPIECE premiered at BFI London Film Festival, she went on to develop and produce DAWN IN THE DARK supported by BBC Films and BFI NETWORK which premiered at BFI London Film Festival. Previously Grace worked in post-production on Hong Khaou’s MONSOON and assisted Producer Tracy O’Riordan during the production of Film4’s DREAM HORSE, starring Toni Collete and Damien Lewis.
The stunning cinematography was created by Kia Fern Little, and the film will screen at Indyshorts in July.
Directors Note
My Dad was a heroin addict for most of his life and spent time in and out of prison. When he died in late 2018, I found myself reflecting on stories and memories from my childhood. As a storyteller and filmmaker, my own personal history is always the starting point of any idea as I feel that it’s personal stories that connect with audiences in the most impactful way. However, it’s possible to use the personal as a vehicle to explore or comment on wider societal issues. This is the kind of cinema that I connect with as a viewer and the kind of cinema I want to make – a combination of the personal and the (subtly) political.
Years of austerity have seen public services stretched to breaking point and those who rely on them have had to endure years of suffering. The ‘benefit scrounger’ or ‘CHAV’ narrative, perpetuated by the media, has been successful in dehumanizing the vulnerable, people like the film’s 2 main characters; Liam and Marcus. I want to make a film that’s poetic, nuanced, and hopeful as well as truthful and respectful of the real-life struggles people face. We’re starting to see progressive drug policies in other countries but in the UK we still criminalize addiction, when at its root it’s a social/psychological issue.
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