UPCOMING FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS
The Fête of Britain
Manchester, UK.
10am - 1pm, North Warehouse
24-25th February 2024
*****
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 Stars- Take2 Indie Review
"A cinematic work of art."
"Expertly avoids sentimentality, making each second... count."
"...so pure and simple, yet so deep and all-encompassing, it's bound to stir the most stone-cold hearts."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4.5 Stars- OneFilmFan Oscar Qualifying Review
"A dynamically intense, evocative, compelling, stirring, and wholly relevant amalgamation of drama and thriller wrapped into a smartly executed 15-minute runtime."
"Leaves you utterly speechless as a viewer, no overstatement at ALL."
"Ushers in (or, honestly, it SHOULD) a lot of contemplation in its aftermath."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4.5 Stars - FanBoyNation
"Magnificent."
"All the foreshadowing led me down a road that I did not expect and when the big reveal came, I was left breathless."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4 Stars - Uk Film Review
"Emotional and tense. The heart-stopping finale will most likely leave the viewer stunned."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4.3 Stars - Indie Shorts Mag
"Together sound and time create a composite sense of danger, fragility, and hope."
7.5/10 Film Threat
"Walks a delicate tightrope telling a story of hope from an unlikely source, without ever feeling preachy or fantastical."
Salute Your Shorts Film Festival, CA, USA - Jury Statement
"Beautifully acted and shot. The story was strong, specific, and poignant. At one point I forgot I was watching a film. It spoke to the many varied challenges happening in our world today; the hopelessness, fear, and lack of humanity we have all experienced and yet it still left me with a feeling of understanding and a sense of hope. It stays with me and resonates even now. "
Woods Hole Film Festival, MA, USA - Jury Statement
"Few movies can make you feel hope for humanity... If we could all view the world more simplistically like Michael there might be hope for us yet."
Few movies can make you feel hope for humanity. Especially when life is filled with dark headlines and the world is out of touch.
“The Stupid Boy” An autistic teenager chooses to view the world as full of hope and love. He lives in a world that forces others to conform or be cast aside. The beauty of this story is that Michael sees the world through a lens that can’t be obscured.
Director Phil Dunn has done an excellent job of pacing this story and bringing all the disciplines of film together harmoniously for this short film. The score is terrific and with wonderful editing pushes you right along at the perfect pace. The cast does an amazing job of building the world of Michael and making their family believable. The parents are good parents, respectable, not troubled in some cliché way. The cinematography is thoughtful and the 360 camera move on the tension filled hug is moving.
If we all could view the world more simplistically like Michael there might be hope for us yet. Hate is what drove Stephen to find himself confronted by the one person who would not run from the hate, but yet face it and see the good in all humans. Hate will swallow you. The beauty of this life lies in our diversity and we must embrace that diversity in order to move forward.
All the winners this year do an amazing job of reminding us the way we view the world is not so narrow. The learned ignorance of others can be unlearned.
Film is such a powerful tool of communication and hope. We the judges felt moved by the storytelling, and applaud the filmmakers for giving us a reminder of the joy that can be found if only we seek it out.
Odense Film Festival, Denmark (OSCAR-Qualifying)
"Naive, heart-warming and topical drama which could not be any more relevant in this - the age of polarisation."
Variety Magazine: "Final Predictions for Oscar shortlists"
Gold Derby: "Oscars Alert: 10 Short Films That Could Make the Shortlists."
"Worth watching for its terrific central performance from Joshua Griffin, who creates one of the most likeable and lovable lead characters I’ve seen, not just in short films this year but in cinema in general."
Gold Derby: "Will these short films make the BAFTA Longlist? - Look for this trio of top-notch tales to make the cut."
"A short film that packs a punch - and plenty of heart."
The Ward Bond TV Show: "Film Director Phil Dunn talks about his inspiring film THE STUPID BOY"
"It's powerful, it’s moving, and it reaches down into your heart so deep that it will leave an impression on you like no other film."
Roobla.com "Phil Dunn’s The Stupid Boy isn’t as daft as it sounds"
"Heart-racing and heart-warming in equal measure, which is quite some achievement in less than fifteen minutes."
Film and TV Now "Interview Special Phil Dunn: The Stupid Boy"
"A very thoughtful film about perception."
Brixton Blog: "Brixton Filmmaker aims for the Oscars with his new short."
Christian Vince meets the medic, turned theologist, turned Brixton-based filmmaker who has qualified for the 2024 Oscars with his new short film, The Stupid Boy
"The final scene is shot and scored perfectly, creating a climax like no other."
For publicity please contact cls@londonflairpr.com
THE STUPID BOY tells the parallel narrative of Michael, a 16 year-old neurodivergent boy unable to recognise hatred and bullying, and Stephen, a broken man full of repressed rage following a history of abuse and loss. These characters’ journeys are brought together in a heart-stopping finale when their narratives cross paths.
JOSHUA GRIFFIN - "MICHAEL ADISA"
Michael Adisa is a 16 year old boy from Brixton, London. He has a neuro-diverse condition that results in him being very affectionate and incapable of malice. His perceived naivety has led to him being bullied at school.
Michael is played by Joshua Griffin who trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and has appeared in The Mousetrap in London's West End.
SHAUN MASON - "STEPHEN MIRES"
Stephen Mires is a broken man, from an abusive childhood. He has recently begun attending meetings known to have ties to 'Christian Nation', a white supremacist group responsible for a spate of recent suicide bombings in London.
Stephen is played by Shaun Mason, who is known for his roles in Time (Season 1), I Hate Suzie (2020) and Line Of Duty (2012).
ELLIE PIERCY - "POLLY ADISA"
Polly Adisa is Michael's mother. She worries that Michael will be taken advantage of for his kindness, and wants to prepare him for the wider world where that could happen even more.
Polly is played by Ellie Piercy, who is known for previous Authentive film, "About" (2020), and also The Dig (2020), Hanna (Season 2) and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018).
DEREK ELROY - "ADIO ADISA"
Adio Adisa is a loving, gentle father to Michael, who believes that Michael's condition should be seen as a gift. This has created tension between him and Polly over the years, which is being brought to a head as Michael moves further through adolescence.
Adio is played by Derek Elroy, whose previous credits include Rev (Series 1), Fortitude (Series 2), and Bridget Jones' Diary (2000).
BARRY AIRD - "MARCUS JACKSON"
Marcus Jackson is a leader in the white supremacist group 'Christian Nation' who sees Stephen's potential for their cause.
Marcus is played by Barry Aird, who is known for Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Beast (2017).
PHIL DUNN - WRITER/DIRECTOR
Phil is a director, screenwriter and poet based in Brixton, London where he owns/runs Authentive Productions Ltd.
"The Stupid Boy" is his most ambitious film to date, and his script for it was awarded Top Ten Finalist in an International Screenwriters’ Association competition.
His previous two short films, "Box Office Smash" (2018) and "About" (2020), both won 14 awards apiece, as well as numerous nominations and selections on the international film festival circuit.
GABRIELLE OLIVER - PRODUCER
Gabrielle is a Producer with over 18 years experience working in television and film production.
She started her career in broadcast television, working on a variety of programmes for BBC, Channel 4 and SKY. From there she moved into independent film production for clients in the corporate and charity sectors, which brought her to work with Phil at Authentive on numerous projects.
"The Stupid Boy" is Gabrielle's first narrative short film credit.
MARIO GENOVESE - DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Since training at the Roberto Rossellini film school in Rome, over the last 20 years Mario has become a master of light, lenses and cameras at all levels of production.
He and Phil have collaborated on countless projects, and more recently, both award-winning short films, "Box Office Smash" (2018) and "About" (2020). Many of the accolades for both were for Best Cinematography, including festivals in Los Angeles, New York (winning a Grand Jury Prize) and in his home country of Italy.
THOMAS BELL - COMPOSER
Tom is a freelance composer and sound designer based in the East Midlands, UK.
Tom worked with Phil on both 'Juggler' (2016) and 'Box Office Smash' (2018), which won the top award (Diamond) for Best Original Music Score at the Pinnacle Film Awards in LA. At the end of 2021 Tom released his first EP ‘Mesmer’ and his second EP ‘Good Gets Better’ was released in October 2023. His work on ‘The Stupid Boy’ was awarded Best Soundtrack at the 13th edition of the Mediterraneo Festival Corto in Italy.