Introduction:
My film, Say It, is a short drama based on true events. It explores Kobby and Harry, rivals who get trapped in their school bathroom and are forced to confront each other. It was made as a final semester project in my second year of university, and it explores themes of morality and the price that comes with speaking up against injustice
Inspiration:
The film came from my real-life experiences attending a PWI (predominantly white institution) boarding school for six years. During my time there, I was subjected to systemic racism, and the aim of the film is to bring awareness to the issue within schools. The confrontation Harry and Kobby had in the bathroom is a real conversation I had with someone over text, and every incident described in the film is an actual incident that happened to me. My hope is that by sharing my experience, I can highlight how systemic racism affects all parties involved (victims, perpetrators and bystanders). It can incite actual change in communities.
The Process:
We filmed in Cheltenham in March of 2025, with a total of 3 shoot days. The biggest challenge was finding the bathroom. It was the last location we secured, and since most of the film was shot there, the main challenge was breaking up the scene to make it look like it was happening in real time, even though it was shot over two different days. The office location at the start of the film was actually a church office, and we felt that this best encapsulated the architecture of the school. A fun fact is that each of the characters had a colour attributed to them. Mr Brannigan (orange), Harry (blue), and Kobby (green). The school’s colours are orange and blue (Harry and Mr Brannigan), and Kobby’s was green to show that he didn’t fit in the environment. Another fact is that Kobby was supposed to have his blazer off in the first scene, but since we shot it with his blazer on, he threw it off in the next scene so he would end up without it. Throughout production, we learned a lot about dealing with set mishaps as well as the importance of continuity.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
Being selected as a finalist at the Worcester Film Festival is genuinely an amazing honour. It’s the biggest festival our film has gotten into yet, and It’s reassuring to see the film get recognition. This is my directorial debut, and I never imagined the film would reach this point! I just hope audiences will be able to resonate with it and feel inspired to make a difference within their communities.
Where to Watch / Follow:
You can follow the film’s journey on Instagram: @sayit_film, where we will continue to share updates on its festival run as well as where it will be available to watch afterwards!
Also see the director’s Instagram: @farrel_films for updates on future projects as well.
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