Behind the Film: Sorry We’re Closed - Worcester Film Festival

Introduction:

My film “Sorry We’re Closed” is a relationship comedy drama that follows a young couple, Jacob and Olivia, who break into a fish and chip shop after arguing about the lack of spontaneity in their relationship. I wanted to take two normal people who are stuck in a routine of work and boredom and slipping away from each other, who wilfully commit an illegal act just for fun, and rekindle their relationship in the process. The film was self-funded and shot with an incredibly talented Midlands-based cast and crew on location in Beeston, Nottingham.

Inspiration:

A few years ago, I was in a Wetherspoons, and I overheard a couple arguing very bitterly about fish and chips. One thought the chippy wouldn’t be open on their walk home; the other was convinced it was – they must have been very hungry! I immediately wrote the story down in my phone, thinking it would make for an interesting short film about a couple arguing about something so trivial. But it wasn’t until two years later that I came up with the idea of the break-in, and two months later we ended up filming it!

The Process:

Filming took place in my hometown of Beeston, Nottingham, in October 2024. One of the biggest challenges was filming in the fish and chip shop, because we had a limited time to capture everything we required. Thankfully, we had a wonderful 1st AD called Charlie Sharp who kept us on schedule and moving fast. I worked with cinematographer Laurence Mason-Guetta to achieve this wonderful red and blue lighting that made my local chippy look like some hellish nightclub. I spoke to Laurence about the garishly red lighting in “Goodfellas” during the Billy Batts sequence, and how that was designed to resemble hell and be representative of a turning point for those characters. Similarly in our film, we wanted to convey the idea of Jacob and Olivia breaking into the chip shop as stepping beyond the fray, and Laurence and his team’s excellent lighting beautifully helped us illustrate that concept.

What It Means to Be a Finalist:

I was incredibly honoured when “Sorry We’re Closed” was selected for the BIFA-qualifying Worcester Film Festival. I’ve followed your festival since it began, and am thrilled to have the opportunity to visit your beautiful city for the first time, experience the festival, and meet the wonderful team behind it, as well as the filmmakers and fellow finalists.