Behind the Film: The Blossom and the Mountain

Introduction

I created The Blossom and the Mountain, a short art film. With the composition by Nicholas Newton, I was inspired by the music to create a visual narrative with the themes of love, loss and transience.

Inspiration

For my eighteenth birthday, I visited Japan, and I was in awe of both the contrast of the traditional temples and Fuji landscape as well as the neon-lit signs and skyscrapers of Tokyo.

Over 10 years later, when I heard the track, I instantly fell in love with it. We brainstormed, and after many scrapped ideas, we finally came up with Blossom and Fuji being represented by 2 dancers with distinctive styles, and we worked from there to create what you see today.

The Process

Based in the Midlands, I was lucky enough to bring together the most incredible, diverse team from the Midlands, UK and abroad that I have ever had the pleasure to work with.

Two days, two locations, the lush Japanese Gardens of Kew Gardens, praying for sunshine within our four-hour slot on the day of ‘Storm Kathleen’ (ironically my name).

Timing the plane tickets and shoot dates months in advance with the blossom blooming as well as the bizarre weather patterns ended up coming down to a lot of guesswork and intensive planning. It literally rained the moment we wrapped.

We also shot specialised underwater work at independent Tank Space in the Midlands; our experience was incredible!

Everybody went above and beyond, and that dedication shows in every frame. We combined storytelling with ambitious practical elements, coordinating complex fire performances and underwater tank stunts, intricate choreography, custom-designed traditional and modernised costumes, stylised hair and makeup. Backed by exceptional cinematography, our team managed every technical hurdle to ensure the visual and physical elements matched the depth of Nick’s score. I hope the film resonates with you as much as it did with all of us while creating it.

What It Means to Be a Finalist

Being selected as a finalist at Worcester Film Festival is an incredible honour. Having our work recognised by a platform that actively celebrates diverse voices validates the immense effort, trust, and passion our team poured into every detail of this project. Sharing this story with your audience means the world to us.