Introduction
The Intimacy Coordinator is a 21-minute darkly comic psychological thriller about a highly respected intimacy coordinator harbouring a dangerous secret: she is a sex addict. Kate attends weekly support meetings, but her recovery is unravelling, and she is secretly sleeping with another member of the group. When she becomes fixated on a young actor under her care, her professional boundaries begin to collapse with horrifying consequences. Using satire, discomfort and escalating horror, the film explores power, consent, addiction and the danger of placing unquestioning trust in those appointed to protect us.
Inspiration
The idea for The Intimacy Coordinator grew from my fascination with the enormous responsibility placed upon intimacy coordinators and the level of trust actors must give them during their most vulnerable moments on set. I began wondering what would happen if the very person employed to protect performers was secretly the least appropriate person for the job. I wanted to take a role associated with safeguarding and examine it through the heightened lens of dark comedy and psychological horror.
The film explores the abuse of professional power, the gradual erosion of boundaries and the ways addiction can distort someone’s judgement. It was also important to reverse a familiar screen dynamic by centring the exploitation of a young male actor and treating his discomfort and vulnerability seriously. Beneath its more outrageous and shocking moments, the film asks what happens when somebody weaponises the language of consent, care and safety for their own gratification.
The Process
The Intimacy Coordinator was independently produced by Thimble Films, Raw Inventive and Curtain Bangs, with Ben Jacob Smith and Roxane Bourges producing alongside me. I wrote, directed, produced and played Kate, with a cast including Kieron Moore, Lindsay Duncan, Sophie Simnett, Alexander Arnold, David Mumeni, Toby Williams and Darcy Willison-Sloan. Our creative team included cinematographer Laura Bellingham BSC, production designer Harrison Clark, hair and make-up designer Hannah Gallery, costume designer Caylee Webber, colourist Karol Cybulski, editor Lesley Posso and composer James New.
Filming took place in London over four days. One of the greatest creative challenges was balancing three very different tones. The film needed to begin as a recognisable workplace drama, develop into uncomfortable dark comedy and ultimately become full psychological horror without losing its emotional credibility. The intimacy scenes also had to communicate Kate’s increasingly serious boundary violations
while keeping the cast safe and supported throughout production. Playing the central role while directing added another layer of complexity, but the trust and precision of our cast and crew allowed us to push the film into increasingly bold and unsettling territory.
What It Means to Be a Finalist
Being recognised as a finalist at Worcester Film Festival is a genuine honour. This was an ambitious independent film that asked our cast and crew to navigate difficult subject matter and an unusual collision of comedy, discomfort and horror. It means so much to know that the film has connected with the festival’s programmers, and I am thrilled to share it with audiences in Worcester as part of its festival journey.
Where to Watch and Follow
Follow @theintimacycoordinatorfilm and @louisaconnollyburnham on Instagram for screening information, behind-the-scenes content and updates about the film’s forthcoming online release. You can also follow @thimblefilms for news about my future work as a writer, director, producer and actor.
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