SYNOPSIS
Hopetown is an independently-made short film by Westley Gibbons and Tony Briggs. It follows Jon who,
after missing his last train home, finds himself wandering the streets of the city. Tormented by issues with
his father, he suffers the night from hell until salvation arrives in the form of two unlikely allies. With their help
he finds a way home, in every sense of the word.
Influenced by the work of Mike Leigh, John Schlesinger and Ken Loach, Hopetown is a character piece about
three people, drawn together by chance. Each live in the shadows and each struggles with regret, expectation
and remorse. Yet all three are surviving with their strength, love and hope. Filled with comedy and heartfelt
emotion, Hopetown is beautifully shot in black and white and showcases excellent performances from three
lead actors; Steve Furst, Grant Gillespie and Aakash Shukal.
CREDITS & REVIEWS
'Bring It Over Here!' Productions Presents HOPETOWN
Steve Furst as Dustin
Grant Gillespie as Brendan
Aakash Shukal as Jon
Annabel Mizel as Katie
Natalia Ortegon as Stephania
Voice-Over Artist: Martin Whiskin
Jon's Father: Harish Shukal
Written & Directed by Westley Gibbons
Produced, Photographed and Edited by Tony Briggs
Executive Producer Peter Gibbons
Camera Assistant & Stills: Simon Tang
Sound Recordist: Mario Gennari
Make Up & Wardrobe Design: Tina Young
Pre-Production producer: Beth Wightman
Production Assistants: Audrey Briggs & Bella Furst
Graphic Design: Gareth Robertson
Post production Facilities by ENVY London
Post Production Producer: Vanessa Troop
Dubbing mixer: Paminos Kyriazis
Colourist: Teresa Braida
On-Line Editor: Kieran Baxter
Additional dialogue by Steve Furst, Grant Gillespie and Aakash Shukal
and quoting 'Death of a Salesman' by Arthur Miller
Special thanks to Billy & Mickey McCartney and all the staff at
Holborn Studios, Greg White and all the team at ENVY, Sas and everyone at Merc,
Billy Sullivan, The Spitfires, Danny Murphy and all the cast & crew.
All music rights supplied courtesy of YouTube with all rights reserved.
Hopetown is an independent non-profit production and is un-monetized
'Bring It Over Here' Productions supports MIND.org
If you, or someone you know, have been affected by mental health issues MIND
provides confidential emotional support and information www.mind.org.uk
Praise for Hopetown...
"It’s always a pleasure to come across a short film that packs such an emotional punch. ‘Hope Town’ wears its heart well and truly on its sleeve. Set In London it pulls a truly disparate group of characters together for just one night. From the world class editing to the standout performance from Steve Furst it’s a small film with a huge impact. It perfectly captures a group of truly lost souls and its thoughtful soundtrack drives us towards its satisfying conclusion. Sharp direction. Beautiful imagery. Characters you care about. A standout piece for me."
Phil Ryan, Storm Productions
"A film ahead of time in observing, exposing and endorsing the vulnerable, gentler side of masculinity. I loved Hopetown and was a keen female voyeur into the hidden world of emotions the men share as a threesome during their incarcerated night together. Beautifully shot, almost cartoon like, novel and unusual. Hopetown is delightful,
sad and uplifting all at the same time..."
Jenny McLaughlin
