1. Growing
England 2017
Director: Chloe Williams
Certificate: TBC 5m 30s
Reviewed by …………….
British filmmaker Chloe
Williams presents us with a
story of growth and letting go
from the perspective of
teenagers going out into the
world (following Waiting For
One, 2017 - which looked at
homosexuality in teenagers
and the battle to be yourself
in today’s society).
Whilst the main
problem for the protagonist is
up for debate - the morality of
main character Georgia lying
to her friend Billy or the
impact of growing up and
moving on in adolescent
friendships -, there remains,
in either reception, a
message for us audience
members concerning the
significance of this period in a
person’s life on their close
relationships. The scene
depicting an argument
between the two friends in
particular connotes both the
previous strength of their
friendship - through the loving
yet despairing look in their
eyes - and the repercussions
of the deception and the
events to take place in the
future. It is a very powerful
moment within the short film,
that explains the uncertainty
of the opening minutes.
The performance
from Georgia Loosley is
stunning in how she subtly
conveys the pain and
suffering the character
endures as she makes the
decision to give Billy his
university acceptance letter.
It is this that impacts the
audience and sparks the
empathetic response
required by Chloe, due to the
familiarity of loving
relationships that is shared
throughout the audience.
Likewise, the fairly
minimalistic argument is very
cleverly acted as little is
spoken between the two
friends - Billy’s line of ‘that’s
not my problem’ followed by
Georgia snatching her letter
out of his hands and running
up the stairs mirrors the
social realism tone of
verisimilitude that directors
such as Williams strive to
achieve. The meaning is
created in the natural looks
and actions exchanged -
stares filled with anguish as
realisations occur and
relationships seem to be
crushed.
The actual process of
Georgia’s growth is, however,
unclear to the audience as
we are given/shown limited
background information to
support it. Should this prove
to be the heart of the film, it
was not effectively
signposted. The connotations
of various aspects of the
technical elements signify
that she is growing and
moving from a place of
deception to one of
selflessness - e.g with the
massively contrasting lighting
changes up to and during the
argument scene. However
means this is a film that has
to be unpacked in order for
the audience to truly grasp
the core of the film and
Williams’ message. This may
not be such a problem for the
film literate in the audience,
of which there will be many,
but for those who do not
actively watch and pick apart
films this true meaning may
be lost in favour of a jealous
best friend acting on her own
self-interest.
Despite that, what we
do receive is a heartfelt
insight into the struggle to
hold on to friendships as best
friends go their separate
ways and to different
countries. Even those
audience members who are
not in the same phase in their
lives will be able to relate in
some form as we have all felt
that pain of losing someone
we love. This aspect of the
message is signified in the
final shot of Georgia and Billy
in the car, sharing a moment
of passivity after simmering
conflict.
Synopsis:
2. Credits:
Directed by:
Chloe Williams
Produced by:
Courtney Harrington
Written by:
Chloe Williams
Cinematography by:
Ben Bishop
Music composed by:
Harry Heaven
Cast:
Georgia:
Georgia Loosley
Billy:
Henry Tomlin
