Ascendant Films

A head chef balances multiple personal and professional crises at a popular restaurant in London.

Steve Mackleson is a dangerous prisoner, incarcerated for double murder in a maximum security prison. We follow, as he navigates his struggle against redemption the system and his inner turmoil, when a young black gang member becomes his unlikely new cell mate and a daughter he has never met, finally requests to meet her estranged father, face to face.

After 10 years, Eddie Franks is out of prison and trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but his drug-mule brother, Sean has other ideas. Rival gangster brothers demand Sean repay his debt to them, causing Eddie to get tangled in the crossfire, and he ends up using his life savings to calling in favours with mobster friends to try and help.

During the busy run-up to Christmas, a single-take snapshot of the immense stress and skills of a talented head chef reveals that things are about to burst behind the restaurant's flash façade.

It's 1964. James and Linda are young and in love, until one day she disappears. 43 years later he finds her, but James has to find out: is it always best to know the truth?

Director Philip Barantini talks through how the short became a feature-length film, alongside details on the production.