A Son's Return Home

Just after WW1, a traumatised young man arrives at the farmhouse of a family whose son was killed at Passchendaele. Each family member has been dealing with the devastating loss in their own way but the young man’s arrival stirs up intense emotions, forcing the family to confront their feelings or risk being torn apart. 

We are very excited to bring this beautiful story to life. We have a great team of collaborators - including a few beautiful horses! - and look forward to raising the funds we need to produce this film to the highest standard possible. That's where you come in - our friends, family, colleagues, film lovers, art lovers, horse lovers, WW1 enthusiasts - we're hopeful that you'll support this endeavour and become part of our team!  

I'm Kim Georgine and I'm producing and directing. I'll be working with an outstanding team of local Canterbury talent including Janine Sowerby - Writer and Producer of this beautiful story; Julian Vares - Cinematographer; Derek Doddington - Producer; Elise Harris & Jing Jing Ke - Associate Producers; and many more crew. Our wildly talented actors include Susannah Kenton, Tom Trevella, Will Alexander, and Lily Saunders. 

As a filmmaker, I enjoy working with those who are passionate about their area of expertise. I prefer to give each team member as much autonomy as possible and allow them to offer their unique creative solutions to the project. At the same time, I work hard to ensure that each contribution serves the overall vision our team has for the film. 

In my view, short films require a highly collaborative approach - even more so than a feature or TV series in some ways. On a short, we are typically operating on less funds than usual and so everyone ends up wearing a lot more hats. This is where good food, drinks, and camaraderie typically save the day! 

We have already been hard at work for many months, so we hope you'll support our project. We're all looking forward to getting this one made. 

We’re focusing on raising funds for production costs though we will attempt to earmark some funds for post production and some for festival fees and screenings, if at all possible. Many of the crew are donating their gear and/or some of their time but we are committed to paying each crew member for the four shoot days as much as the budget will allow. We will need to cover some gear costs as well as props, makeup, costumes, and the like. Here’s a preliminary breakdown:

• Camera & Sound - people and gear
• Actors - 4 actors for 4 days, plus rehearsal time
• Art Department - including props and furniture appropriate to the time period
• Costumes & Makeup - appropriate to the time period
• Location costs - we are filming at a private residence but would like to compensate the owners and possibly put them up in a hotel
• Transportation - on set and for those needing support to get to and from set
• Food - above all else, we will be feeding people for the entire shoot

As you may have guessed, our budget doesn't even begin to cover all of these costs realistically. A great deal of generosity always goes into these endeavours so we're looking to raise as much as we can. We may not be able to pay market rates but we don't want anyone going out of pocket, either. Feel free to donate generously, if you're in a position to! 

What stood out to me about A Son's Return Home, was how a quiet and gentle short film could still pack a big emotional punch. The use of subtlety and subtext lends to its narrative power and opens the pathway for actors to delve into emotional truths that are often hard to attain in anything less than a feature film. 

The MacKay family are struggling with grief and loss, which has stopped them from connecting in meaningful ways. When forced to confront their feelings by an unexpected visitor,  it makes for an incredibly emotional story with a particularly satisfying and cathartic denouement. 

In a time where othering and hatred is running high, I found it refreshing and deeply moving to read a story about humans attempting to reconnect with each other and with what really matters.

A Son’s Return Home is already shaping up to be a beautifully acted, emotionally resonant, cinematic work.  We are very proud of the work that has gone into it so far and are looking forward to seeing you all back in the cinema once it's finished.

By supporting this film, you’re helping us bring a story to life that resonates across cultures and generations, provides us with the means and resources to make this film well, and supports Canterbury-based professional screen practitioners with a bit of paid work in a creative environment that’s especially tough right now. 

A massive thank you for helping us - whether by donating or sharing details of our campaign - to get this film over the line and into cinemas worldwide!