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A Hollow Romance

Logline: We suffer more in reality than in our imagination

Synopsis: Thomas reunites with an old-friend and recounts the tale of how he met the girl of his dreams.

  • Hamza Boujelouah
    Director
  • Hamza Boujelouah
    Writer
  • Nicholas Malekos
    Producer
  • Luca Campopiano
    Key Cast
    "Thomas"
  • Zakariye Nur
    Key Cast
    "Ali"
  • Molly Nighy
    Key Cast
    "Kate"
  • Nolle Grierson
    Key Cast
    "Therapist"
  • Alice Johnson
    Key Cast
    "Becky"
  • Dorian Hasanaj
    Key Cast
    "Ollie"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 6, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,800 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Blackmagic RAW
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Ravensbourne University
Director Biography - Hamza Boujelouah

Hamza is a London-based filmmaker and actor with a First Class Hons in Digital Film Production from Ravensbourne University. Having specialised in screenwriting and directing, he has a strong passion for storytelling, performance and visuals, and ensures that he cultivates a playful and creative atmosphere on any production. He is eager to develop stories and characters for the film, TV and theatre industries that will resonate with audiences.

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Director Statement

A Hollow Romance is a low-budget, drama-short film that follows an introverted Thomas catching up with his close friend Ali, recounting the tale of how he met his ‘perfect’ woman. A tale that ultimately ends up being fabricated in order to make himself look more impressive. The narrative of the film was heavily inspired by events that took place in my own life, and was adapted to turn it into a tragic story about male loneliness in the modern world; and the extreme actions people can take in search for social approval.

I knew from the start that I wanted the piece to be a tragedy, the story is about a man desperate for social and romantic approval, and could get it if he only had the confidence to act on his desires instead of creating this deluded fantasy.

From a visual standpoint, it was heavily inspired by Janusz Kamiński’s work on Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021). This filmic look we felt was tonally appropriate for the story we were trying to tell (even though it wasn’t originally what I had intended in my original treatment) as West Side Story is not only a heavily influential and narratively timeless musical, but it is also regarded as one of the greatest love stories.