Private Project

Flying Monkey

A troubled young man, Connor Creed, finds himself at the center of a missing persons investigation when his girlfriend, Alice Butler, vanishes.

Detective Collet initiates a tense video call interrogation, pressing Connor for details about their volatile relationship and Alice's erratic behavior. Unbeknownst to the Detective, Alice is hidden in Connor's apartment, her watchful presence ensuring Connor doesn't reveal their secret.

As Collet delves into Connor's violent past and Alice's history of running away, the tension mounts. A sudden, emotional outburst from Alice during a momentary break in the call further fuels the Detective's suspicions.

Blinded by misguided love and manipulated by Alice into a warped sense of protectiveness, Connor vehemently denies any involvement, even as the evidence against him stacks up. Cornered and desperate, he ultimately confesses to Alice's supposed murder, a sacrifice he believes will ensure her freedom.

Suddenly, police arrive downstairs and force entry into the apartment. A final, desperate embrace between Connor and Alice precedes her escape. As Alice runs away, happy and seemingly scot-free, Connor is left alone to face the devastating consequences of his actions.

  • Samuel Lawrence
    Director
    Foreign Land, Music & The Mind
  • Samuel Lawrence
    Writer
    Foreign Land, Music & The Mind
  • Rakan Zahed
    Producer
    Deserters, Finger Food, Woodgrove
  • Timi Ariyo
    Producer
  • Andrew Cockcroft-Charles
    Key Cast
    "Connor"
    Breakfast with Jonny Wilkinson
  • Saffron Dey
    Key Cast
    "Alice"
    Top Girls, Ain't I a Woman?, Call the Midwife
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 8 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 26, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    8,600 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Red Komodo 6k 4096x1716
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Samuel Lawrence

Sam Lawrence writes & directs short films, writes feature films, and works in Film & TV scripted development in London; with a focus on telling powerful, thought-provoking and engaging cinematic stories for a large audience on the big screen.

Sam has written and directed an award-winning short film, 'Music & The Mind' (winner of Best Short Documentary at Europe Film Festival), and the World War 2-set scripted short film, 'Foreign Land', starring Mary Woodvine, of BAFTA award-winning film 'BAIT', and most recently, 'Enys Men'. This film centres on a gay man coming home after WW2, only to return to a small intolerant town where he knows he can never be himself. The film was shot across 10 locations, with a 30 person crew and 8 person cast.

Most recently, Sam was Assistant to the Producers on the 2024 Sundance Film Festival SMASH HIT and 2025 BAFTA winning film, 'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story'. The film sold to Warner Bros for $15 million and was released theatrically worldwide in September 2024. Sam was involved at every stage of the film's production, from financing through to distribution, further developing his intricate knowledge of production workflow and learning how to tell emotional and powerful stories for a global audience.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Flying Monkey is a pulse-pounding psychological thriller that occurs entirely in real time and plunges the audience into a toxic yet electrifying interpersonal dynamic. The film unfolds with an immediacy that demands surrender, compelling viewers to experience the narrative on a raw, emotional level. Flying Monkey delivers a ferociously gripping experience designed for the big screen, where its meticulously crafted 5.1 surround sound enhances the feeling of being trapped within the confines of this poisonous relationship.

Creating this film was a deeply personal undertaking and way to process past trauma. The on-screen relationship between the "flying monkey" and the "narcissist" reflects a dynamic I witnessed firsthand during my formative years and one I have become terrifyingly familiar with, which gave me profound insights into human behavior. While the intense interplay of love and conflict inherent in such a relationship makes for compelling drama, I remain hyper aware of the need to avoid trivializing these serious psychological concepts.

Despite the film’s concise six-minute runtime, its impact is designed to linger long after the credits roll, prompting viewers to examine the relationships in their own lives. While the desire has always been to entertain, Flying Monkey also serves as a cautionary tale and visceral exploration of the devastating and often overlooked consequences of narcissistic behaviour.

I am immensely proud of the cast and crew's tireless work crafting this thrilling, frightening, and immersive film. Across every department, we wanted to push what’s possible with the cinematic medium, creating an elemental film designed to elicit a powerful emotional response.

Flying Monkey offers no easy catharsis. We watch the events unfold from an objective viewpoint, yet we are in the “flying monkey’s” head. Flying Monkey is a warning and a descent into the darkest of human behaviour.