Private Project

MORIBUND

Moribund is a psychological drama about loss, and what it leaves behind.

In rural southeast England on the day of his grandson’s funeral, Jez Nightingale fails to console his daughter, the child’s mother, Penelope. Intent on proving his worth, Jez pursues her, revealing in the process a burning resentment for her husband who he marks as insufferable.

There is a universality to the fear of death, yet the ways in which grief manifests itself within each of us are intensely personal. Knowing whether to console by giving oneself to someone, or withholding, becomes impossible. Moribund unfolds from within this place of ambivalence.

  • Joshua Firsht
    Director
  • Fridtjof Ryder
    Writer
  • Olivia Otts
    Producer
  • David Sterne
    Key Cast
    "Jez "
    Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire; Pirates Of The Caribbean; Vikings
  • Cristina Catalina
    Key Cast
    "Penelope"
    Eastern Promises; I'm Not In Love, Holby City
  • Christopher Sherwood
    Key Cast
    "Dillon"
    Bloodhound; Mr. Alan on Saturday; The Chain
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 34 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 28, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - The University of Westminster
Director Biography - Joshua Firsht

Joshua is a filmmaker and photographer based in Brighton and London, UK, currently studying BA Film at the University of Westminster. His previous experience includes working as a fashion photographer, acting as runner for DC’s Justice League, and writing and directing multiple Brighton-based short films.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

For me, Moribund is a story deeply fixated on how people communicate. The characters are lost in their own grief, tied to the familiar English-ness of saying things for the sake of words being said. Far from the rhythms of the city, the film's rural world feels bleak, where a man now believes he can, in the wake of death, infiltrate his daughter’s marriage. The script felt like a strange, darkly comic, gothic tale, and I’m very pleased with how our crew came together to bring it to the screen.