The Father

We all take different routes to becoming filmmakers. Mine was from a background as a railwayman and a long-distance lorry driver, before the life changing education that I received when I trained as an actor at The Welsh College of music and drama.
After 23 years of working in Film, TV and commercials I lost the love of performance. Another huge decision was made, and I was so fortunate to be mentored by the TV drama director, Nigel Douglas, who also produced my first short film ‘Now Retired’. This film one best drama at ‘Beneath the Earth Film Festival’ and received acclaim and noticed elsewhere. For this, and the films I have subsequently shot.
Directing film felt right. I had found a home for the creativity within me. I had discovered the storytelling vehicle that best the language I spoke.
So, ‘The Father’ began its journey from an idea. As all projects do. Eiry Thomas, who plays Beth in the film, my partner Alison and I were discussing the fact that there are so few decent parts being written for older actresses. This fact, of course, is not new.
So, I began to put together a scenario that included shooting in Welsh locations that resonated with my upbringing and background. I grew up in South Wales and had just moved back from London after 30 years, so was inspired by revisiting the places I had known growing up, and areas that had never changed, and others that were reassuringly timeless and I know would never change and others that were improved and almost unrecognisable.
It was also a valuable opportunity to work with friend and actor, Mark Holden again. We had shot a commercial 20 years ago and had worked on the multi award short film, ‘The Double Deal’. The casting of Welsh BAFTA winner, Eiry, and with Mark, who by now was internationally known and at the top of his game, was a perfect combination. The addition of Julie Barclay completed the cast. And so, with these incredible actors on board, I knew I could make the film I had started to visualise.
Obviously, one’s own life choices and experiences influence the sub text and context of screenplay. It made so much sense to capitalise on Mark’s background in Canada. So, the story, the loss of a young son being the catalyst for an awkward reunion in South Wales between the boy’s estranged father, Simon, and his mother, Beth.
It is essentially a very simple story. About the endless complexity of lives, of love and loss and the way we each deal with trauma. But the structure of the short film format requires a twist. Something the viewer does not see coming.
Shot on beautiful lenses that expose the wide landscapes of the coast the DP, Alp Topcu, made the very best choices. The cost of the film was kept down due to favours and deals, as always with independent filmmaking.
Each of us writes a screenplay in a different way. I often write with a piece of music influencing the pace, feel and rhythm of a scene. Unusually, ‘The Father’ came solely from the sounds of its locations. From the silences, where characters struggle to find the right words. I trust great actors to play subtext, and so there is no music in this film. I made that decision quite early on, from instinct, and I believe it to be exactly right.
This short was also made as a short example of my experience and directorial style and experience ahead of the feature length sci fi thriller ANTHIA’, which is currently seeking serious funding.
Doug Rollins
September 2024