The Second Time Around

On a stormy night, while closing a café, a young waitress (played by Hannah Onslow) is confronted by a mysterious older woman (played by AACTA nominee Caroline Goodall). Their brief encounter stirs something the waitress can’t yet explain - a strange sense that this moment matters more than she knows.

  • Jack Howard
    Director
  • Jack Howard
    Writer
  • Ash Horne
    Producer
    Marion (EP, BAFTA Nominated)
  • Max Marlow
    Producer
    Good Boy (Producer, Oscar Shortlisted)
  • Caroline Goodall
    Key Cast
    "The Woman"
    Schindler's List, Hook
  • Hannah Onslow
    Key Cast
    "Elle"
    This City Is Ours, Empire of Light
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Romance
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cine International Film Festival
    LONDON
    United Kingdom
    May 8, 2025
    Best Performance - Caroline Goodall
Director Biography - Jack Howard

Jack Howard is an award-winning writer/director from Nottingham, now based in London. He crafts stories that both embrace and challenge familiar genres, blending comedy with deeper emotional themes. Jack began his career with the duo Jack & Dean, earning over 75 million views and a 'Best Series' award for Jack & Dean of All Trades. He’s directed for Walkers, Beko, Cineworld, James Blunt, CBBC, and Comedy Central. A Sundance alum and Cannes Lion winner.

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Director Statement

One of the joys of this film lies in its purposeful ambiguity. We meet The Woman just as The Waitress does - unsure of her intentions, left to question her identity. By withholding key details, the film invites the audience to actively engage, piecing together who she is and what’s really happening.

Without sounding too pretentious, I feel that high-concept genres like sci-fi and fantasy can allow for a more truthful expression of the human experience, often more so than stories grounded in realism. At its core, this is an intimate, time-bending story about love, grief, and the weight of moments we don’t yet realise will come to define us.