Experiencing Interruptions?

The Wanting

Adam goes to his estranged father’s wake, avoiding his own estranged daughter’s birthday. There, he meets his step-family for the first time and, getting a different vibe than expected, he wonders whether the old bastard has any more lessons for him.

  • Alexandros Mattei
    Director
  • Alexandros Mattei
    Writer
  • Apostolos Ntontos
    Producer
  • Brendan Purcell
    Key Cast
    "Adam"
  • Cat Williams
    Key Cast
    "Nephele"
  • Sarah Louise Tyler
    Key Cast
    "Sarah"
  • Rob Murphy
    Key Cast
    "Doug"
  • Ross Leyshon
    Key Cast
    "Cousin Liam"
  • Davey MacDonald
    Director of Photography
  • Patrick Flannery
    Sound
  • Kaan Yazici
    Sound
  • Orestis Lazarou
    Original Score
  • Marthilia Svarna
    Original Score
  • Tom Gripper
    1st Assistant Director
  • Lenka Herring
    Production Assistant
  • Ceri Evans
    Focus Puller
  • Oliver Draper
    Camera Assistant
  • Ben Evans
    Gaffer
  • Alexandros Mattei
    Editor
  • Andy Toovey
    Colour Grading
  • Connor Law Twigg
    Boom Operator
  • Joanna Strączyńska
    Make Up Artist
  • Lenka Herring
    BTS Photography
  • George Gyftopoulos
    Script Consultants
  • Andreas Douloumis
    Script Consultants
  • Renos Mariolis
    Script Consultants
  • Michael Henry
    Script Consultants
  • Keith Williams
    Script Consultants
  • The Greeks - Location Catering Services
    Catering Services
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 30, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cornwall Film Festival
    Penryn, Cornwall
    United Kingdom
    Best Screenplay in a Short Film
  • Cardiff Mini Film Festival
    Cardiff, Wales
    United Kingdom
    September 25, 2022
    Best Welsh Short Nominee
  • Chania Film Festival
    Chania
    Greece
    October 26, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Manakia Film Festival of Fine Arts
    Grevena
    Greece
    September 5, 2022
    Audience Award
Director Biography - Alexandros Mattei

Alex, born and raised in Greece, graduated from the University of South Wales Film BA in 2019.

His grad film, "The Midnight Court and Other Aislings", was featured in Fastnet Film Festival 2020 and Still Voices Short Film Festival 2020 as well as several Greek ones.

In his time in Wales, he co-produced an independent feature film, as well as numerous award winning shorts.
He briefly ran a film catering service along with Apostolos Ntontos, who he later teamed up with to craft "The Wanting".

He currently lives in Athens, working as a freelance videographer, commercial and music video director.

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Director Statement

What would you say to a close one that just passed, if you could speak to them one more time?
Well, Adam gets that chance (kind of)) and messes it up again.

A wake scares me and fascinates me equally -- even though the tradition has eclipsed here in Greece. The ability to see your loved one for the last time before you say goodbye -- to cry with everyone, to laugh, to sing, to fight -- while the person is right there.
Looking for a way to explore that situation, my love for the Irish people and culture made the setting a no-brainer for me.

"The Wanting" is a deeply personal film. After a point where our strained relationship with my dad had reached a new low, I thought -- in the dark corners where a random thought after several fights could lead us -- how would I react at his funeral. It was the scariest thought I ever made. The saddest, because of all the non-resolution.

As cliche as it sounds, writing "The Wanting" shed a bit of light on my relationship with my father.
I view it as a film that asks whether people can change for the better -- and really really hopes they can.

The film took almost two years to finish, as we shot it right before Covid struck Europe, and the whole team found itself locked down in different parts of the map. A scary time (the lack of resolution again!), during which many people from the team actually lost loved ones, as well as one of our one crew, Keith Williams. This put the film under a different light and made its completion a token of farewell of sorts.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it.