Private Project

Gooseberry Crush

A young couple, living in Paris, set high relationship goals. An intrusive friend turning their home into a jealous playground wasn’t on the list.

  • T. J. Kalunga Jones
    Director
    With Love, My Darling
  • Anaïs Stcherbatskï
    Writer
  • Hayley Medwell
    Producer
  • Anaïs Stcherbatskï
    Key Cast
    "Jules"
    With Love, My Darling
  • Gaspard Caens
    Key Cast
    "Luis"
    With Love, My Darling, Final Portrait
  • Alexander Griffiths
    Key Cast
    "Adam"
  • Jack Reynolds
    Cinematographer
    With Love, My Darling
  • Adrian Leung
    Composer
    With Love, My Darling
  • Lauren 'LuLu' Johnson
    Makeup Department
    With Love, My Darling
  • Tiwa Jenyo
    Costume Design
  • Zoë Seiffert
    Production Design
  • Kristie Gill
    Set Decoration
  • Karl Schaeffler
    Sound Department
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Romance, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    5,700 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.40
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - T. J. Kalunga Jones

T. J. Kalunga Jones (Formally credited Terry Sam Jr), born in London, United Kingdon, a filmmaker with credits in writing, directing, producing and composing.

In 2014, Jr founded MMC Film Group Ltd, producing his debut short film in the South of France, 'With Love, My Darling' (2015) premiered at the 14th annual London Short Film Festival (BAFTA). Jr was later brought on to direct the Parisian set, romantic-comedy short 'Gooseberry Crush' (2016).

Jr is set to direct an upcoming crime drama with producer Mirinda Dawkins, filming in London, 2018.

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Director Statement

Initially, I had issues with the script (Gooseberry Crush), the protagonists felt like characters I had seen all too many times in other movies, and then I realized this could be the point of the film! An exploration of what today's young lovers perceive as romance; the result of too many movies, books and pop records, brainwashed millennials burdened by these impressions, desperate to experience 'a love like in the movies'.

And yet, our societies are witnessing the slow shift of progressive mentalities towards desire, love, and identity. Young people are exploring their sexuality more openly, more defiantly, and the LGBT communities are gathering more support than ever before in history, which is very exciting, and this was at the heart of our story.

Love stories and Paris go hand-in-hand. It's one off the bucket list landing the opportunity to direct a film in the city that laid the framework for so many of my favorite movies. A chance to channel the greats that have inspired my visual approach. So yes, expect a little Jean-Luc Godard, expect Alain Resnais, expect Jacques Demy, they're all in there somewhere.