Still Dark

A young man lives in a derelict East London council flat alone, with only the things he hears and reads for company amidst the claustrophobia. His daily routine and reason behind it, which at first seems harmless, only becomes clear as he descends into a state of madness, along with his shocking intentions.

The film is a comment on the negative influence of the media and society in creating paranoia and racial tension in modern-day London.

  • Patrick Nicholls
    Writer, Director & Producer
  • Robert Ansell
    Key Cast
  • Deepu James
    Key Cast
  • Maya Markelle
    Key Cast
  • Jacapo Nardon
    Director of Photography
  • Sam Rolfe
    Editor, Colourist & Script Supervisor
  • Ivan Eastley
    Sound Recordist, Designer & Mixer
  • Caitlin Black
    Casting Directors
  • Emma Lindley
    Casting Directors
  • Lucy Earley
    Props Master & Catering
  • Katie Weller
    Stills Photographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Neo-Noir, Psychological Thriller
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 1 second
  • Completion Date:
    July 31, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    1,600 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Austin Revolution Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    July 5, 2017
    Semi-Finalist
  • Los Angeles CineFest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 14, 2017
    Semi-Finalist
  • Bucharest ShortCut CineFest
    Bucharest
    Romania
    October 5, 2016
    Official Selection
Director Biography

Born and raised in Moston, Manchester, Patrick wrote, directed, and produced three short films on black & white 16mm film in New York City, while studying abroad in the US for his degree in 2014 (graduated from University of Nottingham in 2015).

Whilst having previously worked at Metrodome, Feel Films and for a BFI short film ‘Middle Passage’, his first directorial effort since moving back to the UK came in the form of brooding psychological thriller short Still Dark, which he also wrote and produced.

Recently, he has just wrapped on his next short film, an existential dark comedy that he had written and directed entitled 'Teaching A Whore About Romance'.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The concept of 'Still Dark' approaches our modern society through the eyes of a growingly disturbed and impressionable young man. The darkness of which he refers isn’t necessarily that of physical darkness, but that of the way in which he sees our current social climate. The film explores the psychological effect that has on people.

The film came from the present day hostilities, in which I feel we are overpowered by paranoia and fear, cultivated by the media and the insecurities that politicians and opportunists exemplify. After frequent reports of a rise in hate crime in the wake of the EU referendum result and 'Brexit' in the UK, shortly after the completion of 'Still Dark', it is a tragic reminder of what this dangerous fear can do.