RICHARD, 15 with learning difficulties, longs to put down roots but his restless and destructive brother, POLLY, needs to keep moving. When the land they live on is bought by a new landowner, and the electricity supply to their caravan is cut, their already precarious living conditions get even worse. Then a chance meeting with the new landowner's daughter, 17 year old ANNABEL (Yasmin Paige), leaves RICHARD besotted; whilst POLLY befriends the guys who run a seedy traveling fair. Richards optimistic view on life becomes increasingly difficult to maintain as Polly's abusive behavior worsens, family secrets are revealed, and he is torn between loyalty to his brother and his first true friend in ANNABEL. For better or worse, Richards life is about to change forever.
Acting
Scott Chambers' performance is absolutely devastating — carries the whole film
Cinematography
Bleak British countryside never looked this poetically oppressive
Direction
Joe Stephenson trusts silence more than most directors dare
Director
Joe Stephenson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Scott Chambers was 24 playing 15; his physicality and vocal work completely sell the age gap.
The fairground subplot mirrors Richard's trapped innocence — mechanical horses going nowhere, just like his life.
US
GB
