Scene 1
1INT. BEDROOM, EARLY MORNING
James is asleep in his bed at the room at the top of the house. Suddenly the door handle is pushed up and down, but the door is locked. A woman’s voice is heard.
See the typed page
Short drama, 2008
James
Writer, director, producer: Connor Clements
Watch the film
The complete film. It plays from YouTube only when you press play.Watch on YouTube
The film
A fifteen-year-old, raised in a house of secrets, decides to tell one of his own.
James has learned to be withdrawn and secretive in a family with long-buried secrets. Lonely and confused, he is drawn to one of his teachers, the one person he believes might understand him.
When an older man approaches him in a public toilet, James panics and calls his mother, but will not tell her what happened. That night he listens to his parents arguing about him, and his father’s offhand dismissal of his mother’s worry turns into a vicious row.
When a devastated James turns to his teacher for help, the teacher’s response leads him to take an irrevocable step.
Written in 2006–07 and shot in July 2007. World premiere at the Belfast Film Festival, 1 April 2008.
Festivals and awards
- 2009Sundance Film Festival, Official Selection
- 2009Sundance 10/10, One of ten festival shorts free to download on iTunes during the festival
- 2008Cannes Film Festival, Short Film Corner, the only Northern Irish film selected
- 2008Belfast Film Festival, Skillset Award, Best Northern Irish Film
- 2008Iris Prize Festival, Cardiff, Skillset Best UK Short
- 2008Palm Springs International ShortFest, Jury Award, Best Student Short (live action, over 15 minutes)
- 2008St. Louis International Film Festival, Best International Short
- 2009Grand OFF, Warsaw, Scriptwriting award
All 23 awards
- 2008Palm Springs International ShortFest, Best Student Cinematography, second place
- 2008Galway Film Fleadh, Best First Irish Short, second place
- 2008GAZE Dublin International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Best Short
- 2008Cork Film Festival, Outlook Award, Best LGBT Short Film
- 2008Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Award of Merit
- 2009Mexico International Film Festival, Bronze Palm
- 2009NYC Downtown Short Film Festival, Best Foreign Film
- 2009Honolulu International Film Festival, Gold Kahuna Award
- 2009Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, Best Short Film
- 2009Breckenridge Film Festival, Best GLBT Short
- 2009Breckenridge Film Festival, Audience Award
- 2009UK National Student Film Festival, Best Drama
- 2009UK National Student Film Festival, Grand Jury Award
- 2009Fort Worth International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Best Short (Male)
- 2009Cineslam, Vermont, Chessie Award, Best Short Film
- 2009Barcelona International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Best Short
- 2009Image+Nation, Montreal, Jury Prize, Best Short
- 2010Coming of Age Movie Awards, Best Short
Sundance 2009
James, Shorts Program IV
In January 2009 James was an Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It screened in Shorts Program IV, alongside films including Choices by Rashaad Ernesto Green, Next Floor by Denis Villeneuve and Short Term 12 by Destin Daniel Cretton.
- JamesDirected by Connor Clements
- ChoicesDirected by Rashaad Ernesto Green
- Next FloorDirected by Denis Villeneuve
- Short Term 12Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Screenings and the programme in the archive2009 Sundance Film Festival catalogue (Scribd)
Director’s statement
I don’t feel that James is so much a coming-out story; instead I feel it examines the secrets people have. Every character has deep internal conflict. James recognises through his parents that excessive secrecy is a source of conflict, and is the only character willing to share his secret. His newfound openness also drives him to confront his desires, in spite of potentially dangerous consequences.
I intend for the film to be naturalistic in its look, in that it will represent a world we are familiar with, and formal in its style, with the story defining the type of shots used.
From page to screen
Four scenes as they were written in June 2007, as they were storyboarded before the shoot, and as they appear in the finished film.
Scene 12
12INT. CAR
James is sitting quietly whilst his mother is driving. She is angry with him. He is agitated.
See the typed page
Scene 15
15INT. BEDROOM, LATE NIGHT
He suddenly wakes up when he hears raised voices coming from downstairs. He slowly opens his door and sits out of sight at the top of the stairs. He can’t make out exactly what is being said but sometimes overhears occasional words.
See the typed page
Scene 18
18EXT. PLAYING FIELDS
He walks to the top of the playing fields. There is no-one around. He sits down on the grass and looks down at the school. He closes his eyes for a moment, sighs and gets up. He then walks slowly down the hill again.
See the typed page
More storyboards, the schedule and the Sundance postcard in the archive
Reviews
“The most emotionally powerful film of this year’s lineup.”
“Handled the extremely sensitive and emotive subject with care, skill and style.”
“A highly cinematic slow burning character film.”
Stills
Credits
Cast
- James
- Niall Wright
- The teacher
- Matthew Jennings
- Mother
- Margaret Goodman
- Father
- Gerry Doherty
- The man
- Louis Rolston
Crew
- Written and directed by
- Connor Clements
- Produced by
- Connor Clements
- Director of photography
- Declan Keeney
- Editor
- Kevin McDonald
- Music
- Kasia Middleton
- Location sound
- Will McConnell
- Camera assistant
- Martin Bolton
- First assistant director
- Paul Best
- Post-production sound
- David Briggs, Stone Circle Studios
- “A Bunch of Thyme” performed by
- Banbridge Academy Girls Choir
- Copyright
- © 2008 Queen’s University Belfast
Next
The Part We Played
Feature drama, in development
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