Passenger Seat is a love letter to mothers and daughters everywhere who have grown up together. My script was lucky enough to be one of the winners of the Yarns Short Film Competition this year and receive £2000 and in-kind support to help bring my short to life; however, if you’ve ever made a short film, you’ll know how valuable extra support is, no matter how big or small. So we are setting up this crowdfund to raise additional funds to help bring Passenger Seat to life and also feed the very talented crew who are lending themselves to this project that is super close to my heart!

LOGLINE:

Across a series of car rides over the course of 2007, a young working-class mother and her teenage daughter navigate the turbulence of adolescence, generational wounds and day-to-day life, as they both learn how to grow up.

SYNOPSIS:

Set in 2007 against the backdrop of a Britain facing an imminent financial crisis, Passenger Seat follows Marie, a young working-class mother, and her teenage daughter, Maya, through a series of everyday car journeys. From school runs and late-night pick-ups, awkward silences and car karaoke, Passenger Seat unpacks the ever-evolving dynamics between a mother and daughter. While Maya navigates adolescence and Marie grapples with the complexities of motherhood and the realisation that she has her own unfinished growing pains, this is a warm, light-hearted portrait of a family learning how to grow up alongside one another.

PASSENGER SEAT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST - listen & connect with the vibes!

I am heavily inspired by the women around me, and often draw inspiration from the experiences of underrepresented communities and Passenger Seat is no different. With the theme of this years competition being 'Nostalgia', it allowed me to reflect on my teenhood with a young mother who was growing up alongside me.

This film draws inspiration from the music that raised me, from early 2000's dancehall to the gritty grime tracks of a bluetooth era. It's a time capsule if you will and a nod to some of the prolific UK films of it's time, but with a colourful twist. The black working class experience is nuanced and Passenger Seat leans into the colourful nature of our experiences that has been rarely shown on screen, through the perspective of women and girls.

Director: Aleah Scott

Aleah is an award winning director and curator based in London. She is influenced by the vulnerability of human nature and aims to tell stories through an intricate, intentional and empathetic lens. She won Best Micro Short a BFI Future Film Festival 2023 with her short film ‘SAFE’ which explores the safety of school girls on their way to and from school. Alongside filmmaking, Aleah runs short film night and platform FEELS. profiling short films by Black and Brown filmmakers in partnership with Picturehouse Cinemas. She was part of the shorts programmers advisory group for BFI London Film Festival 2023 and a short film programmer for BlackStar Film Festival 2024. She curates film experiences for clients including Adidas and The Wellcome Collective. She’s currently working with the award winning company We Are Parable producing events and experiences with black audiences in mind.

TEAM

I am working with a fantastic majority female team to bring this project to life, including the core team below...

Producer: Alicia Stratford

Alicia is a multi-award winning Producer with a versatile portfolio spanning advertising, social, short films, TV, digital series and music videos. Her body of work includes collaborations with renowned global brands such as Google, Netflix, Nike and Universal. Recognised for her commitment to diversity and inclusivity, she firmly believes that representation in all aspects of production is essential for creating impactful, visually stunning and universally resonant content. Alongside being a Freelance Producer, she is currently developing a slate of diverse projects via her company 'IRL Group'.

Producer: Winnie Imara

Winnie Imara is a Producer from North London. She has led productions on narrative short films, commercials, and music videos, with her work selected for festivals, including a BIFA-qualifying festival. Previously worked on projects for the BBC, Somesuch and more. She’s been featured as a future industry leader; her projects previously won the PanaGif Award with Girls in Film and were shortlisted for YBFF with London Breeze & TikTok and the Emerging Filmmaker Award. She is a graduate of The National Film & Television School. Through her production company ‘MARCH 25TH ’, she is passionate about producing untold stories that explore the intersections of language, culture, and belonging with heart and realism.

Director of Photography: Diara Sow

Diara is a German-Senegalese Cinematographer, based in London and Berlin. Spending a lot of time in Senegal growing up, she discovered her love for photography - experimenting with light and colour as a means to showcase diverse realities. She's know for narrative shorts, as well as a variety of dynamic music videos and other short form content. She's represented by United Talent in both the UK & the EU.

Thank you very much for reading & we appreciate all of your support!