Better
Narrative short film
BFI Network in association with First Flights
A Just Copy and Bird in Hand Production
15 mins
A young woman is surprised to see her chronically ill sister has a new life.
Starring Milly Zero as Kitty and Ellie James as Ruth
Severine Meri-Howell as Lily, and Frankie Wade as Nathan
With Ntiarna Knight, Victoria Gill, Alex Harvey and Nathan Joseph as Beach Friends
Written & Directed by Zoe Hunter Gordon
Produced by Celestine Fraser, Olwyn Fagan and Ben Woodsmith
Development Producer - Emily Lowe
Associate Writers (Writers' Room) - Celestine Fraser, Kyla Harris, Jennifer Martin and Gem Carmella
Edited by Raluca Petre
Director of Photography - Tamás A. Méder
Production Design by Syd Harmony
Sound Design by Andrej Bako
Casting Director- Louise Collins
Costume Designers - India Ayles and Anouk Moudini
Colour by Vlad Barin and Karol Cybulski at CHEAT
Hair and Makeup: Caitlin Ross
1st AD: Sheena Patel
Supported by Magnus Rausing
Executive Producers: Magnus Rausing, Nick Sadler, Kirsty Bell
For BFI Nework, Production Executive: Jo Cadoret
For full credits, IMDb
Festivals
- Premiere: BFI London Film Festival 2023 (Official Selection)
- Norwich Film Festival 2023 (Official Selection)
- Emerging Filmmakers Night 2023 (In Competition: Best British Short)
- TweetFest Film Festival 2023 (In Competition: Best British Short)
- Unrestricted View Film Festival 2024 (In Competition: Best British Short)
- This is England Film Festival 2023, Rouen (France) (Official Selection)
- Fish & Films Film Festival 2023, Granville (France) (Official Selection)
- Beeston Film Festival 2024 (Official Selection)
- Shared Visions Film Festival 2024 (Previously NIFF) (Official Selection)
- Fastnet Films (Ireland)(Official Selection)
- The Shortest Nights (Official Selection)
- New Renaissance Film Festival (Official Selection)
- Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (USA)(Semi Finalist)
Awards
-Best Actress (Ellie James), TweetFest Film Festival 2023
- Best Actress (Milly Zero), Shared Visions Film Festival, 2024
-Honourable Mention (2nd place Best British Short) Emerging Filmmakers Night 2023
Selected Press
“The film is fantastic. Remarkably compressed, beautifully observed, and very well acted (especially by Ellie James). The writing is fully convincing. The whole thing left me wanting more (in a good way)!”
Arjun Sajip, film journalist (previously, Reviews Editor Sight & Sound)
"We found Better to be poignant and beautifully executed.
We loved the use of perspective, as it invited the viewer to consider their own prejudices and biases on the issues. The performances were powerful and the filmmaking across all departments was fantastic.'"
Lillian Crawford, film critic (on behalf of EFN jury)