Written and directed by then eighteen year old Nicholas Connor, his short film Cotton Wool is inspired by the courage of the approx. 243,000 under-19 carers there are in England. Filmed and set in Halifax, Cotton Wool’s poignant story revolves around a single parent family of two. The mother, Rachel (Leanne Best), suffers a mini-stroke, and it is down to seven year old Sam (Max Vento) and teenage Jennifer (Katie Quinn) to come to terms with how the family dynamic has changed for the worse, and for them to grow up and take care of their mother. At heart it is a coming of age film about family.
On a technical basis the film is competent enough, with a good use of ambient music (Benjamin Squires) and a developing palate of colours as the film goes on. The cinematography is good, and the use of close ups and wide shots really help establish characters' perspectives on the story. Of course, this is down to the editing which is perfect; with a good amount of set changes, nothing grows stale and the pacing is good throughout so much so that the 38 minute run time flies by. If I had to nit-pick something though it would be the audio, as there are very audible buzzes and cuts throughout, which can be distracting and annoying.
This is a film that will resonate with some more than others, and with an underlying religious tone it may appear profound to the wrong audience. Its main message to those who have been affected is that there is a way through and that there is hope. However it also inspires hope on an entirely different level, showing aspiring young creative people that it is possible to make a short film in the North. As long as your story is watertight, as it is in Cotton Wool, you can achieve anything.
To conclude, Cotton Wool is a very capable second film of this young, up-and-coming writer/director, who no doubt we will be seeing and hearing a lot more from as time goes on. It’s gripping and emotional, with it going above and beyond anything you could possibly imagine when you hear “Eighteen year old directed short film”. It is a few years old now and was originally made for film festivals, but it is there on Amazon Prime should you so wish to see it, which you should because it helps and supports burgeoning new talent.
Reviewer - Daryl Griffin
on - 22/7/20
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