Set in 2012 amid recession and the Afghanistan conflict, Emily and Oliver flee London for a northern town in search of authenticity and relief from pressure. A neighbourly gathering with Alan and Dawn erupts into ideological conflict, triggering spiralling tensions. As relationships fracture, a vanished cat, dubious behaviour and Emily’s relapse deepen the chaos. A final tragedy pushes Dawn to collapse, while Oliver seeks a move back to London, leaving devastation behind.
Screening Details:
girls in film. April 26th 2026. 12:00pm-8:30pm. Venue to be announced.
Technical details
Narrative Feature - UK - One hour 49 minutes - English (with subtitles)
Cast and Credits
Director - Emma Croft
Writer - Torben Betts
Producer - Samantha Seager
Producer - Emma Croft
Executive Producer - Samantha Seager
Executive Producer - Emma Croft
Executive Producer - Paul Whitehouse
Executive Producer - Stephen Shaw
Key Cast
Laura Howard - "Emily"
Samantha Seager - "Dawn"
Daniel Copeland - "Alan”
Torben Betts - "Oliver"
Sound Design - Guldem Masa
Cinematographer - Ariel Artur
Editor - Edmund Swabey
Original Music - Lol Hammond - Eva Abraham
LVFF 2026 award nominations
Best Actress - Laura Howard
Best Supporting Actor - Daniel Copeland
Best Supporting Actress - Samantha Seager
Best Narrative Feature
Best Film by a Female Director - Emma Croft
Director biography
- emma croft
Emma Croft is an award-winning British director, an actress, writer, and producer whose work focuses on emotionally precise, female-led storytelling across narrative and documentary cinema. Her films are character-driven, performance-led, and rooted in lived experience.
Her debut feature film Invincible has received significant festival recognition, winning multiple awards including Best Film at Saturn Returns Film Festival and Milton Keynes International Film Festival, and Best Director award at the UK Film Awards. The film establishes her as a confident new voice in UK independent cinema. Emma’s short poetic documentary Holding On has screened on the international festival circuit, winning awards including the Best Short Documentary at New Renaissance Film Festival.
With a professional background in acting, Emma brings a deep understanding of performance to her directing, supporting nuanced, authentic work with actors and contributors alike. She is the founder of Asphalt City Films, a UK-based production company dedicated to developing ambitious, female-led projects.
Emma currently has several films in development with strong festival and audience potential. She is also the co-founder of Vince Film which she started with Samantha Seager, together they have another feature film project in development