A new short film featuring television star Amelia Clarkson is set to be shot during the first weekend of August in the Keswick area.
Award-winning film-maker Hayley Reeve, who is based in Perth, Australia, and founder of Harp On Productions, told The Keswick Reminder that EVOL will showcase the area’s lakes and mountains.
“We do have some beautiful areas we are keen to shoot,” she said. “Keswick is a beautiful location, so we are very excited to shoot there. I think it will be brilliant. It will definitely show off Keswick, that’s for sure.”
In the lead role of Dolly is 26-year-old Amelia Clarkson, who is known to viewers of Netflix series The Last Kingdom and the BBC Three series Red Rose.
In the script, Hayley showcases nature as a symbol of freedom and finding self-reflection, so when her London-based director of photography, Katie Edwards – whose mother and family live in Keswick – suggested the town as a potential location she was immediately sold on the idea.
Katie was the stills photographer on Hayley’s first short film, This is Zoe.
“I really loved the way she shot. It was just beautiful – honestly it just took my breath away.”
She added: “Because I had a lot of water symbolism, she showed me photos of Keswick and said we should shoot this here,” said Hayley, who is at present back in Perth, having spent eight years in London. The script has received funding from Kino London, so it is now a Kino Original Short Film as well as being co-produced by Harp On Productions.
It will have a film festival run, but Hayley hopes to also do something in Keswick, perhaps at the town’s Alhambra cinema.
“I know that the cinema there is very sentimental to Keswick and the people in Cumbria, so to do something there would be brilliant,” said Hayley, who added that she also hopes to do a showing in London as well.
On the link-up with Hounslow-born Amelia, who is both an actress and director, known for Jane Eyre (2011), The Assets (2014) and Oh Rats (2024), Hayley said: “We met through a mutual friend. Sometimes I just get these feelings about certain actors and I knew she would be the perfect character for Dolly.
“I knew instantly that I wanted her to be on board and luckily she agreed. I am so excited to work with her. She is brilliant. She is going to bring so much to the role.
“EVOL is about relationships, self-discovery and self-love.
“As a film-maker I am very passionate about bringing hope to people. I think we have a really big responsibility in what we show to our audience.
“In this film, specifically, I show the audience that self-love is attainable. It is there, you don’t need other people in order to fulfil that,” said Hayley.
Cumbria-based Debbie Sweeney, who is one of the producers, is also on board for the project.
