Project Detail

Burnt Toast

Boy in a mask peeking through dirty blinds and widow

Synopsis

A contemporary ghost story that resurrects legendary British comedian Tommy Cooper, who famously died mid-performance in 1984. Blending machine learning, VHS footage, archival materials, and a trained impersonator, the film follows Phil, an unemployed magician trapped in the decaying home of the director’s late schizophrenic uncle. Phil’s hallucinatory act navigates the alienation of late capitalism, touching on social class, identity, mental health, and delusion—all punctuated by his trademark jokes and failed magic tricks.
Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026

Details

Year: 2025
Type of project: Shorts
Running time: 25 min 15 sec
Director: Helen Anna Flanagan
Producer: Helen Anna Flanagan
Editor: Helen Anna Flanagan
Screenwriter: Helen Anna Flanagan
Director of Photography: Oliver Hodges, George Ellis, Helen Anna Flanagan
Sound: Samuel Rogers, Mali Draper, Sebastian Pappalardo
Composer: Jackson Harvey
Principal cast: Daniel Taylor

Genre

Experimental Human Rights Woman Director

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Helen Anna Flanagan

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