Project Detail

Once There Was A Girl

Synopsis

Two rich friends, Jack Spiers and David Faulkner, are bored with their lives. They make a bet. Jack bets David that he can seduce any woman he wants, within a week.

David bets he can't. Jack wages his own life, against everything David owns; including a mysterious bag the contents of which, they refuse to discuss. Neither Jack nor David intend to go through with the bet, and both independently hire Vincent to help them to con the other. Vincent decides he will con them both, and hires Gudinski to help, but Gudinski is far more dangerous than he seems. They all get more than they bargained for.

The whole story is told in flashback by Jack to Amanda, on the last day when he pleads for her help. Each act is organised by character rather than chronology, resulting in very non linear film.

Details

Year
2007
Type of project
Features
Running time
72 mins
Format
DV Cam
Director
Dominic Osborne 1st Feature
Producer
Dominic Osborne
Editor
Dominic Osborne
Screenwriter
Dominic Osborne
Director of Photography
Dominic Osborne
Sound
Dominic Osborne
Composer
Martin Hazell
Principal cast
Simon Cox, Ben Nealon, Lucy Briers, Alexander McConnell, Alan Cox

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Freeform films Limited

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Pheasant Pheasant

Director: Claire Molloy

Year: 2026

A drama set in rural England amidst the backdrop of World War II exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the impact of war on personal lives - highlighting the human capacity for both empathy and cruelty in times of crisis. Martha, an 11-year-old mixed-race girl, is evacuated from London to the northern English countryside. Martha finds herself in the care of a gruff gamekeeper and his family. Feeling isolated and rejected due to her racial background and the community’s war-induced tensions, she tries to adapt to her new life, becoming captivated by the natural beauty of the countryside. Martha forms a secret friendship with Enzo, an Italian POW, whose gentle demeanour and shared sense of displacement draw them together. Martha also navigates a complex relationship with George, the gamekeeper's son, who is torn between his familial prejudices and his growing fondness for Martha.

A wide shot image of a boy sitting in a field with his back to the camera, reading a magazine. In the distance behind him is a tangle of pylons and industrial buildings Gowk

Director: Ryan Pollock

Year: 2025

Set in the decaying housing estate of Gowkthrapple and based on a true story, Gowk follows a young boy as he begins to uncover a painful family secret. His mother’s sudden absence casts a shadow over the household, while his father, unable to express his own suppressed pain, keeps the truth of the incident buried. As the boy begins to realise the emotional weight of his family’s past and the fragility of its present, he navigates a world of unspoken truths and generational wounds. The film explores the cyclical nature of family bonds, the struggle to connect across generations, the impact of inherited trauma, and the beginnings of a premature loss of innocence.

A young boy stands in a domestic doorway Grandboy

Director: Eva Edo

Year: 2026

A poignant drama exploring young carers, dementia, and the power of intergenerational love. Set over one day, 13-year-old Ezra secretly cares for his grandmother Agnes after his mother disappears. As Agnes’s dementia worsens and their home slips into chaos, Ezra struggles to cope and keep the truth from everyone. When Agnes’s medication runs out, Ezra’s forced beyond the safety of the house, dodging a watchful neighbour, a concerned friend, and police conducting door-to-door enquiries. Pressure mounts when Agnes’s agitation spirals and the knock at the door becomes unavoidable. Under police questioning, Ezra’s secret unravels, prompting a fleeting moment of recognition from Agnes. To protect them both, Ezra must decide whether to accept help, even if it means losing the person he loves most.