Oxpecker
Synopsis
"I just got lonely sleeping without you."
Ruweena and Zoe were best friends - well, sort of. Actually, it was more like Ruweena followed Zoe everywhere, from lunchtime to after school and even to uni, while Zoe kind of… tolerated her.
Then, six years ago, Ruweena disappeared and left Zoe all alone. Zoe likes it better this way. Doesn't she? So why is it that she still keeps the single bed they used to sleep in - why is it that she lets Ruweena kiss her the moment Ruweena reappears?
And why does it feel as if there's something terribly, awfully wrong with the bed they used to call theirs?
Details
- Year
- 2026
- Type of project
- Shorts
- Running time
- 17 min 57 sec
- Format
- Digital
- Director
-
Erin Tan
- Producer
- Chris Lau
- Editor
- Ada Su Tuna
- Screenwriter
- Erin Tan
- Director of Photography
- Jihyun Huang
- Production Designer
- Shiyun Liang, Yihan Yue
- Sound
- Ronnie Nightingale-Timofejeva
- Composer
- Ness Lam
- Principal cast
- Jane Martin-Smith, Ariel Chan
- Other Lead Creative(s)
- Keyna Wilcox, Corron Spriggs, Aryan Misra
- Assistant Director
- Yen Min Ting
- Assistant Producers
- Becky McEwan, Xingbei Lin
- Associate Producers
- Shiyun Liang, Enoch In Lord Lee, Anna Reynolds, Sung Soo Moon, Tab Stafford, Chris Ng
- 1st Assistant Camera
- Parth Allahbadi
- 1st Assistant Sound
- Becky McEwan, Loretto Morris
- Gaffer
- James Hartley
- Best Boys
- Shiyun Liang, Miles Unsworth
- Art Directors
- Tim Knight, Nadia Pond
- Script Supervisors
- Chris Lau, Natalie Wong, Xingbei Lin
- Behind-the-Scenes Photographers
- Belinda Xiao, Ada Su Tuna, Loretto Morris
- Intimacy Coordinator
- Liv Czibor
- Finishing Editor
- Erin Tan
- Colourist
- Eric Lau
Genre
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Chris Lau
Page updates
This page was last updated on 2nd March 2026. 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
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.
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.
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.