David Farnor | On 28, Oct 2020

Two Single Beds, a new short film starring Daniel Kaluuya, is leading a quartet of new shorts streaming for free on All 4.

Two Single Beds is also written and produced by the Oscar-nominated star of Get Out, Widows and Queen & Slim. It is directed by rising British filmmaker William Stefan Smith (Avenue 5) and also produced by Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo (Top Boy, Guerrilla, National Treasure) for Turnover Films.

The film, which was selected for the 2020 BFI London Film Festival, co-stars Seraphina Beh (Top Boy) and includes music from BBC Music Sound of 2020 winner Celeste. It was co-financed by Troika and Film4 and is the first completed film to bear the logo of Daniel Kaluuya’s production company 59%.

It follows two London comedians as they struggle with their own demons – and find refuge in each other during a one-night encounter far from home.

It is joined by three other new short films. In Morning Song, from acclaimed theatre director Bijan Sheibani (The Barbershop Chronicles, The Arrival), a young mother is thrust into a frightening new world. Struggling with postpartum psychosis will she be able to reconnect with her baby?

Shagbands, also selected for the 2020 BFI London Film Festival, is set in the summer heatwave of 2006. It sees a gang of teenage girls in South London face strange sexual awakenings and a discovery of violence. From Luna Carmoon, Sundance Ignite Fellow and director of Nosebleed.

Pompeii, which screened at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival, comes from emerging directing trio Harry Lighton (BAFTA and BIFA-nominated for Wren Boys), Matthew Jacobs Morgan and Marco Alessi. In just a crop-top and high-waisted jeans, Tam feels conspicuous as he catches the first tube home alone. So he plugs in his earphones and begins reliving his Halloween night out via his phone.

Film4’s senior commissioning executive Lauren Dark comments: “Short films are an opportunity for us to explore, try new things and broaden the pool of talent with whom we hope to work on debut features. Daniel is a passionate advocate for emerging talent. We were thrilled to partner with him on his new company’s first venture, and to give All 4 viewers a glimpse of some of the best new filmmakers in the UK.”

All four films can be viewed at Film4 on All 4.

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