THE FILM
In a world of calculated moves and strategic plays, Margot, a talented young prodigy, finds an unexpected alliance in her fiery rival, India. Together, they navigate the intricate game of life beyond the chessboard, embarking on a whirlwind of teenage tomfoolery, amidst the complexities of adolescence.
A story exploring the impact of neurodivergence on relationships. By neurodivergent young people, for neurodivergent young people. 'Wildheart' explores the impact of a late autism diagnosis on relationships, the strength of neurodivergent friendships, and shows a real-life insight in to life as an autistic young person.
Inspired by: The Queen's Gambit (2020), The Edge of Seventeen (2016) and Lady Bird (2017).
Re-launching the Campaign
We are re-launching our fundraising campaign for our new short film, Wildheart! We have so far raised £933.35 for the project (including Indiegogo commission) and we are unbelievably grateful and excited to have the support of many generous backers. All backers of Wildheart fundraising campaign 1 will continue to receive all agreed upon perks. Together, both campaigns will fund everything from location fees, costumes, props, sound, lighting and film equipment to catering and travel expenses for cast and crew. We are set to film Wildheart summer 2024, and are re-launching the fundraising campaign with the hopes of raising £2500 to make our vision become a reality.
ABOUT US
Hi there! We are Tallulah and Coralie, two young creatives from London. Being neurodivergent ourselves, we were extremely aware of the limited representation in modern day cinema. We wanted to create a short film that showcases some of the challenges that neurodivergent youth go through; including lack of access to support, feeling isolated, late diagnosis and the difficulty in being taken seriously, particularly coming from the perspective of an AFAB (assigned female at birth) person.
In Film and TV, there are recurring stereotypes of autistic characters; especially as sometimes the actors portraying the characters are not autistic themselves. This is something that we are both passionate about changing. Giving an authentic portrayal of an autistic character, through the main character ‘Margot’, played by an autistic actor, we aim to catalyze change in the industry and break down the stereotypes surrounding autistic people and autistic neurology. Autism isn’t a linear spectrum, and this is all too often forgotten.
Coralie, one half of the creator team, was diagnosed as Autistic in January 2023:
"Finding out I was autistic wasn't a surprise to me, but growing up I felt incredibly alienated, like an outsider within my own friend group, and now suffer with extreme imposter syndrome, as many autistic people do. My perception of autism was governed by the media, which wasn't helpful for me at all. This lack of representation led to me struggling with mental health difficulties, and, still years later, I struggle to find films where my experience is represented; this is the intention of 'Wildheart'. It's a letter to my 12 year old self, creating a figure that I can relate to, for other neurodivergent people who feel underrepresented.'
We also explore the diagnostic process of Neurodivergence in the film, particularly through ‘India’, our character with undiagnosed ADHD. In the UK, NHS waiting times can be up to 5 years to be assessed for Autism and ADHD, with girls and women disproportionately affected by this, due to outdated research surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders.
This intention for this film is to form part of the push back against misrepresentation, under-representation and misunderstanding surrounding autism and ADHD, showing a truthful side to how it affects teenagers and their relationships, the reality of bullying and what day to day life is like as a teenager who is neurodivergent.
This is an entirely independent project, which we are creating as students. Any support is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to sharing our film with the world.
WHY WE NEED YOU
Funding independent film projects is difficult, and as students balancing education, being Neurodivergent, and our own lives, we struggle to find ways to support our passion.
Your contributions will fund the costs of creating a short film, covering things such as equipment, travel expenses for Cast and Crew and submissions to film festivals. We want this project to reach as many people as possible, and for those involved to be thanked for their incredible efforts with the film.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US
Financial contributions are not the only way you can help us. As students, we massively understand this. Here's a few ways you can help us out:
Share our campaign to your social media accounts.
Follow us on social media:
- Instagram: @hamiltonhuntproductions
- Twitter: @hamiltonhuntpds
Share, share, share!
Help us connect with organisations who could assist with funding the film.
Thank you for your support.