We’re excited to announce that The Programme will have its world premiere in Digbeth at 6pm on the 9th of May. The film will show at the Mockingbird Cinema, close to some of its filming locations and in the heart of Birmingham’s creative scene. The Programme has already been shortlisted for the New York International Women’s Festival 2024.
It is the first short film from Sam Grierson, already an award-winning writer and director of plays. It came after a two-year writing hiatus triggered by the devastating loss of her best friend to suicide. Sam is LGBTQIA+, autistic and ADHD and the film encourages an understanding of the intricate layers of grief and the complex intersectionality of neurodivergent experiences. The Programme sparks reflection and reshapes perceptions.
>THE PROGRAMME – They are here to learn your emotions… whatever it takes.
Filmed in a dystopian Digbeth and Millenium Point in Birmingham, The Programme stands out from the norm. It centres a non-binary, neurodivergent character in their 40s. To The Programme, Drum (Michelle Jeram) is a number, a resource to be mined, to teach its AEI – Artificial Emotional Intelligence – about loneliness and incident 6.2. The role was written for Jeram (Granite Harbour, Liar, Eastenders, The Split).
Audiences will be immersed in the intricacies of the character’s thoughts and emotions, it’s a unique and thought-provoking viewing experience. We watch Drum’s interrogation by the machine, and with them, learn about their thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Drum’s labels don’t lessen or weaken them, they’re strengths, a point of difference. There’s eloquence in pain, someone who’s been told they don’t feel, describes in heart-breaking detail exactly how they do. The themes of grief and loneliness are a vessel, encouraging us to scrutinise our own reality and the societal constraints on the role of AI. The Programme challenges us to question preconceptions of neurodivergence, and ultimately asks that of the main character, Subject 3756A/b1, themselves.
Grierson’s film exposes us for believing in stereotypes, exposes society for marginalising people, and displays in no uncertain terms that everyone deserves to be centre stage. A neurodivergent subject encourages us to examine universal fears. Megan Black’s haunting soundtrack skilfully captures the film’s dark undertones while infusing it with heart and grit. The trailer is available to watch here.
Sam says:
From the outset, assembling a diverse cast and crew across various spectrums of difference was a priority. To authentically portray stories of diversity, I believe in seeking out distinct voices and perspectives. It’s through this deliberate selection that we can then focus on homing in on the shared experiences and emotions that bind us all together.
My aspiration for the film is that it serves as a powerful emotional catalyst, prompting viewers to reassess their perspectives on differences. Ultimately, I aim for “The Programme” to be more than just a film – a force for meaningful reflection and a driver for positive change in how we perceive and embrace differences.
Working in collaboration with Bader Media Entertainment CIC was the key to turning this project from a vision into a reality.
The Programme will premiere on May the 9th ahead of showings at several film festivals and a general release in the Autumn. It has already been shortlisted for the New York International Women’s Festival 2024.
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Reviews for The Programme:
“The Programme is hugely ambitious. Tackling more topics and cramming in more backstory for the lead in its twenty minutes than many full-length films attempt.” Midlands Movies.com
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Sam Grierson is an award-winning writer and director who is autistic, ADHD and gay. Sam has previously written and produced plays tackling later life autism and ADHD diagnosis and queer themes starring Miriam Margolyes, Lesley Joseph, Jane Asher, Sharon Morgan, Lorraine McIntosh, Richenda Carey and Heather Peace. Sam won the Anna Kennedy Autism Hero award for the Arts in 2022 and has a podcast ‘Daring to be Different’ where they interview neurodivergent and queer people who have stood up and made change happen. Sam is also a public speaker on Leadership, Change, Audacity and Disruption.
The Programme Website: https://www.crabandbull.com/theprogramme
Cast and Crew: https://www.crabandbull.com/castandcrew
Trailer: https://www.crabandbull.com/theprogrammetrailer