Essex Girls

Flipping the “Essex Girl” trope, this coming-of-age film explores Black British girlhood and magical female friendships in 2009 Essex.

Navigating adolescence in Benfleet, Essex hasn’t been straightforward for British-Nigerian Bisola. She’s done her best to fit in, but her two best friends Charlie & Saffron seem to be understanding her less and less recently. However, after an incident at her high school shunts her into the orbit of the only other Black girl in her year – the gorgeous, irrepressible Ashlee, who is everything Bisola wishes she could be – Bisola is plunged into a journey of discovering a whole new side of herself.

Directed by Yero Timi-Biu
Written by Busayo Ige
Produced by Angela Moneke & Simon Hatton

** Official Selection – Sundance Film Festival
** BAFTA Longlist – Best British Short Film
** BFI London Film Festival – Nominated, Best Short Film
** Official Selection – Hamptons International Film Festival
** Seattle International Film Festival – Special Jury Mention
** S.O.U.L Fest – Winner, Best Director
** Palm Springs Shortsfest – Nominated, Best International Short

CAST
Busayo Ige – Bisola
Corinna Brown – Ashlee
Adrianna Bertola – Charlie
Krysstina Frempong – Tiyah
Rebecca Dike – Aisha
Craig Webb – Callum
Bruno Cryan – Tom
Charlie Baker – Harry
Dan Gaisford – Mr Flannery
Daniel Adeosun – Malachi
With Tomi Egbowon-Ogunjobi – Ronke
And Maisie Smith – Saffron

CREW
Nathalie Pitters – Director of Photography
Phoebe Platman – Production Designer
Cynthia Lawrence-John – Costume Designer
Bianca Simone Scott – Hair & Make-Up Designer
Amara Rossell – Associate Producer
Hannah Marie Williams – Casting Director
Galina Chakarova – Editor
A.G – Composer
Caroline Morin – Colourist
Alex Bird – Re-recording Mixer

EXEC BLOCK
For BFI Network, Film Hub South East
Thomas Wightman – Executive Producer
Niamh Coogan – Project Coordinator

For Surgent Studios
Abubakar Salim – Executive Producer

For Screen South & Creative Estuary
Jo Nolan – Executive Producer
Barbara Welch – Production Manager