World premiere

Think of England

Local title
Pea vastu, Inglismaa nimel
Original title
Think of England
Director
Richard Hawkins
Country
United Kingdom
Year
2025
Festival
29th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Official Selection - Competition
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Historical drama
Subject
war, humour, film-in-film, sex

In a war situation, even making porn films may be a task of national importance.

Finding the real-life fact that this film is based on from the archives is an achievement in itself. Another achievement is finding the right creative solutions that would make that fact come to life on the screen. The result of the achievements of scriptwriter-director Richard Hawkins is a captivating film with a unique plot.

World War II. The Allies’ Normandy landings are soon to take place. A group of six people is delivered to an uninhabited island with a secret mission – to make some pornographic films which in the government’s opinion should boost the fighting morale of the boys at the front. Five of the six have the relevant background and motivation to participate in the venture. The male actor, alas, has no motivation. No will and no ability. The war has touched everyone. It soon turns out that there is someone else on the island, watching them.

The film is a satirical drama which explores the boundaries of generally accepted behavior and how these boundaries are shifted with random pretexts. The film tells us how war affects moral standards – what was contemptible yesterday, is suddenly acceptable today. The definition of morals is a complex concept – changing in time and differing by culture and worldview.

Mihkel Möölman

Director
Richard Hawkins
Screenwriter
Richard Hawkins, Geoffrey Freeman
Cast
Jack Bandeira, Natalie Quarry, John McCrea, Ronni Ancona, Ben Bela Böhm, Ollie Maddigan, Oscar Hoppe
Producer
Poppy O'Hagan, Nicholas O'Hagan
Cinematographer
Sarah Cunningham
Production Design
Chris Richmond, David Hand
Editing
Alex Snelling
Production
Giant Films
Runtime
Language
English
Subtitles
Estonian
Director
Richard Hawkins

Richard Hawkins is a screenwriter and director whose first screenplay, the internationally successful “The Theory of Flight” (1998) was co-produced by BBC and Miramax, directed by Paul Greengrass and starred Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter. The film opened the Toronto International Film Festival. His directorial debut came with the enormously well-received “Everything” (2004). This entirely independently produced feature went on to win several international awards including a BAFTA nomination for Hawkins himself.

Filmography:
Everything (2004), Think of England (2025)

Grand Prix for The Best Film, grant of 20 000 euros from the city of Tallinn, Award for Best Director, grant of 5000€ from Alexela

Screenings

1st Lux Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening080120 / Pea vastu, Inglismaa nimel
SubtitlesEstonian
Q&A duration
Screening duration