Falmouth graduates leading the production of new LGBTQ+ short film

Two Falmouth University graduates are heading up the production team behind King Henry, a LGBTQIA+ short film which is due to be shot in Cornwall this summer. 

King Henry has been written by Natalys Willcox and will be directed by Harry Faint, who are both Falmouth University graduates. Harry studied an undergraduate degree in Film BA(Hons) before staying at Falmouth to complete a master’s degree in Film & Television. Natalys also studied the Film & Television MA at Falmouth, graduating in 2017. 

Set in Cornwall in 2010, the film follows Henry, a 16-year-old gay teen, on prom night. King Henry explores themes of queer identity, the toxic legacy of Section 28 and anxieties that remain around discussions, acceptance, and safety of queer identities within educational spaces. The story is inspired by Harry’s own prom night, where he and his boyfriend were nominated as prom king and queen. 

Asked about the film, Harry says: “King Henry is set in a rural town in Cornwall, which is vital to the story. Cornwall, like many rural communities, has connotations of tradition and is often misperceived as being behind the times, but this simply isn’t the case. Queer lives are vibrant in Cornwall. More stories need to be told about queer lives in rural settings, and King Henry sets out to do that.” 

Natalys adds: “I am really interested in the juxtaposition between queer stories and rural settings. I was inspired to write King Henry after discussions with Harry about our experience of being gay at school.” 

King Henry is being supported by Falmouth University’s Sound/Image Cinema Lab and Screen Cornwall. Students from Falmouth University’s School of Film & Television will also be involved in the production of King Henry, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable experience of working on a professional film set. 

Due to the scale of the production, a Crowdfunding campaign has been launched to raise additional funding. Harry says: “I’m massively excited to announce the launch of our Crowdfunder for King Henry. I’ve been overwhelmed with the positive response to the film and can’t wait to collaborate with local and national talent to bring this story to life”.