Maureen

MAUREEN by James Peaty (category ‘Drama’) – a macabre play about a homicidal gay cross-dresser - was one of the most interesting entries at the recent Ealing Short Film Festival.

Supremely played by David Knox-Williams in the title role, ‘Maureen’ is one man’s account of life with ‘his’ partner Graham (Christopher Sciueref) but how much of what we are being told is true? Just as with any arresting narrative the trick lies in blending truth with fiction (or something in between…) to get the viewers imagination ticking away loud and fast.
Looking perfectly innocent whiling away in his kitchen preparing food, a man almost invitingly looks directly at us while telling us a story of frolicking about with two other men in his apartment (told via flashback scenes). Well, we presume it is his apartment because for all we know it could be the apartment of an earlier victim… or the current victim… or no victim at all.

The joyful mood and playful manner gradually shifts to a decidedly darker tone and we’re no longer observing the man in the kitchen. Instead he is now in his bedroom but… sporting female attire and make up we sense that he has now morphed into a she (psychologically anyway) all the while continuing with his/her revelations and pondering over deeds past, present and future. Has ‘Maureen’ completely taken over just like Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’?

Viewers are invited to discuss their opinions with friends and colleagues, so please watch this clever short film below:



Btw the Director of Photography, Alfie Biddle, shot ‘Maureen’ with the same Panavision lenses that the great Stanley Kubrick used for ‘The Shining’! As for director James Peaty, he’s a veteran comic writer and director with an impressive track record which includes writing multiple comic stories for ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘2000 AD’ to name but a few.

You can check out the other entries and winners here: www.ealingfilmfestival.com/selections/