The film follows Paul, a middle-aged city worker who finds himself striking up a conversation with a bartender who feels strangely familiar. He grows increasingly desperate to explore more of the bar, but something unseen holds him back. What is this place hiding?

Charon, the mythological figure

In Greek mythology, Charon is the ferryman who brings the souls of the recently deceased over the river Styx which divides the world of the living from the world of the dead. In exchange for passage, he requires payment in the form of a coin which is also called Charon's obol. In Greek and also Roman funerary rites, people were buried with a low value coin inside or near their mouth to make sure they can pay for the crossing.

A word from the Director

The space between life and death is something that has always really fascinated me and Charon explores this in the transitional setting of a late night bar. Ever since I was young, I have always been interested in mythology and especially Greek and Roman mythology so it just made sense to draw inspiration from these ancient stories and weave them into something modern and new.

The fascination with Greek mythology is ever-enduring as shown by contemporary examples such as the upcoming blockbuster film Odyssey by Christopher Nolan or recent Netflix show Kaos. The stories are timeless and by adding a modern twist, I'm hoping to make a film that intrigues the audience and draws them in with a strikingly elegant aesthetic and great performances.

I’m really excited to get this project made, now that I have an amazing team on board and found a stunning bar location that aligns with my vision for the project.

- Nina Mangold

The Cast

Mike Kelson as PAUL

Mike is a Spotlight registered Actor who has performed in the theatre, films and TV. He has also sung with an acoustic duo and pop/rock band for a number of years, performs stand-up comedy, and has also hosted comedy and music festivals.

He plays PAUL, a man built from the city’s grey architecture who is the picture of urban anonymity. He works a mid-level corporate job - where he is neither a star nor a failure. He exists in the "comfortable middle," a state of purgatory he has occupied for so long he can no longer remember what true joy or sorrow feels like.

Elie Bouakaze-Khan as THE BARTENDER

Elie is an actor with experience in theatre and film having appeared in the ensemble cast of Sea Fever which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019.

He plays THE BARTENDER, who doesn't just work behind the bar; he commands it. Clean-cut, suave, and possessing an almost supernatural sophistication, he moves with a precision that makes the act of pouring a drink look like a religious rite.

About us...

Nina Mangold, Writer & Director

Having worked on feature films and HETV as part of the camera department for almost seven years, Nina has recently rediscovered her passion for writing stories and has written three short films over the last few months. Charon is the first of the three to be realised now and she is very excited to collaborate with her team, many of whom she has met on set and known for years, to get the story from page to screen.

Dan Blewett, Producer

With his vast experience in production gained on films such as The Batman, Beauty and the Beast and several Marvel and Star Wars films, Dan is now focussing on producing films as well as writing original scripts. At the moment, he is also working on a short film set on the Isle of Wight that he has written and will direct as well as producing an upcoming feature film which is under NDA.

The Crew

All of the Charon team are working film professionals with most of them coming from feature film and HETV backgrounds with extensive experience in their respective fields brought together by the passion to tell stories on screen.

Illias Thoms, 1st AD

Claire Pie, Director of Photography

Alan Hill, Sound Mixer & Recordist

Sadeeq Brown, Production Designer

Leah Gibby, Costume Designer

TBC, Hair & Make-up Supervisor

Alissa Autschbacher, Script Supervisor

Jonas Senn, Music Composer

James Thorn, Editor

Where Your Support Goes

Every contribution goes towards supporting this independent short film and we are making sure that if we get enough funding to cover production expenses, to put cast and crew first as it is thanks to them that we can make Charon possible.

The funding will go towards the following main areas:

• Location hire cost
   
• Equipment hire and insurance
   
• Catering on the shoot day and travel expenses for crew
   
• Retroactive pay for all crew
   
• Post-production
   
• Submission fees to film festivals

We massively appreciate every contribution, no matter how small or big, and would like to thank you for considering helping us make this short film!