THE STORY

Charlie is a 'Rent-A-Mourner', someone hired to pretend to mourn at funerals. 

After enjoying herself a little too much at last night's wake, Charlie rocks up to her next shift late, tired, and extremely hungover. Normally this wouldn't be a problem for Charlie, she's a pro, but when the morning takes an unexpected turn, she is thrust face to face with a deeply buried secret from the past. With nothing but her colleague Frank and a visit from the Virgin Mary to guide her through, Charlie must navigate the morning from hell, as the skeleton hurtles itself out of the closet.

With it's distinctive dark-comedic tone, Not A Mourning Person tackles its difficult themes of loss, trauma, and friendship in a unique, refreshing and uplifting manner.

THE PEOPLE

Toto Bruin is the writer of the film and will also play the lead role of 'Charlie'. Fresh off the back of her wonderful performance as 'Lucy Tozer' in Russell T. Davies' IT'S A SIN (Channel 4), Toto is combining her dual talents of writing and acting for this project. Her previous short film, PELICANS, starred Sex Education's Edward Bluemel and was directed by Ellie Heydon. She is currently working on two television projects in development. Toto is represented by Insight Management & Production.

Charlotte Hamblin is the director. She is in pre-production on her original feature film DAFFODILS which she is set to direct later this year, starring Kaya Scodelario. Charlotte has just written and directed dark comedy short EVERYBODY DIES SOMETIMES staring Tanya Reynolds. Charlotte’s TV writing credits include writing an episode of HANNA for Amazon, and participating in writer’s rooms for South of the River Pictures, Working Title, NBC Universal and BBC Studios. Charlotte is currently under commission on two original comedy drama series for Olivia Colman’s company South of the River and Mark Gordon Pictures in the US. 

Izzy Meikle-Small & Will Matthews are set to produce. 

Izzy has recently finished producing her first short film, STOREGGA SLIDE, starring Ellise Chappell & written/directed by Jack Cooper-Stimpson. Izzy also has an extensive acting background (Never Let me Go, Private Peaceful, Snow White & The Huntsman, Great Expectations).

Will is a first-time producer who comes from a talent agency background, currently working as a senior assistant at Hatton McEwan Penford. 

Jack Cooper-Stimpson & Ella Purnell are set to executive produce. 

Jack a writer, director, producer and environmental activist from London. Jack wrote and produced Alex's Dream starring Alex Lawther (End of the F*king World, Black Mirror) and the political satire, 'Extinction', starring Emma Thompson. Jack is currently developing Extinction into a six-part drama series with BBC Studios and is also a BAFTAxCREW member. Jack is currently directing his first feature-length project in Los Angeles.

Ella is an actor, producer and writer, currently working on Showtime's YellowJackets. Her credits include Never Let Me Go, Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Belgravia, Sweetbitter, and Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead. She is producing two projects, both currently in pre-production.

THE DIRECTOR'S VISION

"Leaning into the tones of Shiva Baby, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, and End of the Fucking World- 'Not a Mourning Person' will drill into the feeling of disembodiment when confronted with trauma. Using confronting camera angles and unexpected ‘poppy’ colour pallet, the film will do anything but shy away from the issues at hand. I want to use long awkward wides and distorted sounds to create a permanent sense of unease. Comic, colourful, and deeply uncomfortable, I aim to create a zany, macabre style to this film that will leave you asking… what the fuck just happened?"