Short Film, 13 mins
East London, 2003 — the early years of the UK grime scene. Best friends Kassel and Andre navigate adolescence while dreaming of a better life. United by ambition but divided by how they pursue it, their friendship is tested over the course of a single day.
Featuring a largely newcomer cast alongside Ashley Walters, High Hopes is shot on 16mm black-and-white film, reframing the visual and emotional language of the expected “urban” film world and stripping it back to something raw, intimate, and timeless.
Raindance Film Festival
Raindance Best of 25 Anniversary Retrospective