Delivery
A year after we had cast her in a supporting role in ‘Who’s Counting?’, Rosie Chappel shared a picture of herself in her scrubs, proud that she had only five weeks to go until she qualified as a midwife. Inspired by the experience of the birth of our own daughter, Ben messaged Rosie with an idea for a project called ‘Delivery’.
Together, over the following year, via countless Zoom and phone calls, Google Docs, voice notes and text messages, and inspired by Rosie’s lived experience, Ben and Rosie developed a story about a newly-qualified midwife undertaking the most challenging night shift of her career on an understaffed NHS maternity ward.
‘Delivery’ is the result, a scripted 25 minute short that focuses on the physical and psychological strain on midwives as they witness the often unspoken about, long lasting impact of childbirth related trauma.
‘Delivery’ has been nominated for Best British Short at the British Independent Film Awards, won Best Debut Short following its world premiere at Tirana International Film Festival and was the recipient of Best British Film at Norwich International Film Festival.
The film continues to tour festivals worldwide.
Credits
Written & Directed by Ben Lankester
Producers - Bophanie Lun & Joe Binks
DP - Rachel Clark
Production Designer - Jason Synnott
Editor - Sacha Szwarc
Casting Director - Hannah Ashby Ward
Music - Sarah Warne
CAST
Mary - Rosie Chappel
Charlie - Jordan Kouamé
Isla - Emily Laing
April - Alita Simpson
Midwife in Charge - Alison Rose
Olivia - Aoife Gaston
Helen - Christina Balmer
Dr Shah - Shri Patel
Theatre Staff - Stuart Cooke, Michael Ahfong
Midwives - Tammy Heath, Renata Kundrat, Richa Prakesh
Baby - Zaccai Osei Akoto Tawiah
Babysitter - Ruhthie Durang
Children - Roux Horner, Clara McDonagh
Casting by - LANE Casting
Casting Associate - Priyanka Patel
Script Supervisor - Giuditta Natale
Script Consultant - Rosie Chappel
1st AD - Tom Rye
2nd AD - Francesca Kaimer Millea
Head of Production - Nicola Sims
Production Manager - Charlotte Sinden
Production Assistant - Catherine Blackman
Make Up & Hair - Caitlin Ross
Wardrobe - Samantha Hobart
Art Assistants - Lisi Fellinger, Charlie Runham
Focus Pullers - Daniel Glazebrook, Eva Carreño
Clapper Loaders - Hannah Green, Lina Rasmussen
Gaffers - Dragos Czinjepolschi, Jeff Celis
Sparks - Aoife Goldsmith, Marton Gosztonyi, Christopher Greenaway, Bruno Inacio, Tom Murtagh, Cristian Trujillocelis
Sound Recordist - Marina Fusella
Runners - Morgan Jones, Nithiyasri Kasiviswanathan, Andréa Lino, Hailey Kuri O’Reilly, Anna Symonds
Edit Facility - STITCH
Edit Producer - Angela Hart
Edit Assistant - Joe Bolger
Supervising Sound & FX Editor - Maiken Hansen
Dialogue & ADR Editor - Isabel Derr
Foley by Sonicular
Cello - Ashok Klouda
Violin - Matthew Kelly
Sound Re-Recorded at Bleat Post Production
Re-Recording Mixer - George Elliott
Audio Post Producer - Max Norwell
Digital Intermediate by HARBOR
DI Colourist - Jateen Patel
DI Producer - Abigail Duncan
DI Editors - Aiden Tobin, Justin Drew
VFX by PUSH VFX
VFX Executive Producer - Manuel Santiago
Creative Director -Pedro Motta
VFX Producer - Hugo Rosado
Lead Compositing Artist - Duarte Gandum
Compositing Artist - Fernão Gonçalves
Titles by Lucia Garcia Studio
Designers - Coco Sohiez, Lucia Garcia
Post Production by ELMNTL
Post Producers - Jenna Le Noury, Rosanne Crisp
Flame Artist - Martin Waller
Camera & Lenses by One Stop Films
Lighting by SHL Lighting, Pixipixel
Thanks to Dr Joanna Belcher, Marilyn Carbado, Jonathan Iles, Maria Ragnarsson, Carol Smith.
Special thanks to James Hall & Matt Hopkins.
For Boramei Carin.
A co-production with Glass Onion Films.
Festivals & Awards
Nominee - Best British Short Film
British Independent Film Awards 2024
Winner - Best Debut Short
Tirana International Film Festival 2024
Winner - Best British Film
Norwich International Film Festival 2024
Winner - Jury Prize for Best Drama & the Audience Award
This is England Film Festival 2024
Winner - Audience Award
North East International Film Festival 2024
Nominee - Best UK Short
Bolton International Film Festival 2024
Official Selection 2024 - Cordillera International Film Festival, Edmonton International Film Festival, London Breeze Film Festival, Coronado Island Film Festival, Pittsburgh Shorts & Script Competition, Yellowstone International Film Festival, Foyle Film Festival, Cardiff Mini Film Festival.