Director: Sara Harrak

Writers: Sara Harrak, Jadey Duffield & Meg Salter

Intimacy Coordinators: Stella Moss & Alexandra Healy

Solers United is a comedy about a queer women and nonbinary people’s football team in East London, choc-a-bloc with crushes, clashes and nail-biting matches. I loved working on a story that represents women and non-binary football teams. It was brilliant to be able to support the cast and crew from pre-production all through to the shoot dates. From lingering looks to kisses, the IC team were on hand to help talk through these moments with the cast and creative team and to safely rehearse and block out a few key moments. Having myself and Alexandra on board meant the cast knew that there were people on hand to support them throughout, and that their welfare in those moments was a priority. 

Keep your eyes peeled for some incredible cameos and standout performances from all involved. It was a dream to support this production, and I hope you enjoy watching it as much as Alexandra and I enjoyed working on it.

Director: Lisle Turner

Screenwriter: Janet Etuk

Intimacy Coordinator: Asha Jennings-Grant

It’s 2005 and Lisa is at a house party, receiving advice on her two crushes by a mysterious party companion.

Try and get through this film without dancing, I dare you. You know right before you're about to fall asleep, when your brain decides to relive the most excruciatingly embarrassing moments of your life? Shoobs is the embodiment of this. 

On the surface this is a comedic and lighthearted short, punctuated with a back-to-back selection of bops. It offers a depiction of bisexuality without over-explanation; similarly, the unspoken emotional journey of the protagonist is clear without needing to be spelled out.

To some, it may not be evident that an intimacy coordinator would be needed in a short such as this without overt depictions of physical touch. However, is there anything more delightfully intimate than having a silly little dance with someone? Asha Jennings-Grant has beautifully combined her duality as a movement director and intimacy coordinator in supporting the choreography in these moments: the delicacy of non-verbal communication in the form of eye-contact; the subtlety of the characters’ movements while they dance, making evident their intentions.

Director: Nicholas Finegan

Screenwriters: Nicholas Finegan, Talisha Elger

Intimacy Coordinators: Allison Bibicoff & Chels Morgan

It is brilliant to see two intimacy coordinators credited for this beautiful depiction of love, lust and loneliness, moments of tenderness that Allison Bibicoff & Chels Morgan were undoubtedly integral to supporting. The chemistry between Tyler & Raphael (played by John Brodsky and Gabriel Leyva) is notable, and the attention to detail utterly captivating.

The choreography within each intimate scene is meticulous, helping to create a film that perfectly encapsulates falling head over heels in love with the promise of a love story before it’s even begun. The cinematography beautifully complements the narrative and feels like a window into the character of Tyler’s soul. You feel so drawn into Tyler’s world that you can’t bear to leave it. This is a beautiful piece of work that is a credit to everyone involved.

Director: Rosa Duncan

Screenwriter: Kate Hammer

Intimacy Coordinator: Georgia Alexandria Johnson

Wild Oats is a testament to the power of intimacy and comedy, portraying Rhona’s journey to understanding her own body and sexuality. The intimate action is primarily inferred, telling the story without any explicit action required. 

Georgia Alexandria Johnson’s work as an intimacy coordinator showcases how, even in a film without physical contact between actors, the intimacy coordinator plays a powerful role in helping to elevate the comedic moments, whilst maintaining the performers' boundaries. Special mention goes to using an egg to seductively apply lip balm, which is nothing short of a stroke of genius. 

The soundscape is striking, contributing to the stylised world between farm reality and fantasy with a cacophony of increasingly high pitched moans when in the fantasy realm. This is a witty and inventive coming of age tale, with some exceptional talent. 

Director: Craig Boreham

Screenwriter: Josh Lavery

Intimacy Coordinator: Shondelle Pratt

A sex worker’s appearance on a true-crime show unveils the chilling truth behind the night he barely survived. A clever depiction of the capitalization of trauma for content, Perfect Boy Next Door is a sharp and insightful film evoking similar feelings to an episode of Black Mirror. Queer male presenting sex workers, BDSM & Kink are at the forefront, alongside the public obsession with true crime stories. The primary intimacy in Perfect Boy Next Door takes place in the form of a flash-back that combines intimacy, horror and documentary re-telling. In Shondelle Pratt’s diligent blocking of the scenes, the flashbacks in tandem with the documentary-esque re-telling are shown in a way that allows the viewer's imagination to fill in the gaps.

The carefully constructed choreography lends itself to the build-up of tension for a chilling ending, without explicit depictions of sexual violence. The short and sharp handheld close-ups of hands, ropes and knots in quick succession highlight the panic, and aid the flitting between the documentary re-telling and the present moment. The final scene is particularly thought-provoking, perfectly cemented by the title of the film. An interesting and essential watch.