Director Melanie Manchot blurs the lines between fiction and
documentary with her new feature film Stephen. The film stars Stephen Giddings as a recovering addict from a
deprived Liverpool estate attempting to realise his dream of becoming an
actor. Manchot co-wrote the film with Leigh Campbell.
Stephen is in UK/ROI cinemas from April 26th. The film will
also play as part of an art installation at The Exchange in Penzance from
May 4th.
Check out the trailer below.
The official synopsis reads:
Scripted and shot cinematically as a fiction film, STEPHEN is shaped by the raw and moving energy of one young man's quest to transform his early life of violence and addiction and of his desire to both act and live differently. The film is centred around Stephen Giddings (Ste), who, growing up on the Quarry Green Estate in Kirkby, Liverpool, was confronted with addiction from an early age - both in the lives of those around him, and eventually in his own. At just 26 years old he was giving up on life. What follows is an intimate journey as Stephen auditions for and takes on a role in a movie, questioning whether he can fulfil his ambitions and realise one of his big dreams: to become an actor.