Ryan Can’t Read (2025)
Ryan Can’t Read world premiere at Japanese Academy Award qualifying festival plus Academy Award/Oscars 2025 qualifying, Bolton Film Festival, Aesthetica, and many more…
Interview: Rhys Chapman On Tackling Adult Literacy With Heart And Hope In “Ryan Can’t Read”
Rhys Chapman’s Ryan Can’t Read, tackles a profound yet often overlooked issue: the struggles faced by adults with low literacy skills. With over 8 million adults in the UK affected, this is a subject that demands greater attention. For Chapman, the journey to bring this story to life began with actor Lewis Ian Bray, who shared not just a concept but a deeply personal connection to the material.
Drama produced by DMU academic praised by Ken Loach
A short film which shows a neurodivergent man struggling to find work and dealing with grief has been praised as “touching and important” by legendary filmmaker Ken Loach.
Ryan Can’t Read has been co-produced by Evolution Film, founded by De Montfort University (DMU) academic Professor Jason Lee.
The film, which stars neurodivergent actor Lewis Ian Bray, tells the story of a young man whose benefits are cut by the jobcentre. Facing eviction, Ryan meets Tyrone, a community worker who helps him to turn his life around.
22+1
Evolution backed film hits the big screen in London.
An interracial couple navigate the grief of late term pregnancy loss, while confronted with the underlying layer of racism in the health system that tests their love.
This Vital Short Film Is Breaking The Silence Around Baby Loss
When PIPPA BENNETT-WARNER and PIPPA VOSPER set out to make their short film 22+1, they wanted to confront the realities of baby loss and racial inequality embedded in healthcare systems. In this candid reflection, the filmmakers explain why telling this story is so important – and how it serves as a powerful call for urgent change
‘22+1:’ Pippa Bennett-Warner & Pippa Vosper On The Five-Year Journey Behind Their LFF Short
“This film should be in everybody’s homes. It should be super accessible. Our absolute goal would be a streamer like Netflix,” actor-turned-filmmaker Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London) tells me of her ideal destination for her directorial debut 22+1, which screened this week at the London Film Festival.
Screenplay Open Submission 2023 – July 4 – 25
Please send a logline/half page treatment and short film script (max. 15 minutes) to jason.lee@dmu.ac.uk
This is an opportunity for new writers to break into the industry who have a disability and/or mental health issue.
For the right script this is a paid opportunity. We will only respond to those scripts that we might be interested in.
