Helen

2008 1h 19m EN

😐

5.3

MID

★5.3TMDB · 16

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An 18 year old girl called Joy has gone missing. Another girl called Helen is a few weeks away from leaving her care home. Helen is asked to 'play' Joy in a police reconstruction that will retrace Joy's last known movements. Joy had everything. A loving family, a boyfriend, a bright future. Helen, parent-less, has lived in institutions all her life and has never been close to anyone. Gradually Helen begins to immerse herself into the role, visiting the people and places that Joy knew; quietly and carefully insinuating her way into the lost girl's life. But is Helen trying to find out what happened to Joy that day, or is she searching for her own identity?

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Annie Townsend
Helen
Sandie Malia
Mrs Thompson
Dennis Jobling
Mr Thompson
Sonia Saville
Police Officer Saville
Danny Groenland
Danny
Sheila Hamilton
Personal Advisor
Betty Ashe
Key Worker
Gavin Huscroft
Drama Teacher

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Joe Lawlor
Writers: Joe Lawlor, Christine Molloy
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, Ireland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 18 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, Ireland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Joe Lawlor, shot by Ole Bratt Birkeland. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Christine Molloy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Annie Townsend and Sandie Malia and Dennis Jobling carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1288589 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Joe Lawlor directs. Ole Bratt Birkeland behind the camera. Christine Molloy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom, Ireland. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 18 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, Ireland.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Joe Lawlor, shot by Ole Bratt Birkeland. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Christine Molloy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Annie Townsend and Sandie Malia and Dennis Jobling carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt1288589 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 16 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.