Midlands Filmmaker in Focus: Anna Griffin & Alastair Clark

We're back with another edition of Filmmaker in Focus, our monthly spotlight on talented filmmakers from the Midlands. This month, we spoke with independent film producers Anna Griffin and Alastair Clark, the creative forces behind Nottingham-based production companies Griffin Pictures and Wellington Films.

Alastair Clark, BIFA Winner (London to Brighton) and co-founder of Wellington Films, and Anna Griffin, the BIFA-nominated founder of Griffin Pictures, have previously collaborated on the short film The Gas Man, the award-winning Netflix Original feature Calibre (now available to stream), and the BAFTA-nominated Sister Midnight, which is currently in cinemas across the UK. Individually, these East Midlands producers have built an impressive slate of ambitious films driven by integrity and creativity.

Alongside fellow Wellington Films co-founder Rachel Robey, Griffin and Clark play a key role in nurturing filmmaking talent in the East Midlands. They actively support emerging creatives by sharing their expertise, mentoring up-and-coming talent, and contributing to industry programs. Their involvement includes leading sessions on producing at the prestigious BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway Cinema Nottingham and working with BFI NETWORK Midlands on the BFI NETWORK Directors Lab.

Beyond their regional contributions, they have also delivered teaching and consultancy at the Met Film School and the National Film and Television School, as well as internationally in Sudan and Morocco.

For Anna and Al, it's important for the films they produce and the central characters within them to be provocative and have something to say;

"We are drawn to great stories, characters, and directorial talent with an exciting vision." - Alistair Clark

Uma the main protagonist in their latest project Sister Midnight played by Radhika Apte overflows with moxie as a feral force of nature bound to break free from their marital confines.

Sister Midnight

A rib-tickling, obscure and quirky debut from Karan Kandhari, featuring an iconic soundtrack and a BIFA-nominated, performance from Bollywood star Radhika Apte.

A newly arranged marriage. An oddball couple shoved together in a small Mumbai shack with paper-thin walls. They are awkward and alone together. Unpredictable Uma does her best to cope with the heat, her total lack of domestic skills, nosy neighbours and her bumbling spouse until the nocturnal world of Mumbai and its inhabitants lead her to face her own strange behaviours.

Anna Griffin and Alistair Clark Interview

Hi Anna and Al, we’re currently amidst the whirlwind ride of the release of Sister Midnight across the UK. We've just had the electric gala preview screening here at Broadway Cinema on the 13 March, plus we were super lucky to have you here in back on the 14 March for a special screening featuring an introduction from yourselves and a surprise goat guest appearance before the film.

How does it feel to be sharing an internationally made film distributed at film festivals here in Nottingham?

Al - It is always wonderful to screen films back at Broadway, where Wellington Films has been based for the last two decades. Festivals are a real buzz, but it is easy to get swept up in the bubble of a festival audience, as they are often made up of fellow filmmakers. Screening to a paying audience is the real test, even if it has been well-reviewed. What will the couple think of it, who has spent £20 or more on two tickets, plus dinner and drinks, a taxi and maybe a babysitter? What will they be saying when they come out of the cinema, and will they recommend it to friends?

Anna - It’s both massively exciting and really nerve-wracking. Films take a long time to get off the ground, particularly debuts, and so this has been a long time coming, and my friends and family have heard me speak about it for years. So to finally share it with them and the wider Nottingham community is a mixed bag of nerves and excitement.  

How did you both become producers and what was the first film you produced together?

Al - I did a one-year course in filmmaking at a place called Intermedia, which is where Broadway’s screens 3 and 4 are now. I started making shorts with my fellow students, including with Rachel Robey, whom I married, and with whom I still work today. Those shorts gradually moved on to features, starting with London to Brighton in 2006, which was based on characters from a short we did in 2001. The first film that Anna and I did together was a short called The Gas Man, written and directed by Matt Palmer, with whom we both went on to make Calibre - our first feature collaboration.

Anna - I worked in Nottingham as a crew member for several years across a wide variety of roles including production runner, floor runner, 3rd AD, and then I became a Director’s Assistant and worked with Nicolas Winding Refn on Bronson, Valhalla Rising and Only God Forgives. Which led into being the Director's Assistant for Sam Morton when she shot her debut film, The Unloved, in Nottingham. 

It was working in these Director’s Assistant roles that I gained a real insight into not only the full production process, but a deep dive into script development, and I loved it.  But then, sadly, the UK film industry went into a transition period when many of the regional screen agencies were disbanded. 

Nottingham lost the brilliant EM Media, which is why so many productions were happening at the beginning of my career.  And so during this time I, like many others, signed on the dole.  But a silver lining was found because a government scheme, The Future Jobs Fund, was in place and through that I landed a job with none other than Wellington Films.  It was here that I produced my short first film, The Gas Man, alongside Al Clark, and we’ve since made Calibre and now Sister Midnight together, with more in the pipeline.  

Sister Midnight is set in Mumbai and directed by British-Indian director Karan Kandhari. How did you work with the Indian community and filmmakers to tell a story that feels authentic to the place?

Al - We engaged the help of the amazing Suitable Pictures in Mumbai to bring this to life. I had met the co-owner, Alan McAlex, at a film festival many years ago and really hit it off, so I knew he would be the perfect partner. He is the third producer on the film, alongside us. They were the service company and crew that made sense of the chaos of the city for us, and connected with the local community in a way that we never could as very obvious outsiders. Plus, Karan knew the city, having stayed there for a fair while, so the story was inspired by and written for there - Mumbai is the heart of the film.

What was it like shooting in Mumbai and were there any adjustments made during the filmmaking process?

Al - Mumbai is so chaotic and noisy, but Suitable Pictures knows it so well and made it work. The film industry in India is the biggest in the world, so they are a well-oiled machine, with years of work in the busy streets and with large crowds. There were apparently about twenty film and TV shoots going on in Mumbai at any one time whilst we were there - filming units are very commonplace.

The street on which Uma lives is based on a real place, near to where Karan was staying and was part of the inspiration for the film - but it was so vibrant with life that filming on it for anything more than a day was going to be impossible. We needed to film on it for 4 weeks (half of our shoot). So our location team found a quiet gated community where our amazing art department, led by Shruti Gupte (The Lunchbox among her credits), rebuilt the street in its entirety! It was thus completely controllable and flexible.

What role did regional film funds, such as those from the BFI and Film4, play in bringing Sister Midnight to fruition, and how can Midlands filmmakers leverage similar support outside of London?

Al - Film4 and BFI were the major funders of this film, along with Film i Väst in Sweden, where we did the visual effects. They are national funds, rather than regional, who were both prepared and keen to support an exciting but unconventional new talent in Karan. There is sadly no Midlands-focused funding for features, since the loss of Creative England’s fund. But all Midlands producers are able to approach those London-based funds, as much as we are. Making a name for yourself in shorts, be it via the BFI NETWORK or not, is a great place to start, as you need to stand out from the crowd of folks also looking for support - there is just not enough money to go around, unfortunately.

Anna, you have previously been awarded the BFI NETWORK Short Film Funding in the Midlands with the film The Walk, did receiving these funds help you feel confident applying for investments towards Sister Midnight?

Anna - Yes, absolutely.  I’ve been fortunate to produce two shorts with the support of BFI NETWORK Midlands, The Walk and A Last Resort.  I’ve also been incredibly lucky to have received company support from the BFI via their Vision Award strand (which sadly is no longer running).  These relationships with the BFI built my confidence to approach them for feature funding on Sister Midnight. 

However, I must stress that these prior relationships are not a prerequisite for receiving production funding from them.  They have a very rigorous application process and all applications are reviewed impartially by their film funding team.  It’s all about the strength of the project itself, the vision of the filmmaker and the level of support you have already attracted to the project.  Sister Midnight had been developed by the BFI and Cinestaan, and we approached the BFI for production finance already knowing that Film4 were likely to invest.  So the finance plan also made sense for the BFI.  

Nottingham has been known for its rebellious nature and Uma’s character played by Radhika Apte shows us a similar strong-natured outsider perspective. Is this a coincidence or are you drawn, yourselves, to stories of rebellion? 

Al - That is a great connection, of which I had not thought before! Hmm, maybe subconsciously, but certainly not consciously. We are drawn to great stories, characters, and directorial talent with an exciting vision.

Anna - I think I’m certainly attracted to projects, and characters, that are provocative and have something to say, for sure.  Cinema is a place where you capture people’s attention like no other art form, it’s powerful.  

Anna and Alastair, you both have committed your time to tutoring and supporting filmmaking talent in the Midlands at Broadway Cinema with your support on BFI NETWORK’s Creative Producers Lab and BFI Film Academy Short Course, do you have any upcoming sessions or training available for filmmakers to join?

Anna - We will both be speaking at the Directors’ Lab this coming weekend, Sunday 23rd March this is booked privately for those taking part, however, I’m always open to being part of anything the BFI NETWORK Midlands is doing.  As Al said further up, with the loss of Creative England we have lost a major funding source for the region.  But with BFI NETWORK we are still able to nurture the community through various labs and academies. 

Sister Midnight is so wonderfully eclectic, how would you describe the film’s genre, and where did the inspiration for its cinematic style and performances come from?

Al - A jet-black comedy. Karan is more the one to ask about inspiration, but I know he would generally say Buster Keaton, Robert Altman, Satyajit Ray and Iggy Pop.

Was there anything new for you producing Sister Midnight which has expanded your knowledge of the film industry?

Al - It is Wellington’s second feature shot abroad, following A House in Jerusalem, which was shot in Palestine. And Anna shot the documentary Paa Joe and the Lion in Ghana. Filming abroad brings a multitude of new challenges every day, all of which bring new filmmaking knowledge. And releasing this Hindi-language film is bringing yet more and will continue to do so. 

Anna - Echoing Al’s words.  When filming abroad you have to give over a lot of trust to your partners in the country.  We were so lucky to have Suitable Pictures, led by the indefatigable force of nature that is Alan McAlex.  We would have been completely lost without him and his team.  

Without sharing any spoilers, what kind of impact do you hope the ending of Sister Midnight will leave on viewers?

Al - I hope viewers will have a big grin on their faces, and ask each other what kind of crazy ride they just saw. And then tell their friends to see it asap!

Anna - I just want them to love it, and Uma, as much as I do. 

As Midlands filmmakers Anna Griffin and Alastair Clark continue to push creative boundaries, Sister Midnight stands as a testament to their dedication to authentic storytelling. With its evocative themes, striking visuals, and a narrative that lingers long after the credits roll, this film is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates independent cinema.

Whether you're a longtime supporter of Midlands talent or new to their work, Sister Midnight is your opportunity to experience the unique voices of two producers who are shaping the region’s cinematic landscape. Don’t miss your chance to watch Sister Midnight on the big screen and see why Anna Griffin and Alastair Clark are making waves in the world of independent film.