


CUT SHORT:
FIGHTING AGAINST KNIVES IN THE NORTH
SYNOPSIS
Sarah Lloyd has spent the last ten years without her son Kieran; he was murdered in broad daylight by a drug dealer. 22 year old Vilson has spent the last three years out of prison, where he was sent for using a knife in a gang attack.
Both now work as campaigners for knife crime awareness, using their own stories to make a difference in the lives of others. But Sarah’s life is still empty without Kieran, and Vilson still resents the circumstances that led to his misguided youth.
Featuring testimonies from ex- and current gang members, an ex-gang leader, and the eye-witness of a knife murder, “Cut Short: Fighting Against Knives in the North” shares Vilson and Sarah’s stories and follows their journey as they try to understand why young people in the UK are being persuaded to carry knives, and what the irreversible consequences are when a person makes the decision to use one.
The film provides a list of organisations who are dedicated to supporting young people concerned about gang culture, and current data on the true state of knife crime in the North, collated from FOI responses submitted by regional police constabularies.
WE WANT TO SHOW THIS FILM TO ONE MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UK.



TEACHING PACKAGE
Alongside a film festival run, Cut Short has been primarily designed to be used to engage and educate young people in schools, colleges, community groups, youth organisations, young offender institutions, prisons and anywhere else with an audience of young people.
We’ve built a teaching package to go alongside the film that provides teachers and educators with a simple set of bespoke resources to lead a safe and effective workshop with young people.
Schools, community groups, youth offenders institutions, youth clubs and any youth-facing organisation are all welcome to use the film and its teaching package.
The teaching package contains:
- the full documentary, plus two bonus scenes
- suggested lesson plans
- factsheets and regional data for teachers to better understand the subject matter
- activities based around key scenes in the films (including age-appropriate options for 10/11yos)
- worksheets and questionnaires for students
- advice on handling this subject matter and any safeguarding issues that may arise
- an original audiobook from Sarah that tells the story of her son’s murder through a creative approach



Starring
Directed by
Produced by
DoP
1st AC
Sound Recordists
Runner
Unit Stills
BTS Stills
BTS Video
Editor
Colourist
Second Colourist
Graphic Designer
Composer
Sound Designer
Dubbing Engineer
Sarah Lloyd
Vilson Duarte-Dong
Lucie Milner
Matt ‘Blessed’ Stevens
Luke
Matthew Norford
Owen Seabrook
Lewis Mitchell
Maizie Brown
Declan Creffield
Laura Clark
Chris Lipscombe
Joe Allies
Philip Shacklady
Olivia Gray
Lisa Stonehouse
Owais Manzoor
James Ivanov
Daniel Tremble
Owen Seabrook
Paul Handley
Summer Vasare Piscikaite
Hattie Barnes
George Bloomfield
Philip Shacklady
Will Cart
CUT SHORT:
FIGHTING AGAINST KNIVES IN THE NORTH



Starring
Directed by
Produced by
DoP
1st AC
Sound Recordists
Runner
Unit Stills
BTS Stills
BTS Video
Editor
Colourist
Second Colourist
Graphic Designer
Composer
Sound Designer
Dubbing Engineer
Sarah Lloyd
Vilson Duarte-Dong
Lucie Milner
Matt ‘Blessed’ Stevens
Luke
Matthew Norford
Owen Seabrook
Lewis Mitchell
Maizie Brown
Declan Creffield
Laura Clark
Chris Lipscombe
Joe Allies
Philip Shacklady
Olivia Gray
Lisa Stonehouse
Owais Manzoor
James Ivanov
Daniel Tremble
Owen Seabrook
Paul Handley
Summer Vasare Piscikaite
Hattie Barnes
George Bloomfield
Philip Shacklady
Will Cart



SYNOPSIS
Sarah Lloyd has spent the last ten years without her son Kieran; he was murdered in broad daylight by a drug dealer. 22 year old Vilson has spent the last three years out of prison, where he was sent for using a knife in a gang attack.
Both now work as campaigners for knife crime awareness, using their own stories to make a difference in the lives of others. But Sarah’s life is still empty without Kieran, and Vilson still resents the circumstances that led to his misguided youth.
Featuring testimonies from ex- and current gang members, an ex-gang leader, and the eye-witness of a knife murder, “Cut Short: Fighting Against Knives in the North” shares Vilson and Sarah’s stories and follows their journey as they try to understand why young people in the UK are being persuaded to carry knives, and what the irreversible consequences are when a person makes the decision to use one.
The film provides a list of organisations who are dedicated to supporting young people concerned about gang culture, and current data on the true state of knife crime in the North, collated from FOI responses submitted by regional police constabularies.
WE WANT TO SHOW THIS FILM TO ONE MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UK.



TEACHING PACKAGE
Alongside a film festival run, Cut Short has been primarily designed to be used to engage and educate young people in schools, colleges, community groups, youth organisations, young offender institutions, prisons and anywhere else with an audience of young people.
We’ve built a teaching package to go alongside the film that provides teachers and educators with a simple set of bespoke resources to lead a safe and effective workshop with young people.
Schools, community groups, youth offenders institutions, youth clubs and any youth-facing organisation are all welcome to use the film and its teaching package.
The teaching package contains:
- the full documentary, plus two bonus scenes
- suggested lesson plans
- factsheets and regional data for teachers to better understand the subject matter
- activities based around key scenes in the films (including age-appropriate options for 10/11yos)
- worksheets and questionnaires for students
- advice on handling this subject matter and any safeguarding issues that may arise
- an original audiobook from Sarah that tells the story of her son’s murder through a creative approach





