Finding the Humour Alongside Grief: ‘STILL LIFE’ to World Premiere at HollyShorts Film Festival
Ophelia Lovibond and Jacob Anderson in Still Life by Kate Radcliffe (Writer/Producer) and Sophie King (Director)
Los Angeles, CA (August 3rd, 2026). STILL LIFE, the new short film from writer-producer Kate Radcliffe and director Sophie King. The film will make its World Premiere at the HollyShorts Film Festival. It is inspired by true events. The film examines life after stillbirth through the experiences of a couple. Who are navigating grief, trauma, and the realities of rebuilding their lives following the loss of a child.
The film follows Jess and Max as they confront the practical and emotional challenges that accompany baby loss. It explores themes of bereavement, PTSD, unexpected forms of parenthood, and the importance of supporting those living with grief. Drawing on lived experience, STILL LIFE aims to contribute to wider conversations surrounding stillbirth. While addressing the isolation many families experience after pregnancy and infant loss. By incorporating humour alongside its subject matter. The film reflects the complexity of real life, where moments of levity and connection continue to exist alongside grief.
Kate Radcliffe wrote and produced the film. Drawing on her own experiences following the loss of her son, Dexter. Radcliffe has built her career as a comedy writer and producer on programmes. Including The Graham Norton Show, The Great British Bake Off: Extra Slice, The Russell Howard Hour, Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains, and A League of Their Own. STILL LIFE marks a continuation of her work developing original scripted projects grounded in authentic personal experience.
The film is directed by Sophie King. Whose work has screened at BAFTA and Academy Award qualifying festivals internationally. King’s credits include Channel 4’s Disability Benefits. Winner of Best Newform Drama Series at the C21 International Drama Awards, ITV’s Buffering, and the short film Does Your Condom Make You Fat?. A member of BAFTA Connect, King was named the 2023 Edinburgh TV Festival New Voices Scripted Director winner and is currently part of the Directors UK Inspire programme.
Producer Sarah Roy, founder of 19th Street Productions, has produced award-winning work across film and theatre, including the feature Zebra Girl. The Finborough Theatre productions Yes So I Said Yes and Not Now. The Tony Award-winning musical A Strange Loop. Together, Radcliffe, King, and Roy lead a predominantly female creative team committed to bringing authentic lived experience to the screen.
The cast is led by Ophelia Lovibond (Minx, Trying, Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocketman) and Jacob Anderson (Interview With the Vampire, Game of Thrones, The Sandman), alongside Felicity Montagu (I’m Alan Partridge, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Jordan Alexandra (Bridgerton, The Three-Body Problem), Alex Bhat (Marie Antoinette, Gentleman Jack), and Phoebe Pryce (The Gold, The Lost King).
Making its World Premiere at HollyShorts Film Festival. STILL LIFE highlights an issue that affects thousands of families each year. While demonstrating how lived experience can inform contemporary storytelling. Through its combination of comedy and drama, the film seeks to encourage greater awareness of stillbirth, reduce the stigma surrounding pregnancy loss, and open conversations around grief, recovery, and the support available to bereaved parents.
