Finding Dad by Alana Hutton Shaw is a heartfelt quest for one woman’s sense of identity. Caught in the grips of grief, she goes searching for her estranged father. The film drew its inspiration from the director’s experiences searching for her biological dad. The film’s setting is in London’s East End, on the exact same street, where she found him. After an already impressive run on the festival circuit, this must-see film will screen at the Oscar-qualifying Indyshorts Film Festival.
Synopsis: It’s Christmas and Anita’s mum just died unexpectedly with nothing left. Scribbled on a piece of paper is her father’s name. She and her BFF descend on the East End to find a dad she hasn’t yet met.
Alana Hutton-Shaw is an emerging talent. Finding Dad (2021) is her debut narrative piece. She has previously written and directed a slate of commercials and has performed regularly as a stand-up comedian in NYC. Dench Arnold represents Alana Hutton-Shaw working on the series development of Finding Dad, Finding Fam.
The film stars Daisy Fairclough (Idris Elba’s Just Charlie) and Genesis Lynia (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, Silent Witness). The stunning cinematography of Finding Dad is by Jordan Clarke. The producer for Finding Dad is Bona Orakwue.
Finding Dad has been part of the official selection at numerous high-profile film festivals. Leeds International Film Festival nominated for Best Short. It was awarded a special mention at British Shorts Berlin where it was nominated for a Jury Award. Finding Dad was selected for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. It ran at Poppy Jasper Festival, Seattle Black Film Festival, the Toronto Black Film Festival, and more. The short will screen at Indyshorts in July.
Directors Notes
Last Christmas 2019, at 30 years old I found the courage to search for my father. A man I had never met and knew very little about. With my best friend by my side, I knocked on his door and asked him if he was my dad. The man who stood before me looked just like me.
Writing the script has been cathartic. It helped me process this strange and extraordinary experience. I suddenly understood the importance of true friendship, and that family is so much more than blood.
A year later, I shot the film in the very same locations we had ventured to find my Dad. Including the very same lounge where we first met. I wanted to keep it authentic and raw. I wanted to reveal the East End as truthfully as I had experienced it. The damp, coldness of its exteriors and the hidden, unexpected warmth inside. This is a story about finding someone, but more importantly, finding yourself.
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