# Secret Child

Secret Child is a 2018 British biographical drama short film directed by Yewweng Ho and is his directing debut. The screenplay, written by Sam Hoare, is based on the memoirs from the book Secret Child by Gordon Lewis. The film stars Fiona Glascott, Austin Taylor and Aaron McCusker, and tells the story of a single mother and her eight-year-old son meeting her man from her past after nine years.
Secret Child had its world premiere at the Hollyshorts Film Festival in 2018 and was nominated for Best Period Piece, and its London premiere at New Renaissance Film Festival, in which it won Best Debut Film. The film has received over 20 international awards and nominations with generally positive reviews, who praised the performances of Glascott, Taylor and McCusker, Ho's direction and Darius Shu's cinematography of the film.

## Plot

At the age of eight, Gordon (played by Austin Taylor) is introduced to a much older man called Bill (played by Aaron McCusker) by his mother, Cathleen (played by Fiona Glascott).

## Cast

* Fiona Glascott as Cathleen
* Austin Taylor as Gordon
* Aaron McCusker as Bill

## Production

In 2017, producer Gordon Lewis and director Yewweng Ho teamed up with cinematographer Darius Shu to begin principal photography of the film. Fiona Glascott (Brooklyn, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald), Aaron McCusker (Bohemian Rhapsody, Shameless) and Austin Taylor (My Cousin Rachel, Doctor Who) were cast in the main roles for the film.
Lewis is in talks to develop Secret Child into a full-length feature or a television series with his second book Secret to Sultan coming soon.

## Release

Secret Child had its world premiere at the Hollyshorts Film Festival at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on August 13, 2018. The film had its London premiere at Closeup Arthouse Cinema at the New Renaissance Film Festival on August 24, 2018.

## Reception
### Critical response

Anna Mayers from Close Up Culture praised the film as '...beautiful" and that it was '...brought to life in a sweet yet truthful way'.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Festival | Category | Result |
| 2018 | Hollyshorts Film Festival | Best Period Piece | Nominated |
| 2018 | Oniros Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | Oniros Film Awards | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2018 | Alternative Film Festival | Best Period Piece | Nominated |
| 2018 | European Cinematography Awards | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2018 | London International Motion Pictures Award | Best Narrative / Fiction UK Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Cinematography | Won |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Actress | Won |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Director | Won |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Editor | Won |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Narrative Short | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Cinematography | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Director | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Honorable Mention for Actor | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Original Score | Won |
| 2018 | Festigious International Film Festival | Best Picture | Nominated |
| 2018 | Gold Movie Awards | Best Short | Won |
| 2018 | Kerry Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Largo Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | Largo Film Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | Best Drama Short | Won |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | Best Director | Won |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | New Renaissance Film Festival | Best Debut Film | Won |
| 2018 | Oniros Film Awards | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2018 | Oniros Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2018 | Open World Toronto Film Festival | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Overcome Film Festival | Best Actress | Won |
| 2018 | Sydney Indie Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | The Lift-Off Sessions | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Cinefest | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2019 | Queen Palm International Film Festival | Best Cinematography | Nominated |