Kirby Cross and Colchester filmmakers prepare to release Baggage

Lewis Ward, 22, of Colchester, and Sophie Goodman, 22, of Kirby Cross, joined forces back in 2020 to write, direct and produce a movie.

Having started making movies when he was 13 years old, Lewis eventually launched Berwyn Films with fellow writer and producer Callum Wilson.

As well as making hit music videos, he has since released award-winning short films such as Pan-Friend Guerrillas and The Horn.

Sophie, on the other hand, started her career as a digital imaging technician and has produced documentaries for the likes of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

She has also worked as an assistant editor on a Lionsgate release and edited Alone With I, which featured Love Island’s Tyne Lexy and Eddie Webber from The Business.

The two film buffs first met during their college years through mutual friends before becoming better acquainted while collaborating on other projects.

After stumbling upon two old scripts, which when combined could became “something more interesting”, they started work on what materialised as Baggage.

Shot in between national lockdowns, the film stars Ben Warner and Adele O’Donnell in the lead roles, and supporting actor Gregory Edwards, who Sophie and Lewis met in CODA, in Colchester High Street, during a comedy night.

Ben and Adele play a broken-up couple, Alvin and Vanessa, who find themselves disposing of a dead body, but the main conflict is the disconnect of the relationship itself.

“Alvin has always tried to hide his bad habits and reckless attitude because he thinks Vanessa wants the control,” said Lewis, who has also worked on television and feature films for the likes of Netflix and the BBC.

“But what she wants is a partner in crime and to not feel like she is the only bad apple in the relationship.

“However, when they both realise they are as bad as each other, they realise they are the perfect match, they just had to put aside their misinterpretations and be 100 per cent themselves.”

Baggage, on which Callum also worked as a co-producer, was primarily shot in the East of England, in the likes of Colchester and Thetford, but some of the more cinematic scenes were captured on the White Cliffs of Dover.

“We were so lucky to have an amazingly passionate cast and crew who were a joy to work with,” added Sophie.

“We had so much fun on set while also working efficiently together with the limited time we had and all of the effects in the film are made using practical, on-set effects.

“Another fun aspect of the whole production were the locations.

“We were able to travel to some remarkable locations which made for much more visually interesting shots as well as adding the much-needed stylisation to the film.”

Since filming and editing for Baggage wrapped up, the movie has been played at a variety of film festivals and even scooped Best Foreign Film at a ceremony in Milan.

More recently it was screened at the Ipswich Film Theatre where audiences were given a first glimpse of the feature before its wider theatrical release.

Lewis added: “We have been apprehensive to find out people’s thoughts on the film as it’s a strange kind of comedy.

“It relies on awkward moments, off-timings and darkness, as well as having a serious dramatic thread tied in.

“We just really hoped that the film played out for audiences the way we wanted it to.

“We are absolutely over the moon with the audience’s overwhelmingly positive response, as well as the successes the film has had throughout the festival circuit.”

To find out more information about Baggage, which will be released soon, visit berwynfilms.co.uk.