Wasp (2003)

Director:

Andrea Arnold

Writer:

Andrea Arnold (writer)

Genre:

Short | Drama

Plot:

Zoë is a single mother who lives with her four children in Dartford. She is poor and can't afford to buy food...

Plot Keywords:

Date | Children | Single Mother | Kissing | Baby Boy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 21 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Natalie Press	...	Zoë
Danny Dyer	...	Dave
Jodie Mitchell	...	Kelly
Molly Griffiths	...	Sinead
Kaitlyn Raynor	...	Leanne
Danny Daley	...	Kai
Lizzie Colbert	...	Bullet-head
Ashley Routledge	...	Brown-haired girl
Tabitha Crewe	...	Barmaid

Directed by
Andrea Arnold

Writing credits
Andrea Arnold		(writer)

Produced by
Caroline Cooper	....	executive producer (as Caroline Cooper Charles)
Eve Harrison	....	video producer
Andrew Litvin	....	line producer
Natasha Marsh	....	producer
Nic Muirson	....	executive producer (as Nic Murison)

Cinematography by
Robbie Ryan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nicolas Chaudeurge

Casting by
Kate Brasier
Des Hamilton
Amanda Tabak

Production Design by
Helen Scott

Costume Design by
Merryn Conaway

Makeup Department
Wendy Bombrick	....	hair assistant
Wendy Bombrick	....	makeup assistant
Merryn Conaway	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kate Brasier	....	third assistant director
Josh Hyams	....	second assistant director
Paul Monaghan	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Nathan Lines	....	props assistant
Tina Lines	....	props assistant
Ocean Tunley	....	props assistant

Sound Department
Steph Baldini	....	sound recordist
Karima Benchemakh	....	boom operator
Chris Burdon	....	dubbing mixer
Neil Herd	....	sound recordist
Rupert Ivey	....	sound recordist
Kate Norrington	....	tracklayer
Ben Norrington	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Adam Gascoyne	....	compositor
Olly Nash	....	animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Holly Horner	....	unit photographer
Simon Vickery	....	additional camera operator

Casting Department
Holly McAlister	....	casting assistant

Other crew
Horace Baker	....	wasp wrangler
Taryn Gruber	....	production assistant
Kate Jewell	....	floor runner
Alex Knights	....	titles
Jaime McInerney	....	floor runner (as Jamie McInerney)
Sheleena Naidoo	....	production assistant
Jo Sheehan	....	location manager

Thanks
Kelvin Arnold	....	thanks
Robert Bray	....	thanks
Lisa Bryer	....	thanks
Livia Burton	....	thanks
Netty Crabbe	....	thanks
Jane Davis	....	thanks
Jeremy Gawade	....	thanks (as Jeremy Gawde)
Louise Gow	....	thanks
Des Hamilton	....	thanks
Tracey Josephs	....	thanks
Max Longton-Lockton	....	thanks (as Max Langton Lockton)
Teresa Moneo	....	thanks
Gerardine O'Flynn	....	thanks
Phil Salter	....	thanks
Charles Steel	....	thanks
Carly Stone	....	thanks
Tony Wall	....	thanks
John Whitehead	....	thanks
Ira Zloczower	....	thanks

Production Companies

• FilmFour
• UK Film Council
• Cowboy Films

Distributors

• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Bureau, The  short film consultants
• Commercial Eyes  negative cutting
• Framestore CFC  thanks
• Kodak  film stock
• Swiss Effects  thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

26 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

FilmFour

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

5, 6, 7, 8

If you are looking for a short film with emotional impact, look no further

WASP is a thoroughly unpleasant film due to its subject matter. The film is about a poor mother with four small children who is simply unfit to take care of them--let alone herself. Though technically an adult, Zoë is completely irresponsible and selfish. As you watch her hungry children and her ambivalence towards them, you'll find the film very shocking. Now I don't think that she hates her kids--it's just that her needs trump all others and right now her need to to hook up with a man. Now despite having these kids (and the oldest looks to be only about 7 or 8), she drags them to the pub and tells them to wait outside and leaves the oldest one in charge. And the children wait, and wait, and wait for many hours--often playing in the street to amuse themselves and starving while mom is inside buying drinks for her date.

This film earned the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film and it deserved it even though it was hard to watch and was so very unpleasant. There were two main reasons I liked the film. First, it was completely unflinching in how it showed a neglectful mother and her kids--you couldn't help but feel sorry for the kids and you wanted to scream out loud towards the end of the film when they are in such grave danger. Second, I really appreciated how the film didn't take a definite stand (right wing or left) and simply showed the family without commentary or trying to shove an agenda down your throat.

The film is very crude and harsh, but all this is necessary to accurately portray this lifestyle. This, combined with the shocking images make this a terrible film to show children, but an amazing film for anyone else. I dare anyone to watch this film and not be affected.