11-09-2023 12:19pm

The British Short Awards: "ECHO" A Film by Jedi Jo

Anita Johnson-Brown Editor

Length: 15 minutes

Year of Production: 2022

Format: 4k Digital

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

A childless mother grieving the loss of her daughter is consumed by an imagined memory and drawn to the sea.

The movie "ECHO" follows the story of Alice, a woman who walks along a coastal path calling out to her young daughter who is playing hide and seek amongst the dunes. As the waves lap over the beach, she searches for her daughter by following a high-pitched giggle. She looks towards the sea and is blinded by the sun in her eyes. She squints, trying to make sense of what she is seeing.

A giggle calls Alice back to the beach. She chases the sound, and a shadow falls over the sand next to her. She smiles, crouches down, and begins to carve out a picture in the sand. Her daughter refuses to play and instead runs towards the sea. Alice follows her, wading out into the water, pulling at the waves, looking for Echo. Tom walks down to the beach to find Alice waist-high in the sea. He touches her gently, bringing her back to his time, his world. They walk home together, without Echo.

The following day, Alice is yet again drawn to the beach. Her need to be with Echo is so strong that she can no longer ignore it. As Alice enters the sea, her conscious mind flits back and forth between a memory with her child and the reality that stands in front of her. This memory is hers and hers alone. As Alice sinks underwater, she is submerged in a moment with Echo, a connection that only they share. As Echo continues to play underwater, Alice reaches out to touch, to hold, but can’t quite achieve it. They share a beautiful moment, only broken when Tom reaches through the waves to find Alice. As Echo slips further down into the dark waters, Alice has to make a heartbreaking choice between Tom and Echo.

Anita Johnson-Brown describes "ECHO" as a heartbreaking journey defined into a masterpiece in the world of loss and love.

About Jedi Jo

Jo is an award-winning Irish director in Film and TV, currently based in England. She has directed numerous critically acclaimed short films and has undertaken shadow-directing mentorships on hit shows, such as Killing Eve for the BBC (under Jon East) and Trigger Point for ITV (under Jennie Darnell). On Trigger Point, she performed 2nd unit directing services. Recently, Jo completed two blocks (6 episodes in total) on the long-running BBC Series Doctors. The first block was performed under very strict COVID protocols. Jo is currently in post-production on her latest short film, Echo, which features experimental scenes shot underwater with Production Partner Pinewood Studios.

Jo is a collaborative director who has developed a production slate of her own under the banner of Aston Productions. She has also produced much of her previous short-form work. Jo's production slate includes a co-production agreement with StoryFirst for an 8-part TV series. Her original concept Old has been optioned by Troy TV, and her feature film Loyalty won the Jets initiative for the best UK territory film. It is now being put through the BFI process with interest from various sales and distribution agents.

Jo is part of the 2022/3 cohort of Female Founders run by Creative UK, as well as a voting member of BAFTA. As a natural collaborator, Jo has several interesting co-productions in development. Her passion for human-led, emotionally driven stories lays the foundation of her work - story is key.

Jo's love of film and visual storytelling began at an early age, fueled by her interest in Star Wars and mythology. As a director, she is not afraid to inspire, motivate, or challenge. There is nothing more exciting for Jo than uncovering what makes the characters tick and creating the perfect palette to bring the story to life.

Echo_Official Trailer_2023 courtesy of Jo Southwell