No. 21 · Short Film
Everyone In
Directed by Mark W
United Kingdom · 15 min
2020, the UK government announces lockdown and homelessness is ended in one night! Everyone In is the story of one man's life during the beginning of the Covid Lockdown.
Streams 21 September 2026 to 28 September 2026, Berlin time. Every ticket is one Audience Award vote.
About the film
During Britain’s first COVID-19 lockdown, a homeless man and his dog, Tim, wander the deserted streets of Birmingham in search of shelter. Rejected from a hotel because dogs are not allowed, the increasingly ill man takes refuge beneath the city’s arches, where he encounters another homeless stranger. As his cough worsens and a painful leg infection leaves him struggling to walk, he remains excluded from the safety that everyone else has been ordered to enter. A police officer eventually finds him and urges him to seek medical attention, promising food and help. But the man fears hospitals and refuses to leave Tim behind. After collapsing, he wakes alone in hospital, unable to find out what happened to his dog. He returns to the empty streets and the bench they once shared, while a funeral service honours a life that had remained largely unseen.
- Runtime
- 15 min
- Category
- Short Film
- Country
- United Kingdon
- Year
- 2025
- Language
- English
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39:1
Stills
Mark W
Mark has worked in the arts for almost 30 years, beginning his career in theatre as a writer, director and producer. Over that time, he has produced more than 150 stage shows, directed around 40, and adapted numerous works of classical literature for the stage.
His passion for film developed around 15 years ago, first through social projects and collaborations with other charities. Since then, he has worked with the Guildhall in Stratford on a number of educational shorts, as well as on projects with young people, various comedy short films, a film review show, and promotional videos for theatre.
— Director’s statement
Everyone In is the culmination of many years planning and has gone through a number of different ideas before settling on the final script. The film is inspired by real life events and although started off with the idea of being something more political moved into the story about one mans life and how he dealt with (or perhaps did) the Covid pandemic and confinement.
Credits
- Directed by
- Mark W
- Written by
- Mark W
- Produced by
- Richard Price
- Production company
- Blue Orange Arts
- Cinematography
- Mark W
- Editing
- Mark W
- Principal cast
- Man - Stuart Horobin Second homeless man - James Nicholas Police officer - Annie Swift Nurse/Second police officer - Richard Constable Vicar - Angela Franklin Man outside shop - Alan Groucott Hotel worker - Kaz Luckins Tim - Jake Franklin
- Also
- Music by Kevin Webster
— Festivals and awards
Beyond Border International Film Festival - Award Winner 7th-RIFF-Roshani International Film Festival - Award Winner Paris Film Awards - Award Winner
Everyone In is part of the Official Selection of the BIUFF Founding Edition 2026.