.png)
★★★★
Directed by: #RichardAnthonyDunford
Starring: #KarlKennedyWilliams, #JudsonVaughan, #JulieRoseSmith, #PaulCoster, #FaithElizabeth, #HarrietMadeley, #BhaskerPatel
Dragonflies Only Live For 24 Hours opens with what seems like a young man, walking to fulfil some mission. He ignores the world and everyone he passes. It soon becomes clear that he is walking with murderous intent. A fight, a struggle and victim. So many questions to ask in just this opening segment.
We are then hurtled into the true heart of the story. A tale of two men wanting to scale the ranks of their police team, by any means necessary. Even it means going rogue and becoming the very thing they fight against. Through a series of badly-judged decisions, infidelity, some double-crossing and even a corpse or two, will this less than honest duo get their comeuppance in the end?
Actors Karl Kennedy-Williams (Rise of the Footsoldier 3) and Judson Vaughan (Glamour Dolls) excellently portray the two dodgy detectives as we watch them follow a lead on a known gang. They do so well you might finish the film feeling a certain way about them. A convincing performance will cause the mind to forget that they are only acting.
Faith Elizabeth (13 Graves), Harriet Madeley (Doctors), Paul Coster (The Afterglow) and Bhasker Patel (Emmerdale) all give a fantastic performance, further leading to a very engrossing viewing experience.
The standout aspect of this film is it’s a perfect example of what can be done with a good story, some passion, backing and encouragement from local enterprises and a highly skilled skeleton crew. Director and writer Richard Anthony Dunford, has successfully used the skills and experience he gained through making short films, to create a gritty yet well-made independent feature film.
A film made with heart, determination and the backing of one’s audience is the reason why Independent British Cinema is where an audience can still find films made with quality, rather than just Box Office figures. We crave decent productions, and films like Dragonflies Only Live For 24 Hours give me a bit of hope that the heart of British cinema is still beating strong.
.png)
