Filmmaker Eve Leonard-Walsh Discusses Her Indie Feature Film Because We Are Too Many

Film Feature by Chris Olson

It is a rare pleasure when an independent film achieves the kind of universal critical acclaim and emotional resonance that Eve Leonard-Walsh’s feature debut, Because We Are Too Many, has generated. Having championed the film across our pages, UK Film Review's James Learoyd was delighted to sit down with the writer, director, producer, editor, and star to discuss her powerful drama, which is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.

The film, which we have lauded as a moving and essential piece of modern British cinema, centres on the intense experience of a single mother caring for her autistic child during the COVID-19 lockdown. Leonard-Walsh revealed that the film’s motivation was deeply personal, serving as a platform to draw attention to the often-unseen struggles of carers, whilst simultaneously acting as a cathartic outlet for herself. Having filmed the project during the lockdown period, the director was processing her own son's autism diagnosis and the challenging behaviours that came with it, including self-harm and severe sleep deprivation. The exhaustion of this reality is palpable, lending the performance an uncompromising authenticity that a professional actor might have struggled to replicate.

The raw honesty of the film’s subject matter is matched by its unconventional and intellectually stimulating structure. Leonard-Walsh intentionally crafted a non-linear narrative, eschewing conventional plot progression to better reflect the protagonist's fractured mental state. This approach was designed to show how past experiences, past trauma, and even generational trauma are not neatly filed away but are constantly brought to the surface by the pressures of motherhood. The #filmmaker notes that this fluid perspective on time—a concept even addressed in the film's opening lines—allows the past to continually merge with the present, granting characters a richer emotional relevance.

Leonard-Walsh's vision is one of collective consciousness, which she achieves by integrating diverse cultural and artistic elements. The title itself is a quote drawn from Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure, and she speaks of weaving in poetry, and the distinctive urban artistry of Glasgow, specifically citing the work of graffiti artist Monk, whose "Somebody loves you" motif was recreated for the film. This integration of exterior art forms is used to convey a central philosophy: to challenge the dangerous tendency of viewing individuals through the restrictive lens of "demographics." Instead, she uses her unique blend of reality and dream sequences to reveal the inner lives, dreams, and complexities of people who might otherwise be dismissed by society.

Given its indie status, the film’s exceptional technical quality is a surprise, particularly the cinematography. Leonard-Walsh discusses her collaborative (and sometimes conflicting) dynamic with her Director of Photography, Kieran Kahun, who also happens to be her husband. She identifies their synergy as key: her passion for experimental European cinema pushing boundaries, whilst his background in American cinema provides the logical professionalism. This friction results in striking visual choices, such as her preference for extremely tight interior angles—a technique used to condense the space, reflecting the reality of people living literally "on top of each other."

The film’s grading is equally bold, with Kahun teaching himself the process specifically for the project. Leonard-Walsh's aesthetic preference lies in primary colours and high contrast, emphatically rejecting pastel or soft tones. This results in a jarring, but highly effective, use of colour: the present-day lockdown scenes are desaturated and grimy, successfully evoking the emotional stagnation of that period, whilst memory sequences burst with intense, rich saturation. This choice illustrates the idea that memory can feel more intense and vivid than reality itself, highlighting the rich emotional life that lies beneath the exhaustion of the present.

Finally, the filmmaker touched upon her duty as an artist to tell the stories that media and governments often choose to ignore. Her decision to self-direct was ultimately a commitment to honesty, ensuring the film spoke directly and authentically to fellow carers. For an independent feature created under such challenging conditions, Because We Are Too Many stands as a testament to the power of artistic purpose, technical resourcefulness, and emotional truth.

Watch the interview, in full, below: