Trailer for an absurd short film

Here's the trailer for a new short absurdist comedy starring stand-up Michael Redmond as a pensioner who wakes up to find his local council are about to turn him into a coffee shop.

He Woke Up to Deflating News is directed by Laura Spini & Laurence Brook to tackle themes such as rampant gentrification, marginalisation of older folk, and the daily challenges of navigating your life with a scaffold around you.

It was shot last November in South London, with the makers now running a  crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 to get the film through post-production, where each contributor can vote on whether Redmond should be turned into a coffee shop or not. 

Comedian Alasdair Beckett-King has provided a satirical animated advert for the fictitious coffee chain, Bett-A Boulanger, and the short will also feature a new track by folk songwriter Richard Dawson.

Published: 5 Mar 2025