New Europe Film Sales has secured worldwide rights to the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated short film Clout, directed by Jordan Murphy-Drizzy, starring Jojo Rabbit star Archie Yates.
Written and directed by Dododge, “Kraut” follows 13-year-old Oscar (Yates), whose “desperation for attention takes a sinister turn,” according to the short synopsis. Described as a cross between “Black Mirror” and “Stand by Me,” the short examines issues of “identity, vulnerability, and the dark side of growing up online.”
New Europe’s short catalog includes more than 15 Oscar-nominated films, including 2017 Best Live-Action Short winner “The Sing” and 2019 nominee “Weekend.” He has also created short works by Ruben Østlund, Magnus von Horn, Niki Lindros von Bahr, Laura Moss, Hrinul Palméson, Reka Buksi, Jonas Odell, and others.
Kraut had its Oscar-nominated premiere at the Holy Short in Los Angeles, after which the film launched a sold-out UK tour in partnership with Everyman Cinema. Yates will be joined by short story stars Anna Wilson-Jones (Black Mirror), Nadine Marshall (Tatami), Samuel Leakey (Gretel and Hansel), and newcomers Obi Lawton Orefolo and Ashwin Chandrasekaran, as well as model and actor Kit Price, who has more than 1 million TikTok followers.
“New Europe is proud to bring ‘Influence’ to the world stage,” said Nella Zielinska, Head of Short Films at New Europe Film Sales. “Dodge has created a film that captures the zeitgeist with emotional depth and cinematic accuracy. We believe this film will resonate strongly with festival programmers, platforms and audiences around the world.”
“Clout” is produced by Frances Chapman (who won the Sundance Jury Prize for “In the Summers”) and co-produced by Lindsay Cullen. The filmmakers are also partnering with UK charities Family Lives, The Mix and Into Film and Arts Emergency to lead a post-screening discussion around young people’s mental health and digital harm.
