Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, known for his roles in The Queen’s Gambit and Steel, leads the cast of National Film and Television School’s dystopian short Cloud 99, written and directed by Leila Merton Poole.
The film stars Olivia Popika (The Wheel of Time, Liaisons) and Jada Ailes (Breeders) as Fortune Lloyd’s family, and Tim Berrington (The Diplomat, Succession) as her eccentric neighbor.
The story takes place in a community where residents pay to have access to sunlight. The father makes every effort to support his daughter in the school’s sunflower-growing competition. The story combines intimate character drama with satirical social commentary about inequality, environmental disaster, and survival within an exclusive system.
Millie Pope will produce the project, marking her second collaboration with Merton Poole, following the dystopian short “Earth.” The film was nominated for Best Student Short at the BAFTA Norwich Film Festival and was selected for the Manchester Film Festival.
“I’m drawn to exploring real-world problems in worlds that feel a little distorted, recognizable but unsettling places,” said Marton Poole.
Simon Higgins was in charge of casting. “The stories I tell live in a stylized world and need to feel believable,” said Marton Poole. “Simon has an instinct for finding actors who can maintain emotion and authenticity within elevated spaces.”
Marton Poole said he had “absolutely enjoyed” working with the cast and praised their ability to “bring grounded performances to an often abstract world.”
The production was shot in 35mm at Modern Appletree in Henley, with the crew converting the garden into two adjoining lots to create the outdoor set.
“Shooting on film was a priority for me,” said Marton Poole. “In a world characterized by sunlight, cinema has a unique way of capturing that.”
Carolina Lobo Nunez served as director of photography. Marton Poole said: “The filming was very dependent on the wonderful British weather, and we were very dependent on our wonderful cinematographer, Carolina Lobo Nunez, who managed to control the weather.”
The film has completed post-production and will premiere at the NFTS 2026 Graduation Showcase at the British Film Institute in March, before the festival begins screening.
