Gregg Chilingirian, the acclaimed former actor known for his lead roles in “A Discovery of Witches” and Amazon’s “The Wheel of Time,” is set to make his writing and directing debut with the thought-provoking short film ‘George‘. The film will have its world premiere at the prestigious “Holly Shorts” Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event, held at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles in August 2023.

Shot entirely on Super 8 film and spanning the vibrant cities of Amsterdam and London, the story revolves around “George” – a 30-year-old momentarily distracted from his existential crisis by the enigmatic Kiyoni, he is forced to confront his past in a desperate attempt to process a sudden and life-altering event.

Chilingirian, who also penned the script, infuses ‘George’ with an introspective tone, narrated solely by the lead character in a distinct and sometimes unreliable manner. The film offers an intimate portrait of a young man struggling to reconcile his past with his present. “Now that I’ve lived a little, and loved a lot- le, and suffered a f**k load-le… I can’t help but think the story of my entire life was told in the four seconds of my birthing into. So desperate for freedom that I actively choose to hurt myself rather than let nature simply take its course.“

The cast of ‘George’ features rising British Serbian actress Emma Gojkovic, soon to be seen in the upcoming Sony Pictures film ‘True Haunting’ and ‘Canary Black’ directed by Pierre Morel. Notably, the film boasts an all-female production team all making their debuts, with Lola Vogels as the Director of Photography, and Sophie Jones and Emma Waslander serving as Co-Producers.

Chris Overton, Executive Producer and CEO of Slick Films, expresses admiration for the remarkable accomplishment of the short film, stating, “George is an incredibly inspirational film in many ways because it shows what a filmmaker can achieve using so little. A tiny budget, shooting guerrilla-style around Amsterdam and London over only 3 days – that is its charm. ‘George’ makes you laugh, gasp, and cry, all in under 10 minutes – and to me, that is exactly what a great film can do.“

Complemented by an ever-shifting original score by jazz musician Peter Edwards, who joined the project through his winning of the Academy Awards’ Jonas Gwangwa Initiative. The film also features the highly coveted “Venezuela Riddim” by London-based Singer-Songwriter Hak Baker.