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Descendant poster
20263m

Descendant

“Lily's life hangs from 2 secure strings. Art. And her mum. What happens when one of these is threatened to be cut? Am I still a daughter, if I no longer have a mother? Made on one super 8 cartridge, no editing.”

Synopsis

This film was made with £500, a super 8 camera and a lot of heartbreak. I’ve known my mum was dying for sometime now and been completely paralysed by it. Should I cry? No, because I’ll never stop. Do I try to fix it? No, because filmmakers can’t cure a terminal illness. Do I run away? No, one cannot abandon what is already within. Nothing led me through the pain to an answer. To a solution. But how can you live with a leaking heart? I realised I had to metabolise the grief through processing. So I picked up my camera and got to work. This film is the fruit of that process. It is a straight 8, meaning it was made with one roll of 8mm film, no editing. The sound design was completed separately, without ever seeing the digitalised film. Like grief it’s clunky in places, too clean in others and I wish I’d had longer. I wish we could always have longer.

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

at the BFI IMAX

Festival / Special Debut

Financials & Box Office Performance

Released

Production Budget

$662

Filming & production cost

Worldwide Gross

Pending

Total global ticket sales

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Lily Blunsom-Washbrook
Screenplay & Story
Lily Blunsom-Washbrook
Original Title
Descendant
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
3m
Production Budget
$662

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Lily Blunsom-Washbrook

Screenplay & Story

Lily Blunsom-Washbrook

Department Leadership Roster

Lily Blunsom-Washbrook

Director

Lily Blunsom-Washbrook

Writer

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Descendant.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Descendant

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is Descendant about?

This film was made with £500, a super 8 camera and a lot of heartbreak. I’ve known my mum was dying for sometime now and been completely paralysed by it. Should I cry? No, because I’ll never stop. Do I try to fix it? No, because filmmakers can’t cure a terminal illness. Do I run away? No, one cannot abandon what is already within. Nothing led me through the pain to an answer. To a solution. But how can you live with a leaking heart? I realised I had to metabolise the grief through processing. So I picked up my camera and got to work. This film is the fruit of that process. It is a straight 8, meaning it was made with one roll of 8mm film, no editing. The sound design was completed separately, without ever seeing the digitalised film. Like grief it’s clunky in places, too clean in others and I wish I’d had longer. I wish we could always have longer.

Who directed Descendant?

Descendant was directed by Lily Blunsom-Washbrook.

Who stars in Descendant?

The principal cast of Descendant includes Lily Blunsom-Washbrook, Rebbecca Washbrook.

When was Descendant released and how long is it?

Descendant was released in 2026 with a total runtime of 3m.