There have been many films about the problem of domestic abuse in the last few months. And yet, Engine Creative has found a new story to tell for Women’s Aid. It’s about a woman taking refuge in her car in a car park with her son. Moments of joy, playing with her son, are juxtaposed against her prevailing worry and finally, her anguish and the danger she faces when she returns home. Throughout the story, the woman’s conversation with her partner plays – explaining to him where she was; covering up her need for escape.

The film reminds people that women in abusive relationships have fewer opportunities to spend time out of the home and away from their partners during COVID lockdowns, that any chance to get out and away from their partners, even for a few hours, has been drastically reduced.

The campaign aims to increase awareness and donations for Women’s Aid leading into the holiday period. The campaign’s TVC is running in 60-second and 90-second versions in the UK. It was directed by emerging talent, Molly Burdett, through Spindle & No.8 the film, and shot by DOP, Robbie Ryan, who was Oscar-nominated for his cinematography on The Favourite.

The new campaign builds on the agency’s work in May, when it released The Lockdown on behalf of Women’s Aid, a one-week drive to build awareness and attract donations to keep the charity’s invaluable chatline available and to help fund refuges for women and children. It also follows the publication in August of A Perfect Storm, a Women’s Aid report that revealed 61% of women experiencing abuse and isolation said the abuse had worsened after lockdown 1. Added to this, access to escape and support networks was restricted by lockdown measures and over three quarters of survivors living with their abuser (78%) felt they could not leave or get away as a result of the pandemic. 

Nicki Norman, acting chief executive at Women’s Aid, stated, “Domestic abuse support services were already facing a funding crisis before the pandemic, and it has been a challenging year as more women than ever reach out for help and support. We know at Women’s Aid that many women experiencing abuse try to get through the Christmas period for the sake of their children and their wider family, then reach out to us for support in the New Year. The combined impact of the pandemic and the festive season will be significant for survivors of domestic abuse, who have told us that, this year, they have already felt trapped with their abusers during lockdown. Women are experiencing patterns of control and physical, emotional, economic and sexual abuse day in, day out – both Covid and the festive season can make existing abuse even worse.”

Christopher Ringsell, creative director at Engine Creative, added, “This subtle and impactful film shows just how important any respite from an abusive partner can be. The lengths women have to go to for some small moments of normality, demonstrates how traumatic it is being in lockdown with a perpetrator.”

Credits:
Agency: Engine Creative
Chief Creative Officer: Billy Faithfull
Creative Director: Christopher Ringsell
Senior Creatives: Tian Murphy & Charlie Gee
Account Team: Annie Gallimore, Brittaney Anderson & Elise Goodwin
Agency Producer: Laura Melville
Assistant Agency Producer: Henry Davies

Director: Molly Burdett
Producers: Miles Nathan & Sophia Dembitzer
Editor: Tim Swaby

Production Companies: Spindle & No.8
DoP: Robbie Ryan

VFX: No.8
Sound Design: Sam Robson @ No.8
Grade: Toby Tomkins @ Cheat