REECE   LIPMAN

I first had the idea for 'Ice Cream & Doughnuts' a few years back when walking along Southend Pier. The idea of that long walk back seemed filled with possibilities for a different kind of love story and thus, 'Ice Cream & Doughnuts' was born.

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The experience of making the film was amazing. As a huge Hamilton fan, working with Jamael Westman, the original London Hamilton (who I saw perform as Hamilton in the West End 3 times, including exactly 1 year before shooting) was an incredible experience. As was working with Anita-Joy, who was fresh off of her acclaimed run in Cyrano De Bergerac in the West End opposite James McAvoy. Having a cast of this calibre pulling together to bring to life this special story was beyond what I could have imagined. Moreover, against the backdrop of COVID, where many of us had been out of work for months, having the chance to bring a group of people together and make something again was a huge boost at a time when we all needed one.

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As a director, I’m fascinated by our connection with memories. It is something I have explored previously but my intention for this film was to take those ideas and look at them through a more mature lens.

The film is effectively a coming of age tale for your late 20s. So many films focus on the coming of age that happens as you transition from your teens into adulthood, but in your late 20s there is another significant change that happens. You've started to get over that late adolescent anxiety, you've got a better understanding of who you are and what you want out of life and the relationships that you form, especially your romantic relationships, might just be the ones that last forever. And that's what 'Ice Cream & Doughnuts' is about; taking that next step in life.

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As such, the themes presented in the film are universal. The actors were encouraged to make the characters their own and to use their experiences to keep everything authentic, grounded and real. We have 2 joint leads, with no one characters story taking over the other and for that to work we needed to ensure that both characters were believable and real. Moreover, with memory a key theme it would be remiss of us to not explore how the characters experiences growing up shaped the decisions that have led them to this point. This allows for some playfulness stylistically which is why the nostalgia of the beach, the arcades and the last of the late summer sun is so integral to the film.

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I always aim for a sense of magical realism in my work to express emotions in unexpected ways. Here the seafront itself becomes a character, showcasing those nostalgic troupes which bring out the overarching concepts about family, the past and ultimately, Robbie and Emily’s future desires. Shifting between the nostalgic glow of neon arcades and postcard summer colours, to the emptiness of the late evening as the sun goes down, the pier itself changes as the film progresses. Real life infects the film and the magic disappears.

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Our relationships are fundamental to the human experience. I’ve made films about the joyful anticipation at the start of a relationship, the pain of a relationship cut short and even a fantasy about finding your ‘soulmate’. I see this film as a direct evolution of my previous work, continuing my growth as a filmmaker without losing my desire to tell the stories that excite me. That is, human stories; those which all audiences have lived and can connect with emotionally.

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