Lollipop

A mother fights for her children against a broken system in Daisy-May Hudson’s stirring yet sensitive drama, which is drawn from her own experiences. After completing a prison sentence, single mother Molly expects to be reunited with her two young children. However, during her incarceration her own mother handed the children over to social services. Now Molly finds herself plunged into a nightmare of broken systems that prevent her from finding a home and regaining custody of her family. The narrative feature debut of Daisy-May Hudson (who was previously BIFA and Grierson-nominated for Half Way, a personal documentary about homelessness) is a powerful and compassionate drama in the tradition of Ken Loach, albeit shot through a distinctly female lens. It highlights how inadequate systems of support can create cycles of injustice, but also focuses on the joy and strength that sisterhood can provide, even in the darkest times. Posy Sterling is a revelation as Molly, delivering an unforgettable performance that will both break your heart and mend it.

Kimberley Sheehan, Lead Programmer

Audio Description available at all screenings.

The screenings on Sunday 15 June 18:00 NFT4; Tuesday 17 June 18:15 NFT4; Thursday 19 June 14:40 NFT4 will be presented with additional Descriptive Subtitles of non-dialogue audio.

See the Woman with a Movie Camera Preview of Lollipop with Q&A with director Daisy-May Hudson and actors Posy Sterling, Idil Ahmed and TerriAnn Cousins on Thursday 5 June 18:00 NFT1.