BAFTA-QUALIFYING THE SECRET ASSISTANTS EXPLORES POWER, AMBITION AND COMPLICITY THROUGH THE EYES OF THOSE WHO CLIMBED THE LADDER

The BAFTA-qualifying short film THE SECRET ASSISTANTS, written, and directed by Katey Lee Carson, follows Sophie, an ambitious novice, as she attempts to navigate a high-stakes interview with industry titan Henry Mann, which quickly spirals into a disturbing power-play. Sophie faces a moral dilemma: she is aware of the ethical line that she is being pushed to cross, yet she also understands that not playing the game will jeopardize the future career that she has spent so many grueling years trying to build.

THE SECRET ASSISTANTS provides no simple solutions. It examines the uncomfortable calculus between knowledge and action, revealing that the system is designed in a way that often places the onus of confronting misconduct on the individuals with the least power in the room.

The themes explored in this short extend far beyond the film industry into any workplace where ambition meets hierarchy. However, setting THE SECRET ASSISTANTS in a film environment felt particularly personal for Katey Lee Carson and her producing partner, Rickie-Lee Roberts, who have both spent their careers inside the machinery of major international productions. The two have worked as assistant directors on productions for A24, MGM and Disney, including; Skyfall, The Imitation Game, Guardians of the Galaxy, Queer and Mother Mary, as well as series including Netflix’s Dark and Apple TV+’s Berlin Noir where Carson moved into second unit directing.

The filmmakers wanted the production itself to reflect a different set of values. The film was made for just £14,000, with everyone from producer to runner paid the same daily rate. Crew members could anonymously reinvest their fees into the film, while any future profits will be shared equally among those involved. The team organically became 65% female, with many of the crew connecting strongly with both the script and its approach to working practices. It is a truly independent film, made without a studio, without compromise, and with every crew member invested in the outcome.

The cast brings its own international weight. Camille Rutherford, recognised for Anatomy of a Fall and Blue Is the Warmest Colour, leads the film as Sophie, while Richard Hope, whose screen credits include Broadchurch, Doctor Who and 1899, plays Henry. Gina Stiebitz, best known internationally for Netflix’s Dark, plays Mary, while Emily Kusche, known for Dogs of Berlin and The Island, joins the ensemble.

Behind the camera, Carson and Roberts brought together an experienced international crew, including cinematographer and Camera Prize Winner Birgit Bebe Dierken BSC, whose credits span Midas Man, Sexy Beast, Origin and Bridgerton

THE SECRET ASSISTANTS is the first film from Carson and Roberts’ emerging production slate, with multiple projects already in development. Their ambition is straightforward: to build a body of quality and socially relevant work with talented people that they believe in, or as they put it: “there are so many brilliantly creative, generous people in this industry and we want to build our careers around the good ones. The people who value the work and the crews, the Henry’s and other monsters have no place in the industry we want to work in.”

The film has screened at Busan International Short Film Festival, St Kilda Film Festival and HollyShorts, alongside multiple BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festivals. It has won multiple awards including Best Male Actor (Richard Hope) and the Grand Prix for Best Film at the 2026 European Film Festival.

With its BAFTA-qualifying status and distinctive approach both on screen and behind the camera, THE SECRET ASSISTANTS asks audiences to confront the uncomfortable choices that exist within systems of power. When the thing you want most is within reach, how much are you willing to tolerate to get there, and what might it cost to stay?