Gentlemen Films director Jono Hall’s debut film ‘Awake’ is a bold and captivating emotional experience that lingers in your memory and behind your eyelids long after you’ve watched it. Breaking free from the constraints of the commercials world, ‘Awake’ serves as a testament to Jono’s ever-expanding talent at creating striking work that is classy and restrained, yet still able to deliver utterly unexpected and attention-grabbing moments. It is a meticulously crafted film made by a confident visual storyteller who shows every indication of levelling-up in his career. Hell yeah!

First developed during a Gentlemen Films writer’s retreat in the Midlands, the script was a pandemic baby – worked, re-worked and re-re-worked through lockdown and shot in Joburg at the tail-end of Covid. Currently playing on the international festival circuit, it will be released as soon as it has finished its run – and yes, due to film-circuit rules, we can’t actually show you the film… YET. But, we can give you the official blurb (‘Ben and Laura, a young married couple whose relationship is eroding, are forced to confront those fractures when they realise that history may be repeating itself. But not in a way they could ever have anticipated’), and also tell you how it made us feel. Which was A LOT!

‘Awake’ is lush, emotionally charged and reflects the essence of what Jono brings as a director: bold style and the ability to bring feeling and weight to an idea. Because for Jono, it’s always about having the sensitivity and awareness to fully realise whatever the main idea is, especially when directing commercials. And that is what we think ‘Awake’ is – a beguiling and bold idea, filled with moving performances from stars Kate Liquorish and Conrad Kemp and beautifully cinematic.

And the story? Well… you’ll have to wait and see.

First, get a taste by watching the trailer.

Greg Rom, Executive Producer at Gentlemen Films says: ‘Whether it’s commercials or film, Jono is always crafting. He brings such a tenacity to each project he undertakes. He’s in commercials because he loves filmmaking, he will throw himself on the tracks to do it.’

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