Brief
Liam Hellmann launches debut feature “Trafalgar” with international cast
The offbeat drama, built from a seven‑page outline and personal family stories, follows a young man’s quest to settle his father’s debts.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Actor‑producer Liam Hellmann, fresh from the festival run of “Only What We Carry,” is directing his first feature, “Trafalgar,” according to Variety. The film, now in post‑production, was shot in just 12 days on a €1.3 million budget and relies on a seven‑page outline rather than a conventional screenplay.
“Trafalgar” assembles an international ensemble that includes French actress Fanny Ardant as the grandmother, Élodie Bouchez as the mother, Stacy Martin as the sister, Danny Huston as the estranged father, Lou Lampros as the girlfriend and Khaled Alouach as the best friend. Producer Charles Benoin, who co‑produced Hellmann’s previous film, is back on board through his company Atlas Pictures.
The story is inspired by Hellmann’s own family. It follows a young man raised in a women‑dominated household who seeks out the father he never knew. When he discovers he must repay his father’s debts, he is forced to raise €80,000 in a week, prompting his dysfunctional family to plot a robbery.
Hellmann said he discarded roughly 60 script versions before settling on a four‑page outline that later expanded to seven pages after actors contributed personal anecdotes. “Every actor came in with things from their own family and added them to the film,” he told Variety. He added that this collaborative method helped secure the high‑profile cast.
Benoin recalled meeting Hellmann six years ago and supporting the project after the success of “Only What We Carry.” He said, “Then we made ‘Only What We Carry,’ and that gave us the momentum to take on ‘Trafalgar.’ I told Liam, ‘We can do it!’”
Hellmann also described his process with the cast: he met several times with Bouchez to develop their on‑screen mother‑son dynamic, and he asked each actor to draw on their own family experiences to shape dialogue and character. The approach, he says, turned a risky, script‑light concept into a film that attracted seasoned talent.
Key facts
- Liam Hellmann is directing his debut feature film “Trafalgar.” (variety.com)
- The film was shot in 12 days on a €1.3 million budget. (variety.com)
- “Trafalgar” stars Fanny Ardant, Élodie Bouchez, Danny Huston and Stacy Martin. (variety.com)
- The story follows a young man who must raise €80,000 in a week to settle his father’s debts. (variety.com)
- The script was a seven‑page outline built from actors’ personal family stories. (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Only What We Carry’ Team Sets Offbeat Family Drama ‘Trafalgar,’ Starring Fanny Ardant, Danny Huston (EXCLUSIVE)”
