Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham are set to star in a film set during the Covid 19 pandemic called, Help! The film is set in a Dementia, Care Home.
Killing Eve star Jodie Comer will be joining Line of Duty’s actor Stephen Graham to star in a new Channel 4 film set in a care home hit by the Covid 19 virus. Jodie Comer told newspapers “For us to be able to explore such a relevant and emotive story through the eyes of such beautifully real characters, and in our home city of Liverpool, is a real honour. We’re determined to do justice to so many of the untold stories and heroes that have been affected, as a result of this crisis, and to handle them with care.”.
As a company that support working age and older adults with complex needs and dementia, the Towerview Care Group welcome a high-profile film like this. Because it not only shows our industry in a positive light during one of the most difficult times we have ever known but also shines a light on that the fact that dementia can affect anyone, at any age.
Most portrayals of dementia or Alzheimer’s are of elderly men and women who are incredibly confused, forgetful or are just used as a plot device. Across our group of homes, we have several ladies and gentlemen in their 40’s and early 50’s who we are supporting to be as independent as possible living with dementia. We believe that it is vitally important that the public’s perception towards dementia is improved, at the moment one in five people believe that dementia is an inevitable part of getting older and that nothing can be done to stop it.
Perhaps with the films like Help, we can change this, Shirley Rowe, Managing Director of the Towerview Care Group said, “It is going to be an emotional film, as it will show the reality of what living through this pandemic has been like for those who live and work in care homes across the country. When you are dealing with dementia there is no happy ending, but the journey is one of love, care, heartbreak, and death with dignity”.
In the film, Jodie Comer will play a care home worker, Sarah, at a fictional care home in Liverpool where she builds a friendship with a resident. The resident, played by Stephen Graham, will have early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
Channel 4 have commissioned the film from writer Jack Thorne, who won a BAFTA for His Dark Materials and National Treasure and will reunite him with Director of National Treasure Marc Munden.
Mr Thorne said: “About two years ago Stephen Graham came to me with an idea to write something for him and Jodie Comer. I tried to think of something, then this crisis happened, and we saw care homes getting squashed and battered by the government. It’s been both a long process and a short one, trying to find a way to tell this story, the amazing thing has been sharing in working out the story with Stephen, Jodie, the amazing Marc Munden, Beth Willis and everyone at the Forge and Channel 4.”
“Thirty thousand people have died unnecessarily in these care homes because of the indifference and incompetence of our government. Hearing the stories of those at the frontline, having people break down in tears on Zoom in front of us has been incredibly moving and galling. Getting the story right will be incredibly important, we are aware of the pressure upon us, this has to be written and made with anger and precision. We hope we do it justice. Help responds to the government’s abandonment of care homes”.
When asked when the film would be released channel 4 said it’s still too early for any details about a broadcast date for the drama, but filming on the one-off two-hour programme is planned to get started in 2021.
We’d expect late 2021 at the very earliest, but it could be 2022 before we see Help on our television screens.