LONDON — For aspiring filmmakers, the traditional path into the industry is well established: secure development funding, attract institutional support, assemble a professional team and, if all goes according to plan, make the film.
For Matthew Fearney, that did not happen.
When funding applications failed to gain traction, the then-22-year-old filmmaker decided to make his debut feature himself, financing 'The King of Spades' with personal savings, the remainder of a student loan and money borrowed from friends and family.
It was a gamble — and it paid off.
The film has enjoyed a successful festival run, earning Best Director and Best Actor awards at the Calella Film Festival and qualifying for next year’s Lift-Off Season Awards at Pinewood Studios. The project has established Fearney as an emerging writer-director. He has since earned recognition on the BIFA festival circuit, has a short film due for release this year and is developing a second feature.
The journey began with a frustrating lesson in independent filmmaking.
“We applied for funding and approached the organizations we thought would support emerging talent, but none were interested,” Fearney said. “The overwhelming feeling was that, in order to get the attention of these institutions, you had to have already made the film. So we went ahead and made it.”
Rather than stretching a limited budget across every area of production, Fearney focused on three priorities.
“After getting the script to where I wanted it, I knew we needed three things if we were going to succeed: a great cast, a great crew and top-level equipment for them to use,” he said.
Alongside co-producer Amy Cornforth, Fearney spent months reviewing thousands of applications before casting Joshua Glenister and Luke Thomas C. Riley in the lead roles. He secured a private rental agreement for a RED Dragon camera and hired National Film and Television School graduate Seán Mackey as cinematographer. Much of the remaining crew came from local creative networks and former university contacts.
“Everyone brought their A-game,” Fearney said. “It was an exceptional team.”
Efficiency became essential. The team shot the film in 23 days, with numerous scenes filmed in Fearney’s parents’ home. The property also served as accommodation for much of the cast and crew, significantly reducing production costs.
“My parents are the unsung heroes of this project, for sure,” Fearney said.
What might otherwise have been viewed as limitations became part of the film’s identity. In presenting 'The King of Spades' with its annual award, Belfast’s Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival praised Fearney’s ability to turn budget constraints into artistic strengths, describing the film as “a piercing depiction of young adults caught between infinite possibility and paralysing uncertainty” and noting that its modest resources were transformed into “a visual language that is both intimate and arresting.”
The recognition reflects a broader reality of contemporary independent filmmaking. While major festivals are often dominated by productions backed by established financiers and recognizable stars, emerging filmmakers are increasingly finding opportunities through smaller festivals, where originality and resourcefulness can outweigh budget size.
For Fearney, 'The King of Spades' has become more than a debut feature. It is proof of concept. Unable to convince funders to back the film, he made it anyway. The result was a feature produced for less than £20,000 that has collected awards, attracted critical attention and helped launch a professional directing career.
The next question is what happens when a filmmaker who built an award-winning feature from loans, favors and determination is given a proper budget.
More information is available on Instagram at @phorescentfilms or Facebook at thekingofspadesfilm.
