MARGATE BARRED

Margate Barred – Filmed at Media25

The studio became the setting for Margate Barred — a bold, thirty-minute short film written by Dean Stalham and directed by Ben Cole. Shot entirely on location at Media25, the production sets the tone for a planned feature-length version in development.

At the heart of the film is Danny Franks — a man newly released after a decade inside, determined to rebuild his life through art, education, and reconnection with his family. But the world he's returned to is not the one he left. Gentrification has reshaped Margate into a place where the door isn’t always open for those with a criminal past. Old allies and darker forces re-emerge, pulling him toward the life he’s trying to leave behind.

Gritty, lyrical, and unflinching, Margate Barred delivers British social realism with a raw poetic energy. Alongside the visuals is an original score by Sister Bliss (Faithless), with additional layers of rap, spoken word, and drum & bass woven throughout to reflect the pulse of the characters' world.

It was a privilege to host this project at Media25. Supporting independent filmmakers telling honest, urgent stories is central to what we do. The film features performances from Christopher Sherwood, Francis Saunders, Dylan Reeves-Fellows and an edit by Chris Blaine — bringing real weight to this powerful, character-driven story.