Lady

Local title
Leedi
Original title
Lady
Director
Samuel Abrahams
Year
2025
Festival
29th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Genre

Quirky, biting, and gloriously eccentric – a parody of British privilege that gleams with comic gold.

Meet Isabella, “The Lady” of director Samuel Abrahams’ oddball first feature. She is fabulously wealthy, hopelessly lonely and with more square footage in her mansion than meaningful human connections. Eccentric and tragic, Isabella is desperate for attention. She finally gets her chance in the spotlight when a local talent show film crew starts following her every move. However, this isn’t just another story about the rich being sad. Set in a quintessentially British estate, “Lady” is a witty satire of loneliness dressed up in pearls and polished silver – as if a Downton Abbey lady accidentally took a wrong turn into the absurdist world of “The Grand Budapest Hotel”. At its centre, Sian Clifford (“Fleabag”) is sublimely bonkers as Isabella. Her every gesture feels like an act of rebellion against sanity, her comic flair strikes a balance between absurd and tragic, keeping the film alive and constantly kicking.

Off-the-wall, sharp and with just the right amount of absurdity, “Lady” makes you laugh at privilege while rooting for its bizarrely lovable heroine. It’s a comedy of manners turned upside down – and one of the most entertaining portraits of human need you’ll see in a long while.

Malaika Bova

Director
Samuel Abrahams
Screenwriter
Samuel Abrahams, Miranda Campbell Bowling
Cast
Sian Clifford, Laurie Kynaston, Juliet Cowan
Producer
Anna Mohr-Pietsch, Stewart le Maréchal
Co-producer
Sam Payne
Cinematographer
Korsshan Schlauer
Production Design
Agnieszka Dębska
Editing
Josh Mallalieu
Composer
Jonny Woodley
Sound
Kirstie Howell
Production
MetFilm Production
World sales
MetFilm Sales
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Director
Samuel Abrahams

Samuel Abrahams is a BAFTA and Webby nominated writer and director, with two Cannes Lions wins for his commercials. His first short “Connect” (2010) was nominated for a BAFTA, won the Jury Award at Encounters Film Festival. His film “Offline Dating” (2015) amassed over 20 million combined views and sparked international debate around technology and modern romance. Abrahams has helmed global ad campaigns for brands like Apple, Sony, and Google. He studied Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and is a member of the Directors Guild of America.
Filmography:
Connect (2010, short), Hold on Me (2011, short), Offline Dating (2015, short), Lady (2025)

Award for the best film, grant of 5000€ by

Screenings

Screening140221 / Leedi
SubtitlesEstonian
Q&A guestsSamuel Abrahams (Director, Screenwriter), Miranda Campbell Bowling (Screenwriter)
Q&A duration
Screening duration