Mickey Finn

Grand Prix du Jury, Angers International Film Festival Premiers Plans 1992. The jury president was André Techiné. The jury also included Chantal Akerman and Don Boyd.

“...a work of considerable maturity....tells the story of the passions and desires awakened when two young men renew an old friendship...the blurring of the two protagonists’ roles, at the outset clearly dark and fair, good and evil, leaves a feeling of unease, heightened by the quiet tension pervading the piece. In one memorable sequence, as a spilt glass of wine spreads its black stain across the carpet, an incandescent stream of salt is poured on to the stain, absorbing the dark colour of the wine.” Dan Glaister, The Guardian 5.5.92

“...Adam Roberts builds a powerful atmosphere of mystery, sexuality and tension in this stylishly acted short...” David Robinson, Edinburgh Film Festival programme, 1992

A man calls unexpectedly on old school friend. He wants a favour, no les sthan help with a robbery. Buthe is refused. A game of spiteful retaliation begins, not helped by the visitor having touched on an old unspoken, sexual, affection between the two. But the bitten can bite back, even if only under the cover of darkness.

I wanted to make a film inspired by the myth of Cupid and Psyche who, although in love, were forbidden to see one another and so conducted their love affair in the dark. But their idyll is shattered when Psyche lights a lamp to see what her lover looks like. Thus light is the bringer of tragedy, just as it must always be in cinema. Some motives and some loves are best left unexamined.

the men: Mark Vegh & Jason Hall

the woman: Evalena Ljung

dialogue: Jane Black

produced by Rozanne Lipschitz & Hedda Archbold

film lighting: Jerry McCulloch

lighting assitant & grip: Emma Sandon

music: Matteo Fargion

music performed by:

script/director/camera/editing: Adam Roberts

BBC 2 tx: 27.2.98 / SBS Australia tx: 14.4.93