A writer-director from Stanmore, Middlesex, whose short film is nominated for an Oscar, says he feels "completely stunned" by the recognition.
Lee Knight's film "Dorothy's Friend", starring Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry, is in the running for Best Live Action Short Film.
"It's a tough business where rejection is constant and it can be hard to keep your head above water. But as storytellers, we must never give up," Knight, 42, told the "Guardian". "We have a duty to publish our stories to the world so everyone can see them. I hope this sends a message to any artist who feels their voice isn't valued."
The 22-minute film is a poignant intergenerational story about loneliness and unexpected friendships. Margolyes plays Dorothy, a lonely widow whose solitary life is changed when a teenager accidentally kicks a football into her yard.
Their shared love of reading and quoting plays inspires them to form an unlikely friendship. Alister Nwachukwu plays the young neighbour, JJ, and Oscar Lloyd plays Dorothy's grandson.
The film is inspired by Knight's own friendship with Shirley Woodman, a lonely widow who lived next door to him and his wife in their former council house until she died aged 89 in 2022.
Its title is taken from the code used by gay people during times of persecution, Knight said, noting that it reflected his early feeling of being an "outsider" as a gay person.
"I wanted the film to be an ode to a safe place for someone who's in the closet," Knight said. "Dorothy's Friends" was a coded way of describing gay men because Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and her friends like the Tin Man were all a bit different. They were all misunderstood.
For Knight, as a gay man and a refuge-seeker during childhood bullying, he always felt safe with women. The story is an ode to the Dorothys in our lives and safe spaces to "be yourself". I always felt that way about Shirley."
He added, "Her husband had died, her son and daughter lived abroad, and she was very lonely. She had supported theatres all her life as a "friend". So we had this wonderful friendship. We took her to the theatre. We also looked after her. We became very close. I wrote this film inspired by that relationship."
Knight spoke about "the power of human connection despite perceived differences."
Stephen Daldry, previously nominated for an Oscar for Best Director for Billy Elliot, The Hours, and The Reader, is the executive producer of the film. He said, "Lee is an old friend of mine. This is a major career-defining moment for him - his first short film nominated for an Academy Award [is] I think, amazing."
In a world where there has been such a generational divide, he found the film "very moving". He described Margolyes' performance as "wonderful" and predicted that Nwachukwu would be "one of the leading actors of his generation."
Daldry said, "I've seen him [Nwachukwu] quite a few times on stage and screen. I think he's phenomenal and a real talent."
Knight had acting roles in Ian McKellen's Hamlet as Rosencrantz and in one of the Harry Potter films. But he didn't know Margolyes, another Potter cast member, when he wrote the script. He said he was stunned when she agreed to do it.
When asked how his neighbour Woodman reacted when he told her the screenplay was inspired by her, he said, "She thought it was funny. She just laughed. I gave her the script. I don't know if she ever read it."
After her death, her son found the script among her belongings and encouraged Knight to make the film.
The production was supported by Age UK, whose chief executive, Paul Farmer, said, "While Dorothy in this case may be a fictional character, there are countless real elderly people for whom this is an extremely lonely existence - and many won't be lucky enough to meet a friend like JJ."
The filmmakers intend to make the film accessible to schools and care homes across the country.
