Crutch - A Short Film
Connor Aspland presents a film about disability, the mortifying ideal of being known, and the struggles of understanding family.
'Crutch' is a short film written and directed by Connor Aspland, starring Holly Baker and Alexander Loadman. The film follows Thomas, a young man unexpectedly saddled with the responsibility of caring for his younger cousin Emily, who suffers from brittle bone disease. After an altercation at school where Emily hit another student with her crutches, Thomas has to confront her at home and struggles to meet her point of view.
Connor Aspland is a university student and independant filmmaker from Drysdale, Victoria. Connor has been writing and acting for over a decade, and in recent years has turned his passions towards directing short films like 'The Fine Print' and 'The Follower'. His ideas for 'Crutch' came from characters inspired by English actress Kerry Ingram, who has brittle bone disease. He currently works as a sports videographer.
Alexander Loadman is a working actor of the theater and screen, currently represented by Anne Will Management. Hailing from England, Alexander has starred in numerous theater productions, short films and webseries over the years. By day, he works as a disability support worker.
Holly Baker is a high school student and actress represented by Derrick Talent Management. She has performed in numerous local theater productions such as 'The Addams Family' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', as well as recurring appearences on 'The Time Of Our Lives'. Holly has brittle bone disease, and contributed to the film's script.
Connor first wrote the script to 'Crutch' in October 2020 for a university screenwriting course, based off characters he had previously created for a contemporary tabletop game system. In May of 2021, Connor set out to create his keystone project for his degree and picked 'Crutch' as his script to adapt. The project, completed around work and other school demands, was completed in six weeks.
