Previous work by Pete Carruthers
Fallout
Short film. Written and produced by Pete Carruthers.
Fallout is a 10 minute film written and produced by Pete Carruthers in 2011.
The aim of the film was to increase awareness and understanding of the reality of living with a diagnosis of 'PTSD'.
Fallout has been screened at international film festivals in the UK, Republic of Ireland and USA, and won the award for Best Short Film at the 2013 GI Film Festival in Washington DC.
The film has been used to train health professionals working with military veterans all over the world, including the UK, USA, Canada, Belgium, Australia and Uganda.
Here is a short synopsis of the film:
'Mike is a British Army veteran suffering with the psychological wounds of war. Fallout follows a day in Mike's life as he struggles to adjust and survive in an increasingly lonely and hostile civilian world.'
If you would like to view the full film, please get in touch via the contact page.
Hidden
Theatre. Co-written and performed by Pete Carruthers and Laura Lindsay.
A dark comedy-drama about secrets, identity, honesty and relationships in the modern world.
Hidden was co-written and performed by Pete Carruthers and Laura Lindsay and was the first production by Black Toffee. It was selected for Re:play 2013 and sold out a full run at Underbelly at Edinburgh Fringe in 2013. This was followed by a 22 date national tour in 2014.
“A true gem...Talent as natural as this shouldn’t remain hidden for long.” - The Guardian
“This production is a bit special. It’s touching and funny, it’s beautifully acted and written, it will grab your attention and refuse to let it go. See it while you still can.” - Broadway Baby
“An irresistible play.” - What's On Stage
"A gem of the fringe." - The Skinny
“I was completely blown away by it – a lovely piece of new theatre. Intelligent, creative, funny and wonderfully accessible.” Steve Cowton - senior programmer - The Lowry.
“The hit of Re:play 2013 - sensitive, truthful, simple and imaginative.” - Chris Honer - director
“Hidden marks the emergence of a major new voice in theatre. The strong performances, direction, staging and more importantly the script marry together impressively well and results in a production that is both funny and heartfelt.
Many well established companies have been trying, without success, for years to produce a piece that can talk to audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and tastes. Hidden achieves this with aplomb and this is Black Toffee’s first ever production which makes it even more remarkable. They are a very special company.” - Kevin Jamieson - senior producer - HOME
Civvy Street
Short film. Written and produced by Pete Carruthers.
From soldier to civilian. One veteran's struggle with life after the military.
Commissioned by NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, Civvy Street was created to improve awareness and understanding of the challenges many young service leavers face during the often difficult transition from military to civilian life.
The film was an official selection at the 2014 GI Film Festival in Washington DC and continues to be used as a training resource for anyone working with military veterans.
Civvy Street started life as a theatrical monologue and was performed by Pete Carruthers several times in the UK and USA, including performances in New York and at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington DC.
If you would like to view the full film, please get in touch via the contact page.
Unload
Short film. Written, produced and directed by Pete Carruthers.
Commissioned by NHS Pennine Care Trust and NHS England, Unload follows British Army veteran Eddie as he goes through psychological therapy.
The film was an official selection at the 2015 GI Film Festival in Washington DC and continues to be used as a training resource for mental health professionals working with military veterans.
Unload started life as a theatrical monologue and was performed by Pete Carruthers in the UK and USA, including a performance at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington DC.
Synopsis:
For years, Eddie's life revolved around work, beer and kebabs. Then along came Jacqui.
With Jacqui, he finally had a future. But when their daughter Alicia arrives, this future is threatened. She, and the face of a girl he never met, unearth the burden of his buried past.
Can Jacqui reach Eddie before he is consumed by the trauma of his forgotten life?
Unload is an intimate and compelling insight into the mind of a troubled man. Before he can look to his future, he must first deal with his past.
If you would like to view the full film, please get in touch via the contact page.
Routine
Short film. Written, produced and directed by Pete Carruthers.
ROUTINE is a micro-budget short film commissioned by Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
The film was created with input from parents, carers, children and young people with lived experience of the challenges and experiences of autism when accessing healthcare.
The purpose of the film is to ensure health professionals fully understand the need to make reasonable adjustments for children and young people with a diagnosis of autism.
Never Forget (50 Kisses)
Short film. Written and produced by Pete Carruthers.
50 Kisses... 50 writers, 50 filmmakers, one movie.
In the summer of 2012 the London Screenwriters Festival issued a challenge to the writing community – create a killer 2 page script that filmmakers anywhere in the world will work with you to produce.
The best 50 of those films will then be woven together to create a feature length film that will receive a global release.
The only guidelines were that the scripts be set on Valentines Day and feature at least one kiss.
Out of 1870 script submissions and 127 completed films, the result is 50 Kisses, a ground breaking film showcasing the combined talents of hundreds of new creative voices from around the world.
50 Kisses is the world’s first crowd generated feature film; a multi-cultural and global reflection of pop culture’s vision of love in the 21st century.
Pete Carruthers was one of the 50 winning scriptwriters and then went on to produce (and act in) this short film, which was then submitted to the filmmaking section of the competition.
Three versions of 'Never Forget' were submitted, with superb entries from teams based in London and Brazil joining Pete's Manchester production.
Thankfully, the film created by Pete and the rest of the Manchester based team was chosen to be included in the final '50 Kisses' feature film, making Pete the only person to be named in the credits as both a writer and producer.