Judges’ Award 2026 Silver Longform Under £500,000
"...Hadid and I is a concept film that will eventually become part of a larger body of work titled A Rare Life. The story follows a bereaved husband who, after losing his wife to Niemann-Pick disease, tries to navigate the complexities of grief while raising their young daughter. Along the way, he finds support in the most unexpected of friendships, with moments of humour woven through the heartache. While the film tackles heavy themes of loss and resilience, it does so with a surprising lightness—a deliberate choice to ensure the story connects not only with the rare disease community but also with a wider audience, highlighting the universal threads of love, family, and hope.
From early on, John involved me in the development process. He asked for my input to ensure the depiction of patient experience was authentic and respectful, and he also invited me to join the production team as an assistant — alongside other members of the rare disease community. The aim was ambitious: to break out of our usual advocacy channels and reach a broader audience, using a blend of comedy and drama to foster empathy, connection, and awareness.
The result was incredibly rewarding. Hadid and I premiered at the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival—a BIFA-qualifying event—where it received strong coverage, including a feature on BBC News. Even more exciting was the Audience Choice Award it won at the festival. This recognition means so much because it confirms that a story rooted in the rare disease world can resonate beyond it—and even compete among mainstream productions..."
Maria Garrido Gutiérrez, NPC Advocate & INPDA Communications Consultant
[quoted from article in Rare Revolution Magazine]
Writer and Director: John Lee Taggart
DOP: Craig Crouchman
1AD & Script Supervisor: Paul Stainthorpe
Gaffer: Roberto Colapietro
Best Boy: Stuart Hunter
1AC: Chris Gibson
2AC: Lewie Keddy
Runner and 2AC: Elliot Watson
Sound Mixer: Richard W. Scott
Boom Operator: Rachel Georgia Beck
Production Coordinator: Chantelle Taggart
Production Assistant: Dylan Lonsdale
Production Assistant: Tony Rowan
Kit Hire: Focus Canning
STARRING:
‘Rich’: Jacob Anderton
'Hadid': Hamzeh Al Hussien
'Gran': Melanie Hill
‘Charlene’ (‘Landlady’): Becky Lindsay
‘Counsellor’: John Lee Taggart
‘Sarah’: Chantelle Taggart
‘Julie’: Rachel Georgia Beck
‘Tommy’: Jonny Coyne
‘Jenson’ : Jordan Reeves
‘Alex’: Liam Bowering
‘Frank’ : Dennis Hewitt
‘Adam’: Harry Anderson
‘Jason’: Manuel Dera
‘Paul’: Chris Gotts
‘Keith’: John Taggart
‘Pub Goer’: Mark Fowler
‘Pub Goer’: Daniel McQuade
‘Pub Goer’: India Ash-Ingley
‘Pub Goer’: Gerard Taggart
‘Pub Goer’: Dylan Lonsdale
Community Consultants/Advisors: Maria Garrido Gutiérrez, Nadia Slatch, Graham Kirk, Gail Koujaian, and Mandy Whitechurch
Locations: Peachplant Productions HQ / Museum Vaults
Opening Credits Animation by Lingxi Zhang
Original Score by Anil Tümkaya
*This film was independently produced and only made possible through crowd and self-funding. Whilst it supports both the UK LSD Collaborative and the Niemann-Pick community, it was created with no creative or financial input from any organisation.
The UK LSD Patient Collaborative Group is comprised of patient organisations representing those affected by Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs). We have joined together to form an action group to advocate and work on behalf of LSD patients and their families in the UK. The group is made up of representatives from 7 charities in the UK who provide support and information to patients and families affected by different LSDs. Together we represent over 70 rare and ultra rare diseases and almost 2500 patients and their families.
"Hadid and I" is a concept short film which was produced in support of our organisation by one of our member group's leads, Niemann-Pick UK's Head of Communications, John Lee Taggart. The film touches on the diagnostic odyssey, men's mental health, the impact of rare diseases, and much much more...but with a comedic twist largely not present in films which concern this sort of subject matter.
We hope you enjoy the film - we wish to say a huge thank you to all involved for helping to bring further awareness to lysosomal storage disorders and our small charity.
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