It’s 1818 and a young woman, portrayed by Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), wants to get married in our exclusive trailer for the new Refinery29 short “Mr. Malcolm’s List.” Specifically, she’s determined to wed Mr. Jeremy Malcolm (Sope Dirisu, “Humans”), “the biggest catch of the season.” Unfortunately, her objective is threatened by Mr. Malcolm himself: apparently harboring a more dubious attitude toward matrimony, he has an extensive “list of requirements” for any woman hoping to become his wife.
Undaunted, Chan’s character decides to view the list not as an obstacle, but as a challenge. She vows to capture “Mr. Malcolm’s heart and be well acquainted with Mr. Malcolm’s list.” But you know what they say about the best laid plans. It seems another woman (Freida Pinto, “The Path”) has caught Mr. Malcolm’s eye in the period rom-com.
Made in partnership with Refinery29, Untitled Entertainment, and Rebelle Media, “Mr. Malcolm’s List” was cast “color consciously,” and brought on actors of color including Chan, Pinto, and Dirisu “to reclaim historical narratives that are traditionally played by white actors,” according to a press release.
Emma Holly Jones (“Dreams Play Apart”) directed and Suzanne Allain penned the short, based on her novel and Black List script. The story was previously adapted into a podcast, and Refinery29, Rebelle, and Untitled have plans to make it into a feature film. Jones will direct, Untitled’s Laura Rister and Rebelle’s Laura Lewis will produce, and Alison Owen (“Harlots”) will exec produce.
“I have always loved championing new voices in front of and behind the camera, but getting these works financed is the difficulty,” Rister told Women and Hollywood. “Emma Holly Jones crafted a fresh and modern take on this genre, one that brought chills to all of us, and helped us gain the attention of Refinery29 and this amazing cast. If I could only work on projects with such a bold spin, I’d be a happy producer!” she added. “Having the opportunity, in partnership with Refinery29, to support a filmmaker and her vision in this way, and to enable the film to get made, is a dream.”
“I launched Rebelle Media in order to create commercial content that puts a unique lens on the world and especially how we view women in it,” explained Lewis. “Emma’s bold vision for this project immediately piqued our interest, because it shook up the traditional narrative.”
“’Mr. Malcolm’s List’ is the perfect example of quality content created through an inclusive, intersectional lens,” agreed Amy Emmerich, Chief Content Officer, Refinery29. “Director Emma Jones is a force with a fresh voice — we’re so honored to be an incubator for her talent and this story, and are thrilled to support this story as a feature-length film.”
Refinery29 has previously debuted short films from Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, and Yara Shahidi, among others, in its “Shatterbox Anthology.” The short film series provides new and seasoned female directors the chance to realize their filmmaking ambitions and share their work across various platforms.
Check out the trailer for “Mr. Malcolm’s List” below. The short is now playing on Refinery29.
