A Bit of Light


A Bit of Light is a 2022 drama film directed by Stephen Moyer and written by Rebecca Callard. It stars Anna Paquin, Ray Winstone, Pippa Bennett-Warner and Youssef Kerkour. It is based on the stage play of the same by Callard.
The film was released in the United States on 5 April 2024.

Premise

Recovering alcoholic Ella ends up moving back in with her father, Alan, while losing custody of her daughters.

Cast

  • Anna Paquin as Ella
  • Ray Winstone as Alan
  • Pippa Bennett-Warner as Bethan
  • Youssef Kerkour as Joseph

    Production

In October 2021, it was reported that a drama film directed by Stephen Moyer and written by Rebecca Callard titled A Bit of Light, which had completed principal photography in the United Kingdom, with Anna Paquin and Ray Winstone cast in the lead roles as Ella and Alan, alongside Pippa Bennett-Warner as Bethan and Youssef Kerkour as Joseph.

Release

A Bit of Light premiered at the 2022 Raindance Film Festival. It was released in the United States on 5 April 2024.

Reception

On Film Threat, Michael Talbot-Haynes scored the film a 7.5/10 writing in his review consensus section: "brings an electricity onscreen which hums in the air". Peyton Robinson of RogerEbert.com rated it 1,5/4 stars writing that the film is "creatively unremarkable, with uninspired visuals and editing that play like a workshop in flashbacks and cool-versus-warm emotional motifs."
On Common Sense Media, Kat Halstead wrote that "it's heart-wrenching to see Ella's struggles to stay sober and find hope, but Winstone's turn as her patient, frustrated, but ultimately loving father injects much-needed warmth into her journey."