When a woman is admitted to a private clinic under extremely awkward circumstances, the nurse tries to deal with her flamboyant behavior with patience and professionalism. It’s only when the need of a blood test arises, that things take an unexpected turn.
TESTING GRETA is a short film made in the UK. It tells a story that is equal parts darkly comic and heartbreaking. Our intention for this film is to raise awareness for the types of abuse that women face that are often overlooked or misunderstood. We want to help dispel the stigma surrounding this and also encourage those affected to seek help.
Testing Greta is now available to view on Amazon.
INTERVIEWS
New York Film Awards Interview with Billie Vee and Abbie Lucas - Interview by Mor Cohen
'The Heroines Journey' with Billie Vee - Interview by Peter de Kuster
'The Heroines Journey' with Abbie Lucas - Interview by Peter de Kuster
'The Heroines Journey' with Billie Vee - Interview by Peter de Kuster
'The Heroines Journey' with Abbie Lucas - Interview by Peter de Kuster
FESTIVALS
Official Selection 40th National Short Film Festival in Drama 2017 - Winner 'Greeks of the World' Prize
Guest Programme: ‘New Perspectives: Redressing the Balance’ Aesthetica Film Festival 2018
Official Selection Hamilton Film Festival 2017 - Nominee 'Best Actress' (Billie Vee)
Official Selection Beeston Film Festival 2018 - Nominee 'Womens Voices'
Official Selection 10th Fastnet Film Festival 2018
Official Selection British Urban Film Festival 2018
Official Selection 51st Worldfest - Houston International Film Festival 2018 - Remi Award Winner
Official Selection Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2018
Official Selection London Greek Film Festival 2018
Winner 'Best Picture' New York Film Awards January 2018
Guest Programme: ‘New Perspectives: Redressing the Balance’ Aesthetica Film Festival 2018
Official Selection Hamilton Film Festival 2017 - Nominee 'Best Actress' (Billie Vee)
Official Selection Beeston Film Festival 2018 - Nominee 'Womens Voices'
Official Selection 10th Fastnet Film Festival 2018
Official Selection British Urban Film Festival 2018
Official Selection 51st Worldfest - Houston International Film Festival 2018 - Remi Award Winner
Official Selection Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2018
Official Selection London Greek Film Festival 2018
Winner 'Best Picture' New York Film Awards January 2018
MEET THE TEAM
ABBIE LUCAS | DIRECTOR
Abbie Lucas is a film and theatre director based in London.
For close to a decade she has forged a wide and varied career path, in both creative and technical roles, which has often seen her working alongside and collaborating with Hollywood actors, sports professionals, politicians and royalty. In 2018, Levile TV listed her as one of the Top 20 Rising Female Filmmakers in the UK
Her recent film credits include the award winning Testing Greta an unusual story about domestic abuse which took the 'Greeks of the World' Prize at the 40th Drama Film Festival in Greece and can be seen at the 10th Fastnet Festival in Ireland and the BUFF Film Festival in London (both in 2018) and another short comedy titled Dead Tired which was been nominated for Best Script and Best Comedy at the Beeston Film Festival 2018 and also for Best International Comedy at the Austrian Film Festival 2018.
Her 2nd collaboration with Comedy Duo "Hunt the Vigan" titled Boobies in a Box, a parody infomercial about public breastfeeding went viral (with over 4 million views) having been picked up by several online publications including the Huffington Post and Upworthy.
As a theatre director she has had shows performed at The Criterion, Soho Theatre, Pleasance London, Southwark Playhouse, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Theatre 503, The Old Red Lion, Tristan Bates, Riverside Studios, Arts at the Old Fire Station in Oxford and the Groundlings Theatre in Portsmouth.
For close to a decade she has forged a wide and varied career path, in both creative and technical roles, which has often seen her working alongside and collaborating with Hollywood actors, sports professionals, politicians and royalty. In 2018, Levile TV listed her as one of the Top 20 Rising Female Filmmakers in the UK
Her recent film credits include the award winning Testing Greta an unusual story about domestic abuse which took the 'Greeks of the World' Prize at the 40th Drama Film Festival in Greece and can be seen at the 10th Fastnet Festival in Ireland and the BUFF Film Festival in London (both in 2018) and another short comedy titled Dead Tired which was been nominated for Best Script and Best Comedy at the Beeston Film Festival 2018 and also for Best International Comedy at the Austrian Film Festival 2018.
Her 2nd collaboration with Comedy Duo "Hunt the Vigan" titled Boobies in a Box, a parody infomercial about public breastfeeding went viral (with over 4 million views) having been picked up by several online publications including the Huffington Post and Upworthy.
As a theatre director she has had shows performed at The Criterion, Soho Theatre, Pleasance London, Southwark Playhouse, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Theatre 503, The Old Red Lion, Tristan Bates, Riverside Studios, Arts at the Old Fire Station in Oxford and the Groundlings Theatre in Portsmouth.
She is currently co-writing a pilot for American television and a Feature Film with collaborators Billie Vee and Shamir Dawood.
BILLIE VEE | PRODUCER, WRITER & ACTRESS
Billie Vee is an award-winning actress, screenwriter and producer based in London.
Born in Athens, Greece under the name Vasiliki Vlahou, Billie received her degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Athens Philosophy Department and was trained in Theatro Technis Karolos Koun (classical acting). She was cast in a number of roles across theatre and television, in both Greece and Cyprus, before moving to London.
As a performer Billie appeared in shows at the Pleasance London, Southwark Playhouse, Old Red Lion, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, New Diorama Theatre, Hen and Chickens as well as in independent films and commercials. She recently finished filming for a UK TV pilot 'The Cloaking' directed by Sam Bradford.
Her screenwriting debut was the multi-award winning short film ‘Two Persons Max’ directed by Tim Kent, filmed at Pinewood studios. Since then, she has written 5 more short films, the last of which ‘Testing Greta’ was screened on many festivals around the world and won awards.
Billie is in preparation of two feature films which she's written and will also be acting in, a psychological thriller to be directed by Tim Kent and a romantic comedy she has co-written with Abbie Lucas and Shamir Dawood to be directed by Abbie
CHERISE SILVESTRI | ACTRESS
Cherise Silvestri plays the role of Lynne. Having grown up, trained and gotten her start in acting in the U.S., she never would have guessed her work would bring her overseas where she now spends most of her time. In addition to Testing Greta, Cherise can be seen in Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World and Eddie Terstall & Erik Wünsch’s Alberta, both now available on Amazon Prime. She also appears in the soon to be released pilot The Cloaking and short film Doorbells and Gunshots, and her voice can be heard narrating Season 3 of Discovery ID channel’s Web of Lies. Prior to living in Europe, Ms. Silvestri performed in and directed several plays on board a six-star luxury cruise ship for their world cruises; this followed up a long body of theatrical, commercial, independent film, voice over and motion capture work in the America.
JOAN BORDERA | DOP
Joan is a freelance Director of Photography, Camera Operator and co-founder of the production company Olifant Films Ltd based in London. Having been trained on the cinema school ESCAC by the hand of directors of photography as Eduard Grau, Xavi Giménez or Tomàs Pladevall, he started his career in London as a DoP of commercials and fiction. He has work for brands like Unilever, Marks & Spencer, Barclays, UBS, Yumi, Royal Canin, Ideas Britain, Lyca Mobile, Swarovsky, Pinterest, Sainsbrury, etc. and actors and actress like Carice van Houten, Tim McInnerny, Gilbert Gottfried, James Buckley, MyAnna Buring, Jimmy Carr, Neil Stuke, etc.
CHRISTIAN TAYLOR | PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Christian is a freelance Production Designer based in London with extensive experience working as a Set Designer, Carpenter, and an Art Director within the industry across a range of performance medium's including film, theatre and live events. He was the production designer for the award winning feature My Feral Heart.
ANNA DAVIES | PRODUCER
Anna Davies is a Producer, Writer and Actress. Her short film AT YOUR SERVICE won the jury award in London Independent film festival."At your Service" has gone on to win several awards including Anna winning a Merit for ‘Best Woman Film Maker’ at the ‘Best Shorts Competition’ in Los Angeles and also being in the Official Selection at the ‘London Independent Film Festival’. Since then she has gone on to Produce more short films including ‘Cleaning Process’ (2014) ‘In Humans We Trust’ (2016) and most recently with 'Testing Greta'. Anna explains that "as a Producer there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a project through right from the beginning to the very end”
TAZ AYOUB | CO-PRODUCER / 1ST AD
Taz has worked on over 40 projects in film and television over the years including features, shorts, commercials and music promos as well as multiple slates of corporate films for private clients. In addition to his directing work, Taz executive produced two features and has worked extensively in the UK as an assistant director and script supervisor.
MARCO BALDASSARRE | SOUND RECORDIST
Marco is an adaptable and highly motivated sound engineer with a natural flair for sound production. He works on a freelance basis in London. Marco holds a First Class Bachelor of Arts in Music - Technology Specialist from the London College of Music and a Diploma in Sound Engineering and Music Production from City & Islington College.
GRACE SARGEANT | MAKE UP ARTIST
Grace Sargeant is a film, TV, video, fashion makeup artist working in the UK.
Demonstrating a natural ability, passion and inspiration for all areas of makeup, from beauty to sfx. Skills include airbrushing, beauty, character, sfx, period, hair cutting, styling, wigs.
Grace is repeatedly employed because of her artistic passion, her ability to exceed a client’s original vision and go the extra mile.
IAIN THOMSON | EDITOR
Iain is a film editor with six years experience in the film and TV industry. His portfolio includes commercials, narrative film, corporates, music promos and documentary.
FELIPE TÉLLEZ | COMPOSER
Born and raised in Colombia, Felipe Téllez is a composer and orchestrator for film and media. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Composition and Music Production from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as a master’s degree in Scoring for Film, Television and Video Games from Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, he remained at Berklee Valencia as the Post-Graduate Fellow, assisting staff and giving lectures to both graduate and undergraduate students. His concert music has been performed by the Bogotá Philharmonic, the Colombian National Symphony Orchestra, and the San Rafael Symphonic Band from Bunyol, Spain. He has also recorded and conducted his music with The Budapest Art Orchestra in Studio 22 and in Abbey Road’s Studio One in London.