A STORY OF GRIEF
AND HOPE
The Healer is a short film produced by Lee Mancini from Agility Films and Directed by Will Jewell that delves into teenage grief, trauma, and how healing can emerge from the most unexpected places.
When 16-year-old Jake suddenly loses his father, he becomes trapped in a cycle of rage and guilt, unable to process his pain. This manifests in angry outbursts and reckless choices that soon land him in serious trouble.
Desperate to save her son from a path of self-destruction, Jake’s mother follows the advice of his probation officer and enrols him in equine-assisted therapy. There, Jake meets Sam, a therapist still haunted by his own past – and Apollo, a beautiful white ex-racehorse who carries scars of abandonment himself.
DIRECTORS NOTES
The main aims in approaching The Healer directorial were authenticity and naturalism, particularly as this is a story drawn from the writer’s lived experiences. I didn’t want the camera drawing attention to itself, but instead opted for a fluid, almost totally handheld shooting style.
This approach also extended to working with the actors and we spent a lot of time in rehearsals, script tweaking together, discussing their characters, arcs and scene dynamics in order that on set they were lost in the characters and we could improvise and find the core of each scene organically.
Sound was also a key part of the story as Jake uses his headphones to block out other people and his surroundings. It is only when Apollo tramples his headphones that Jake truly starts to see his surroundings and begin his path to recovery.
The theme that underpinned all these elements was grief. From Jake’s unprocessed grief at his father’s death causing him to become an unguided ball of rage. To the grief Sam still carries for the men he couldn’t save – which drove him into a PTSD-induced spiral and resulted in his being discharged from the Army and slipping into addiction and homelessness. And it is there in Helen who has scarcely been able to face her own grief at the loss of her husband as she is terrified of now losing her son too.
From Writer Trudy Williams
“Inspired by true events, The Healer plots the story of a teenage boy who begins his journey of healing after struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his father.
It’s a story about the desperation you can experience when a loved one is in trouble but can’t save them. It’s also a story about “hope”, and that help can sometimes be found in the most unusual places.
Equine assisted therapy is not a new concept, but it isn’t mainstream. As part of the research for this story, I visited many equine assisted therapy centres, and when I shared the premise of this story, they all confirmed that teenagers are their largest demographic. Sadly, they see far too many “Jakes” come to their centres. Conventional forms of therapy have their place, but access to these resources often takes far too long.
The real beauty of equine assisted therapy, lies in the fact that horses are incredibly intuitive and emotional animals, picking up on energy and emotions, which can sometimes go undetected in conventional therapy. Often the patient is unable to articulate how, or what they are feeling, but when working with horses, the patient’s emotions and energy are all too often reflected back at them by the horse, as our character Jake, experiences.
Sadly, teenage mental health, and particularly male suicide is at an all-time high. My hope is that this story raises awareness of equine assisted therapy making it more broadly available to those who need it.
I wanted to write a story of hope, showing that it is possible to come back from a dark place. I also wanted to write a story that celebrated our relationship with the horse and how they continue to enrich our lives through the power of connection.”
AGILITY FILMS
Agility Films is the production company behind The Healer — a compact team of passionate filmmakers driven by a commitment to authenticity in motion. Founded by Lee Mancini, Producer and Documentary Director, the company is dedicated to telling stories that inspire, educate, and move audiences.
With a deep love for storytelling and a commitment to cinematic quality, we take pride in creating tailor-made films that bring each unique vision to life. Our work spans thought-provoking documentaries, compelling branded content, and emotionally rich dramas – each crafted with creativity, care, and an unwavering attention to detail.
At the heart of Agility Films lies a passion for stories that resonate on a profound level. Guided by an Agile approach to filmmaking, the team embraces a fluid, adaptive, and collaborative production process that ensures every project we undertake delivers both artistic excellence and emotional impact.
The Healer stands as a true reflection of Agility Films’ mission – to tell authentic, human stories with emotional depth and cinematic resonance.