Silence Is Golden (film)

Silence Is Golden is a 15-minute award-winning film written and directed by Chris Shepherd and produced by Maria Manton. Set in 1970s Britain, it tells the story of a 10-year-old boy's obsession with his seemingly simple-minded neighbour Dennis. The film mixes live action with various form of animation, including stop frame, drawn 2D. The complex mixture of styles enables Shepherd to show Billy's fantasies and inner thoughts on screen.

In 2006 the film won the TCM Classic Shorts Award at the London Film Festival. Industry stars celebrated the merits of the film, Terry Gilliam: "Terrific, strong, non-sentimental kid's story", Imelda Staunton "Wonderfully surreal", Stephen Poliakoff "Technically extremely impressive, full of wit and imagination" and Matthew Modine "A wonderful combination of mixed media, strong storytelling and talented actors." The film has continued to win awards and been screened internationally.