A Friend of Dorothy was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards.
Dorothy is a lonely widow whose body is failing, but her mind remains as bright as ever. When 17-year-old JJ accidentally kicks his football into her garden, he upends Dorothy’s daily routine of pills, prunes, and crosswords, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. Despite being worlds apart in every way, the two come to find they have more in common than they could ever imagine.
A Friend of Dorothy is a 2025 British short comedy drama film written and directed by Lee Knight. The film starring Miriam Margolyes as a lonely widow and Alistair Nwachukwu as a teenage neighbor, depicts an unlikely, poignant bond over shared loneliness.
It had its premiere in Shorts films at the Raindance Film Festival on 25 June 2025.
CAST
LEE KNIGHT - Director and Writer
VANESSA WHYTE BSC - Cinematographer
PHIL HOOKWAY - Editor
STUART HANCOCK - Music
CREATIVES
MIRIAM MARGOLYES - Dorothy
STEPHEN FRY - Dickie
ALISTAIR NWACHUKWU - JJ
OSCAR LLYOD - Scott