In wartime, even the most improbable tasks can suddenly acquire strategic significance. Think of England, the sophomore feature by writer-director Richard Hawkins, takes this premise to a deliciously absurd extreme, imagining – or, rather, reconstructing – a covert British army unit assembled to produce morale-boosting pornographic films for soldiers ahead of the Normandy landings. What sounds like the stuff of urban legend is, remarkably, based on real events, and Hawkins’ achievement lies in shaping this outlandish premise into a clever, engaging and unexpectedly affecting chamber piece.

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World-premiered in the international competition of this year's Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and set during World War II, the film follows six individuals dispatched to an isolated, windswept Orkney island with a classified mission: to shoot a set of erotic reels believed to help “strengthen the boys at the front”. The wild bunch is made up of German director of Jewish descent Max Meyer (portrayed by Ben Bela Böhm), the indecisive and harmless Captain Anthony Clune (John McCrea), a make-up artist (Ronni Ancona) and her 18-year-old son serving as a sound recordist (Ollie Maddigan), plus the two leads: aspiring actress Holly Spurring (Natalie Quarry) and the psychotic Corporal Harry Evans, né Tyrone Higgs (Jack Bandeira).

Hawkins’ direction embraces a theatrical structure from the outset. Most of the action unfolds within a single primary location – the improvised studio inside the military camp – and the geographical confinement mirrors the script’s interest in character dynamics and shifting alliances. Despite the spatial limitations, the movie remains visually vibrant. Sarah Cunningham’s cinematography brings a colourful, almost graphic novel-like sheen to the imagery, creating a playful contrast with the grimness of wartime Britain. The bright palette and careful compositions help maintain a brisk energy, reinforcing the film’s quasi-comic tone without diminishing its darker strands.

The music further enriches the experience. The soundtrack weaves in several popular tunes from the 1930s, including “Mad About the Boy” and “Anything Goes”, anchoring the pic in its period while accentuating its sly, mischievous spirit. These choices create a buoyant counterpoint to moments of emotional rupture, reminding the audience of the fragile escapism that the characters attempt to manufacture.

Emotionally, Think of England moves at a fast pace, navigating drama, occasional gruesomeness and comedy with a surprising degree of balance. The cast works well as an ensemble, although the inherent ridiculousness of the premise occasionally nudges the male leads – Böhm, McCrea and Bandeira in particular – towards overacting. Yet even these exaggerations feel thematically coherent, reflecting the heightened performativity demanded of their characters within the mission itself. Hawkins’ script gives each member of the group enough interiority to transcend caricature, and the concluding set of epilogues, revealing the fate of every character, lends the film a poignant final beat.

Beyond its narrative, Think of England is also a testament to independent filmmaking under pressure. Produced by father-daughter team Nick and Poppy O’Hagan, the feature was shot on a shoestring budget over 21 days. It’s a good example of how, sometimes, all you need to craft a compelling film is a pencil, a brain and a few resources – material or immaterial – used wisely.

Think of England was produced by British outfits Giant Films and High St Films.