Jodie Whittaker to Star In, Executive Produce Dystopian Short 'The Country'

Jodie Whittaker is set to star in and executive produce the dystopian thriller short film The Country, according to Deadline. The Doctor Who and Broadchurch alum will lead the project from writer-director Ella Grace Kennedy.

The short’s cast also features Eoin McCaul, Anna Popplewell, and Jake Kenny-Byrne. The Country is described as a role-reversal story set within an extremist religious commune, following a seventeen-year-old boy named Aaron (McCaul) as he grapples with rigid laws imposed on the male body.

What is the film about?

The producers told Deadline the film tackles bodily autonomy, oppression, and control through its unique lens. Kennedy’s script flips the societal script to explore these urgent themes.

What are the key players saying?

Whittaker expressed immediate enthusiasm for the project. “When I first read Ella’s script I was completely blown away; it’s like nothing I have ever read,” she said. “She has such a daring, unique voice, I couldn’t wait to be a part of this project.”

Producer Charlotte Brownlee, whose credits include The Crown and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, praised Kennedy’s vision. “Ella’s vision offers a powerful, provocative lens through which to explore the urgent social issues of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights,” she said.

Kennedy explained the film’s origins. “This film was born from a need to explore themes of bodily autonomy and the systems that enforce control over it,” the filmmaker stated. “By placing men at the center of this world, I wanted to create a perspective shift that forces audiences to confront how terrifying and dehumanizing these realities are, while directly reflecting the experiences that women continue to face today.”

The Country is a production from Shy Billy Productions. Kennedy is also currently developing a horror feature titled Home with Anton.