Last Date | Drama

Last Date is a training film for those working in domestic abuse. By using innovative storytelling techniques, Last Date fast-tracks the gradual nature of psychological and physical abuse and condenses it into a single night. This shows how such behaviour can take hold of a person’s life, and further escalate to entrap them in a dangerous, repetitive cycle.

Last Date’s aim is to empower the viewer to recognise potential red flags of an abusive person, enabling them to make appropriate decisions and move away from domestic abuse and towards respectful, healthy relationships. The film does this by highlighting key stages of the progression of abuse: charm, grooming, jealousy, humiliation, possessiveness, gaslighting, isolation, intimidation, threat and assault.

If Leaving’s purpose was to illustrate why victims of abuse don’t just leave, Last Date’s aim is to show how it begins and manifests.

Starring new-comers Ellie Ekers and Perry Moore as Lori and Jack on their first date, the SFD team deliberately cast a couple on the right side of aspirational and relatable, who would be young enough to show experience and promise but not be so young that their situation and the film’s setting seemed unrealistic. By setting the film in a restaurant we deliberately step away from the well trodden tropes of depicting abuse to remove assumptions and show the behaviour for what it is.

Last Date can be used by experts working in the field of domestic abuse and violence and those working in the education sector, such as safeguarding practitioners. This crossover provides opportunities for trainers and schools, colleges and universities to work together to provide the very best service in education and prevention.

For more information and to purchase domestic abuse training films and supporting materials, visit Social Film Drama.