Ante

2011 | Short Film | UK

Chris Cronin's first short film Ante starts off his filmography with a bang. How much is your life worth to you? Bids end in fifteen minutes, may the best man win, but then the other one isn't going to be around to complain about it. 

Ultra-competitive salesmen, Tom (GREG KELLY, Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road) and Raymond (STEVE MCTIGUE, Cold Feet, Doctors) are up for the same promotion. When ruthless contract killer, Pierson (DAVID ROBERTSON, Shameless, The Street), comes on the scene it looks like they unwittingly hired the same hitman to take each other out. But Pierson has a problem. If he kills them both, no one will be left to pay the rest of his fee.

As the clock ticks away on Tom and Raymond’s lives, they must use all their sales skills to convince the contract killer which of them it would be most profitable to let live. 



Festival Highlights//
Winner - Best Thriller, American International Film Festival, 2011
Official Selection - Holmfirth Film Festival, 2011
Official Selection - Hells Kitchen NYC Film Festival, 2011

Press//
“It is a tense and clever little film, an immaculate short to be honest and as a calling card for its director should be very useful.”
- William Russell, Critic Circle London

“Ante is a suspenseful mindfuck of a short film, cleverly written and gorgeously lensed.”
- Film Threat

"Among the best short films I've seen so far this year."
- Gary Collinson, Flickering Myth

"Smart and devious. This film is a black hearted little gem."
- Steve Balshaw, Salford Film Festival

Cast//
Pierson - David Edward-Robertson
Tom - Greg Kelly
Raymond - Steve McTigue
Sniper (Voice) - Russell Barnett


Crew//
Producer + Director - Chris Cronin
Writer - Paul Thomas
Cinematographer - Chris Cronin + Eugene Magee
Lighting DP - James Rice
Camera Department - Sam Cronin
Assistant Director - Kyle Brearey
Production Manager - Phil Meachem
Make up / SFX Artist - Angela Conniss + Anna Heath
Editor - Chris Cronin
Composer - Joel Catchatoor
Sound Design + Sound Recordist - Andrew Layfield
Photography - Marc Hankins

Watch the full film - Click Here.