The film received one of the biggest standing ovations at Berlinale 2023.
The directors decided to recast the roles for the feature, signing Stewart-Jarrett and MacKay. "We wanted to distance the film from the short. There were new characters and a new story," says Freeman.
Ping emphasizes how the character of Preston is utterly at odds with that of MacKay in real life. "It always surprises me how unlike George he is in the film. In real life, he's sweet, so friendly and such a decent guy. He was unrecognizable from his usual stuff but he also brings an essential sweetness to Preston, which deepens the character."
The feature follows the pair's s BAFTA-nominated and BIFA-winning short of the same name, starring Paapa Essiedu and Harris Dickinson, which they made as a proof of concept for the long-planned feature.
Femme marks the debut feature of screenwriter Freeman (Industry, This Is Going To Hurt and The Power) and theatre director Ping, who have described themselves in the past as "queer creators breaking into a straight space."