Indie Studio Defies Norms to Boost Wartime Morale with Daring WWII Film

In November 2025, indie studio Giant Films is set to premiere its provocative WWII film "Think of England" at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The movie, directed by Richard Hawkins, follows a motley crew of six people who are dropped off on an uninhabited island with a secret mission: to make pornographic films to help the British government boost the fighting morale of soldiers on the frontlines.

The film is part of Giant Films' vision to protect and champion bold, auteur-driven cinema. Founded by Poppy O'Hagan and her father Nicholas "Nick" O'Hagan, the studio is committed to enabling filmmakers to pursue their unique visions without compromise. "We don't want to tell filmmakers, 'you can't do that' or 'maybe you shouldn't do that,'" says Poppy. "We want them to be really able to go for it as honestly as possible."

In addition to supporting daring storytelling, Giant Films is also pioneering innovative distribution models that focus on long-tail theatrical experiences. Rather than simply handing over films to streamers, the studio aims to partner with filmmakers to keep their work in front of audiences through touring screenings and other community-driven initiatives. "We want to be leading the way on that and inspiring other filmmakers to not just hand over their film to an aggregator," Poppy explains.

With "Think of England" and its broader "Made for Cinema" movement, Giant Films is positioning itself as an alternative to the dominant streaming-focused model, empowering filmmakers to maintain control and connect directly with audiences.