This film features real children shot across the length and breadth of the UK, showing off their bumps and scrapes. We end on Rhys, a five year-old cancer survivor with a true battlescar.

To achieve the most authentic possible performances, real children were used throughout, including our cancer survivor, Rhys.

We approached a number of after-shool and weekend activity clubs across the UK, using them to help identify children who wanted to show off their scars. Having sought parental permission, the crew travelled across the country to shoot all of the children on location in a natural, documentary style, picking up the quirks and nuances of each child’s storytelling. While questions were used as a prompt, direction was minimal, to keep the performances real. In one weekend, a wealth of material was gathered, the best performances were shortlisted and cut together to make the final edit.

Rhys was a particular star. Having been identified by Cancer Research UK as one of a number of potential survivors they are in contact with, his parents were willing for him to share his story. He was filmed at his home and was the last to be recorded, allowing the performances of the other children to guide our approach.

The stories, gestures and behaviour of the children all have the mark of authenticity - performances which would have been impossible to elicit from a traditional casting process.