Released back in 2016, writer-director David Lea’s award-winning live-action sci-fi short film “On Sunday” is a wonderful film that takes our imagination to a whole new level. The short film follows an old man and his dog as they take their routine walk to the isolated clifftops of the deepest Cornwall. What could be just another day or yet another lazy Sunday, the story unveils its surprise element that is as astonishing as incredible to our vision.
Like many other sci-fi feature films, “On Sunday” plays the idea that we’re not alone in this universe and there is more to what we can imagine or see on the surface. The old man witnesses a UFO rising from the ocean and taking off into space in the story. However, as we can imagine, probably this is the day the old man was waiting for long. Most likely, he has seen glimpses of this, or believes that such things exist but never really witnessed that close.
Filmmaker David Lea, who has a 15-year long experience in animation and VFX for film and TV, dedicates this film to his father Brian Lea who also acts in the film. As per the maker, it took nearly five years to complete this, mostly because he made it entirely in his own time.
Here is the film “On Sunday” for you to watch
Talking more about the film the filmmaker further reveals how during the summer of 84, his Dad hand-built him a cabin bed for his bedroom. That was no ordinary bed: underneath, made from wood, flashing lights, and copper piping he’d constructed the cockpit of a spaceship.
David was just 6-year old and via fuzzy VHS’s already indoctrinated into the ways of the force, Last Starfighters and Xenomorphs (his Dad censored the scary bits by recording Sunday cricket over them) – The finished cabin bed was a fledgling geek’s dream come true. And, 31 years later David decided to repay the favor and this short film is his way of saying ‘thank you’.
Watching the film makes us believe how amazing his imagination is in visualizing things, and of course, with that kind of location and David’s dad’s expression and emotions, “On Sunday” is a great watch. Just as we continue to imagine our very own version to take the story forward, here we are wishing many more interesting projects from the director.
The film’s tagline says as “nothing ever happens on Sunday,” but there is in fact, a lot more happening provided we are not that lazy and laidback to spot the changes.
