A new short film tackling the realities of OCD with honesty and dark humour is set to take centre stage in Manchester.
Box of Frogs, created by Minera Studios, was showcased at this year’s Manchester Film Festival, bringing a powerful and personal story to audiences in the city. Written and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies, the film blends comedy with emotional depth to explore life with OCD in a way that feels both relatable and eye-opening.
The story follows Rob, played by Mathew Horne, a school teacher living with Coprolalia and OCD. After being suspended from his job by headteacher Patrick Forbes (Mark Lewis Jones), he’s encouraged to attend a support group to help manage his condition.
What unfolds is a journey of connection.
At the group, led by Anna (Anna Chancellor), who lives with Tourette’s, Rob meets others facing similar challenges. Alongside Sandeep (Amit Shah), Alan (Rob Whitelock), Jonathan (Cadfan Roberts), and Suyin (Aerona Shi), the group becomes a place of shared understanding, showing that even in the most difficult moments, there’s strength in not facing things alone.
While Box of Frogs leans into dark comedy, it also delivers an important message. Puleston-Davies, who lives with OCD himself, has drawn from his own experiences to shape the story, giving it a real sense of authenticity.
He previously co-wrote the BAFTA-nominated Dirty Filthy Love with Jeff Pope, a film that also explored OCD and Tourette’s. With this latest project, he aims to challenge the way OCD is often misunderstood, particularly the casual way people describe themselves as having “a bit of OCD”, which can downplay the reality for those living with it.
Produced by Dean Fagan and Ruby Snape, with Joshua Lewin as Executive Producer, Box of Frogs is currently a proof of concept but already stands out as a strong and impactful short film.
The Manchester Film Festival premiere is expected to draw a number of familiar faces, including Chi Lewis-Parry, Cath Tyldesley, John Henshaw, Noreen Kershaw, Mike Toolan, Luca Toolan, and Andrew Lancel, all attending in support of Minera Studios.
With Manchester continuing to cement its reputation as a hub for film and creative talent, Box of Frogs adds another compelling story to the city’s growing cultural scene, one that uses humour and honesty to open up an important conversation.
