The Christmas film for SINGLE WOMEN
SPINSTERS is a Christmas film that celebrates women in their 30s who are, for now, choosing to be single.
Single women are the fastest growing demographic in the US, and there are over 4.9 million unmarried women aged 25-39 in the UK . In fact, the rise of singledom is a global trend. This huge audience does not have a film to represent their lives during the family- and relationship-centric holidays.
Enter SPINSTERS, the holiday film that centres female friendship, ambition and resilience.
Logline: Following a shock cancer diagnosis, Lissie is facing the ultimate fear of singletons everywhere: dying alone. Her oldest friends unexpectedly show up on NYE, and she has a last chance to reconnect, if only she can be vulnerable, honest, and trust that the truest love is found in female friendship.
Duration: 90 mins
Genre: Comedy Drama
Budget: £500,000 GBP
Equity Available: 50%
OurTEAM
Cultural DEMAND
Swipe through to see the conversation around our film's key themes.
Meet the SPINSTERS
LISSIE, 31
A human rights lawyer and hyper-independent city girl.
Having had to grow up very fast, Lissie spent her 20s building a stable career and avoiding drama. A toxic relationship ended up costing her a best friend, Nat, two years prior. She won't admit how lonely she's been since, but she's navigating the cesspit that is modern dating when a cervical cancer diagnosis rearranges her priorities. Everyone around her is devastated that Lissie didn't get to experience marriage and children, as if she's already dead and has failed her life's purpose. The one regret Lissie actually has is losing her friends. She wants to reconnect but vulnerability gives her the ick.
NAT, 32
Olympic-athlete turned influencer and life coach.
Nat’s always dreamt of winning gold at the Beijing Olympics. When her athletics career was quickly killed by an injury, depression swallowed her whole. On top of that, she lost her best friend Lissie in an argument they couldn’t repair. But since then, Nat has rebuilt her life brick by brick and now inspires others to do the same. She has a huge following online, a bestselling book and an incredible job offer... in LA. Having just made the difficult decision to break up with a good man, Nat's 30s are looking like a new adventure. So before she flies to her new life, Nat takes a NYE invitation as her chance to heal some past hurts.
BETTY, 31
Original girl boss now a cancelled divorcée.
Betty lived the millennial girl dream. Forbes 30 Under 30 List, trendy office in Shoreditch, and the perfect marriage in the perfect home. For reasons she can't quite fathom, Betty then had an affair with a junior member of staff, has since been fired from her own company, lost her husband and been publicly humiliated. Oh and she's living back at her parents’! In the midst of this full-blown identity crisis, she’s overjoyed to receive an unexpected invite to Lissie’s for NYE. She just hopes her old friends won’t judge her as harshly as she judges herself for being such a f**k up. But that's what prosecco is for!
KATE, 32.
Party-girl turned happy single mum.
Kate was a musician and DJ, spending most of her year in a bikini in Ibiza. The reckless one in the group, she was happily destined for a life of fun and frivolity. When she found out she was pregnant, Kate shocked everyone (including herself) with her decision to keep the baby. Single parenting is not without huge challenges, but she’s happy! Now a music teacher, she often thinks about her oldest friends, all living it up in the city with big successful careers and glamorous dates.
She never reaches out because, when completing the laundry was the highlight of your week, what do you really have to offer?
The
STORY
Lissie might as well be a rom-com cliché; 30-something, career-obsessed and extremely single. That is until a curveball called cervical cancer flips her world on its head. There's a very real possibility she could die and the greatest relationship of her life will have been with her cat?! The prospect of dying alone is suddenly terrifying. So Lissie does what she always does: shuts everyone out and goes into hyper-control mode.
Her meddling mother has other ideas. Lissie's quiet New Year’s Eve turns into a chaotic reunion, as friends she'd lost touch with turn up on her doorstep. Betty and Kate are exactly as she remembers them. Even Nat, her ex-bestie, shows up almost as if their friendship-destroying row from two years ago didn't happen. But, by some Christmas miracle, no one seems to know that Lissie is sick. There's no way she's going to ruin the night now! Her focus shifts to making up for lost time and winning back her best friend.
The four women open a time capsule containing letters from their teenage-selves. But before they can open these, they must complete a set of challenges inspired by their single-queen icon Bridget Jones. Out come the big knickers for a raucous night in London (with Lissie avoiding alcohol and accidentally throwing a shot on someone). Along the way, they trade stories of their 20s, full of huge highs and even lower lows, and find they are grateful to have each other for whatever their 30s may bring.
Amidst the laughter and knicker-flashing, Lissie forces herself to stay upbeat even while she has a sinking realisation. The biggest regret of her life isn't going to be never getting married, or never having children, but having ever turned her back on these women. Her friends, actually, were the loves of her life! And now it could be too late.
As fireworks light up the sky, secrets spill. Lissie tells them she's about to start chemo. Nat is blindsided but does her best to hold it in and not blow up their night. Until Lissie further reveals it was her mother who invited them, and not herself! Nat can't take it anymore. She thought Lissie had wanted them there! Cue the row of the century and a messy food fight in a chicken shop. With all their feelings finally aired, Lissie and Nat are able to understand each other's feelings of abandonment and fear. They can put their past behind them and their friendship has just about made it.
The next morning, Lissie leaves her friends sleeping to go to her first chemo session. Nat tries not to be hurt that, once again, Lissie has shut them out. But the reality is harder to face than Lissie thought it would be; she finally drops the tough-girl act and asks Nat for help. Still in their Bridget knickers, Nat, Kate and Betty race through London to be by her side at the hospital, proving that true romance is showing up for your friends, no matter what.
30 years later: The four friends (Lissie beats cancer!) celebrate NYE in their 60s, happier and more fabulous than ever.
Financial
PROJECTIONS
Film investment is high risk. However, in 2024, women made up only 16% of film directors, and 22% of executive producers. As seen across other industries, women are statistically safer investments, leading better performing start-ups. We believe the same will be true for film returns as women gain ground in leadership and creative roles.
We have strong conviction in the combination of this film's story, its low budget and the size of its global audience.
Domestic Box Office (UK GBP) - Estimates based on converting 5% of our UK target audience into theatrical sales:
Gross Profit of £640,332
Minus production costs £500,000
Net Profit of £140,332
Global Box Office + Licensing (Streaming & Television) - Based on the size of global markets and typical streaming deals, we have a target of £2,000,000 GBP. This would yield a net profit of £700,000 GBP.
Total Net Profit (Year of Release): £840,332 GBP
Longterm Investment Opportunity:
As a Christmas film, we are well-positioned for repeat royalties and licensing deals every year as the film gains in status. We will also leverage secondary revenue streams in merchandise and events.
Financial
TIMELINE
Happily, SPINSTERS meets the criteria for the BFI's Enhanced Independent Film Tax Credit, at a net rate of 39.75% on production costs. We are producing the film through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in which investors hold equity and recoup through net profits.
Our recoupment timeline is as follows.
6-12 months from film completion:
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39.75% tax credit received and returned to equity investors pari passu.
9-18 months from film completion we will see revenue from Theatrical Sales + Streaming and Licensing Deals. The following costs will then be paid:
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Distributors fee (10-30%)
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Sales Agents fee (10-15%)
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Recoupable expenses from marketing, sales & distribution
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Profits are then allocated pari passu to:
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Equity Investors
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Producer (Rebel Muse Studios)
You can read more about film Financing Waterfalls here.
Marketing STRATEGY
Social Prequels
Our characters' backstories will be posted on fictional social channels ahead of the film's release.
Dance Party Screenings
Body positive and safe-space screenings for women who wish to watch the film and dance with other single women.
Panel Discussions & Events
On themes of financial independence, careers, women's stories, reproductive health, and friendship.
Gifting Brand Partnerships
We are approaching brands who would like to develop a range of holiday gifts for single women.
Costume Sale
Selling the characters' wardrobes and props on Vinted, using fictionalised profiles and stills from the film.
Behind the Scenes
We are documenting the process of producing a women-led film for YouTube and social media.
Next STEPS
Book a Call or Meeting
We'd love to tell you more in person. You can book a time that suits you below, or you can email anastasia@rebelmuse.uk to set something up.
Request More Info
Click the button below or email info@rebelmuse.uk to request an info pack, including the full script, pitch deck, and a detailed budget.
This is an opportunity to meet exceptional demand from an under-served audience, at a time when women's choices and autonomy are being undermined.
Thank YOU
from the whole SPINSTERS team.