Sian Clifford leads mockumentary Lady as debut wins festival prize

Sian Clifford stars as Lady Isabella Ravenhyde in Lady, the debut feature from writer-director Samuel Abrahams, as described by Variety. Variety published its review of the film on 2 October 2026. It called Lady a mockumentary satire of the English upper classes and aristocracy.

The premise is simple. A camera follows a deluded, narcissistic aristocrat who believes her own importance, a description given by The Hollywood Reporter. A mockumentary is a fictional story shot in the style of a documentary, with interviews to camera and loose, handheld scenes. Here the camera lives inside the story.

Laurie Kynaston plays Sam, the young filmmaker documenting Lady Isabella, according to Variety. Juliet Cowan plays Becky, Isabella’s maid. Sam holds the camera while Becky keeps the household running close by.

Clifford is widely known for playing Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sister in Fleabag. That role brought her a BAFTA win and an Emmy nomination. Lady changes the frame. She takes the title role alone.

The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Festival, as reported by Variety. That launch came at the 2025 London Film Festival. A world premiere is the first public screening of a film, often its introduction to press and industry.

It then travelled to Tallinn Black Nights. There it won Best Director in the First Feature Competition. The prize recognised Abrahams in a section reserved for debuts.

What makes this stand out is the tight construction. One woman. One camera. One close observer in the house. That triangle keeps the action close and the focus on character and timing.

For fans, this means a chance to see Clifford away from ensemble television. The cast is small and the lens stays near. The path from London to Tallinn brought the film before festival audiences first.