The First Step exposes the hidden face of control

Director Libby Burke Wilde helms the simple yet impactful campaign for domestic abuse charity The First Step, created by Media Trust through New Land. 

Shot in a single, unbroken take, the film captures a tense exchange between a woman and her controlling partner, keeping the camera locked on the victim’s face throughout. 

Her abuser remains in the shadows, with his tone and language gradually tightening the atmosphere and exposing the tactics of coercive control. The film is released at a time of year when domestic abuse cases are known to rise.