A film by Jason McClade, Starring Marcie Kiescievicz, Director of photography Stephan Stoll, Piano Sebastian Braun, Stylist Deborah Latouche, Assistant stylist Connie Lankerville-Chamberlayne, Make-up artist Neusa Neves, Hair stylist Stanley (Dan) Watts. Editing by admngoodpicture
The East Cliff Hotel - the last building you´ll see before entering the ancient port of Dover and driving on to the car ferry and sail away to mainland Europe. With its ivy clad pink facade, it sits under the magnificent white cliffs that have great symbolic value in Britain because they face towards Continental Europe across the narrowest part of the English Channel, where invasions have historically threatened and against which the cliffs form a symbolic guard. The road is busy with trucks and cars that rumble past the hotel 24 hours a day and yet as you walk past the red telephone box and into the reception the hotel imbues a quiet calm feeling.
From dark corners black and white faces look out through dusty frames. Doors and corridors lead off in all directions and a thick-carpeted stair winds up to the upper levels. You reach out and press your hand on the brass bell. An ancient ping resounds through the hallway and as the tone recedes to be replaced by the distant rumble of trucks, a side door opens and a small old lady with twinkly eyes greets you, introducing herself as Viki.
You are now in the East Cliff hotel. A mysterious place, a time capsule, a constant stream of humanity trundles past metres from the front door and yet the place seems like it is stuck in time. Between frames. Between the past and future. Between progress and deterioration. Where travellers from all over mainland Europe stay for very little money and with very little restrictions and where permanent residents live, some for as long as twenty five years- under the kind wings of Viki - the matriarch from Hungary whose past is as colourful as the kaleidoscopic carpets and photographic wallpaper that adorn the walls and floors of the dilapidated building. The scene is set. There is a vacant room. Only for one night in the name of Marcie.