Mini is the new mighty.
At Mini Productions, we believe that the impact of a story is not determined by its size, but by its ability to inspire change. Our mission is to produce meaningful, thought-provoking films and TV shows that empower underrepresented communities and shed light on important topics. By amplifying the voices of those who need to be heard, we strive to create a more inclusive and empathetic world. We take pride in our personalised approach to filmmaking and building strong relationships with talent, both in front and behind the camera. Our commitment to creating compelling content and showcasing the stories of our filmmakers in powerful ways, distinguishes us from others in the industry. Mini is the new mighty, and at Mini Productions, we believe in the power of small stories to create a big impact.
Mini Productions is a multi award-winning production company founded in 2012 and co-owned by dynamic duo April Kelley and Sara Huxley. They have been producing shorts, features, charity films, commercials, branded content, virals and music videos for many years and now have a slate of features and TV in development. The Minis achieved great success with their debut feature film Rose: A Love Story which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was nominated for the Raindance Discovery Award at the 2020 BIFAs. Written by and starring Matt Stokoe, plus co-stars Sophie Rundle, and Olive Gray. It has gone on to screen at Melbourne International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and Trieste Science+Fiction Festival.
Their BIFA and BAFTA long-listed short film Edith was the directorial debut for actor Christian Cooke and starred BAFTA winner Peter Mullan. In January 2022, they went on to shoot Christian’s debut feature film Embers starring Ruth Bradley, David Wilmot, and Clare Perkins. The film is adapted from the critically acclaimed play ‘Experience’ written by David Florez, which had a successful run at Hampstead Theatre. The film was recently selected as 1 of 9 for the BFI London Film Festival 2022 ‘Work-In-Progress’ showcase before going on to premiere at Raindance Film Festival where it was nominated for Best UK Film.
Embers marks another step forward in the company’s successful track record of producing critically acclaimed and award-winning content. With an impressive portfolio of projects under their belt, Mini Productions is at the forefront of independent production companies in the UK. Their short films have been programmed at worldwide festivals, including; BFI London Film Festival, BFI Flare, Norwich Film Festival, HollyShorts, Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. Awards include Best Women in Film at the Bolton Film Festival, and Women and Hollywood’s First Time Female Filmmaker Award.
April is an award-winning actor, writer, and BIFA nominated producer known for her creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Showcasing her savviness, she founded Mini Productions at the age of 21, whilst still in drama school, she then met Sara Huxley and as they say, the rest was history.
As a writer, April has been acclaimed for her raw, honest, and relatable work. Her debut film, Treacle, which she also starred in and produced in collaboration with the Bisexual Resource Centre, premiered at BFI Flare in 2019. That same year, she was selected as one of the six queer filmmakers for the BFI Network & BAFTA at Flare Mentorship, highlighting her talent and potential. Treacle went on to screen at over 70 festivals worldwide, winning numerous awards including Best Women in Film at Bolton Film Festival.
In 2021, April wrote and premiered her film Just in Case at the BAFTA-qualifying Norwich Film Festival, which, amongst others, went on to win the Audience Award at the Mental Health Rights Film Festival led by the Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health.
In 2022, she premiered her third film, Do This for Me, at BFI Flare, which most recently has won the Best International Film award at the South Dakota Film Festival, solidifying her reputation as a distinguished filmmaker. She has now developed the trilogy of films into a TV series, which in 2023 won ‘Crip Script Pitch’ at ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York. She’s been awarded industry engagement/mentorship with AMC Networks.
Previously, she spent four years as a part of the BFI London Film Festival team, where she produced red carpet content, interviews, and social media coverage.
Beyond her accomplishments in the entertainment industry, April is known for her active advocacy work. She serves as a vocal ambassador for Bipolar UK, actively promoting mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ rights.
Based in both LA and London, her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact through her work has earned her admiration and respect.
Sara Huxley is a BIFA and BAFTA nominated Film & TV Producer and a HETV Line Producer.
Sara originally trained as a professional actor at Rose Bruford College on their BA Acting Course. She founded End of the Line theatre in 2013, which is now an affiliate company of Hull Truck Theatre, then moved into producing film and TV with producing partner April Kelley.
Alongside Mini, Sara has Line Produced many HETV shows including Worzel Gummidge starring Mackenzie Crook for the BBC and Romantic Getaway starring Romesh Ranganathan and Katherine Ryan for Sky Studios.
In 2020, she was Head of Production at Studio71 UK, delivering a multitude of shows to the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery and The History Channel.
Most recently Sara has LP’d a BBC feature-length special of Detectorists starring Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones, which aired on BBC 2 on Boxing Day 2022, and has just finished a pilot for Sky called They F**k You Up, directed by Peter Capaldi and starring Anne-Marie Duff.
In 2021 Sara Huxley was nominated for a TV BAFTA for a film she produced called The Main Part for BBC Sparks. The film was for BBC iPlayer as part of their monologues strand and was directed by Rosie Westhoff (Treacle).
Sara is currently LP’ing a new 4-part drama for ITV about the Post Office Scandal.
In 2022 Sara became a full voting member of BAFTA and was awarded a Fellowship at Rose Bruford College for her extensive work in the industry since graduating.