Oscar-Qualifying Short ‘Clout’ Boarded by New Europe Film Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

New Europe Film Sales has secured world rights for “Clout,” the Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying short film from Jordan Murphy Doidge starring “Jojo Rabbit” breakout Archie Yates.

Written and directed by Doidge, “Clout” follows 13-year-old Oskar (Yates), whose “desperate pursuit of attention spirals into something sinister,” according to the short’s synopsis. Described as “Black Mirror” meets “Stand by Me,” the short examines issues of “identity, vulnerability and the dark side of coming of age online.”

New Europe’s shorts catalogue has included over 15 Oscar-shortlisted films, including the 2017 best live-action short winner “Sing” and 2019 nominee “Weekends.” They have also repped shorts by Ruben Östlund, Magnus von Horn, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Laura Moss, Hlynur Pálmason, Reka Bucsi, Jonas Odell and more.

“Clout” had an Oscar-qualifying premiere at HollyShorts in Los Angeles and has since launched a sold-out U.K. tour of the film in partnership with Everyman cinemas. Alongside Yates, the short stars Anna Wilson-Jones (“Black Mirror”), Nadine Marshall (“Tatami”) Samuel Leakey (“Gretel & Hansel”) and newcomers Obi Laughton Oleforo and Ashwin Chandrasekaran, as well as Kit Price, a model and actor with more than 1 million TikTok followers.

“New Europe is proud to bring ‘Clout’ to the world stage,” said Nela Zielińska, head of shorts at New Europe Film Sales. “Doidge has crafted a film that captures the zeitgeist with emotional depth and cinematic precision. We believe it will resonate strongly with festival programmers, platforms and audiences worldwide.”

“Clout” is produced by Francis Chapman (Sundance grand jury prize winner for “In the Summers”) and co-produced by Lindsay Cullen. The filmmakers have also partnered with the U.K. charities Family Lives, The Mix, Into Film and Arts Emergency to lead post-screening discussions surrounding youth mental health and digital harm.