Short turned feature film “The Ballad of Wallis Island” brings laughs and charm to Sundance

Akemnji Ndifornyen, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden. Photo: © 2025 Sundance Institute | photo by George Pimentel/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival.

PARK CITY, Utah — “The Ballad of Wallis Island” charmed Sundance audiences with its blend of humor, music, and reflections on life and art. Before it could charm audiences, it captivated the Sundance programmers, “which isn’t an easy thing to do,” said the presenting programmer.

The film follows Charles, an eccentric lottery winner (and major comedic driver), as he attempts to reunite with his favorite band, McGwyer Mortimer, for a private concert on a fictional Welsh island. While the picturesque location offers a dreamy backdrop, old tensions between bandmates—and former lovers—threaten to derail Charles’s carefully planned evening.

The feature is a reunion for longtime collaborators Tom Basden, Tim Key, and director James Griffiths, who first worked together on the 2007 short film “The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island.” In a post-screening Q&A, Griffiths explained why returning to the world of Wallis Island felt natural. “You find yourself hankering to get back to that emotional place. It was such a wonderful experience making the short, and I kept coming back to it as one of the things I’m most proud of,” he said.

The process of expanding the short into a feature took nearly two decades. Basden noted how the team’s life experiences enriched the story.

“Having 17 or 18 years of living and getting things wrong gave us a new perspective. The feature is so much richer and more emotionally complex than the short, which was really just two strangers meeting,” Basden said.

The chemistry between Basden and Key remains a cornerstone of the film, but the addition of Carey Mulligan and Sian Clifford elevates the narrative. The actresses bring depth and nuance to their roles, with Griffiths praising Mulligan’s ability to bring “grace and truth” to the character of Nell.

The production itself was not without challenges. The team originally hoped to film on an actual island but found logistical hurdles too great. Instead, they recreated Wallis Island on a private beach and nearby farm. “It was incredibly difficult,” Griffiths admitted. “We were running down the beach with all our crew, trying to make it look like the tide hadn’t gone out. It was aggressive, but it was worth it.”

The cast and crew had a mere 18 days to film.

Improvisation also played a role in shaping the film. While the script was tightly written, Griffiths allowed moments of spontaneity to emerge. “We love the looseness of improv but balance it carefully so it doesn’t slow the story,” Key explained.

The film’s ending—anchored by a truncated version of the much-anticipated gig—offers a sense of hope. “We always believed in the ending,” Basden said. “It gives a sense that the characters managed to move on and connect with each other in a meaningful way.”

Sundance audiences were especially drawn to the film’s emotional depth and comedic charm, viewers couldn’t help but smile, laugh, and empathize throughout the film.