Students from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) have worked alongside an acclaimed director on a new short film set against the giant monster sculptures that have taken over the city centre.
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? blends documentary with reality drama. It was shot in less than two days on the Leicester Monster Trail, the series of giant sculptures installed across the city by BID Leicester to encourage people to explore the city centre.
The project was produced by Hiu Man Chan, Programme Lead for DMU’s MSc Cultural Events Management. It brings Kaye, the Grammy Award-winning director best known for American History X (1998) and Detachment (2011), together with DMU students and local creatives who make up both the cast and the crew.
News of the production was revealed last week in an exclusive by entertainment industry title Variety, which described Leicester as one of the most diverse cities in the UK.
Aimed mainly at students and young people, the film centres on candid conversations between its participants and asks whether people can come to understand and love each other despite their differences.
The cast is drawn from DMU’s BA (Hons) Acting programme, with students Adrian Turton, Rhia Burnham, Alexander Whennell, Fiza Safina, Yash Kaur and Tristan Askew taking part.
Students were also behind the camera: Assistant Director and Production Assistant Lara Cutri, Assistant Camera operators Abinaya Mummoorthy and Sara Bonilla, Second Unit Anjola Shobowale and Sound Designers Freddie Fawcett and Pavan Sergill.
The production brought together talent from across the UK, with Leicester-based editor Jasper Alyn Stephens working alongside London-based Director of Photography Louis Lingjaerde.
Hiu Man set up the Leicester Monster Film Project to give students the chance to work with industry professionals on a live production. She hopes it will also change how people see the city.
“I want to challenge how people perceive Leicester,” she said. “We are a city full of creativity, cultural diversity and untapped potential, yet we are not always recognised as a destination for international filmmaking.
“We shouldn’t simply wait for opportunities to arrive in Leicester. We should be creating reasons for the world to come here.”
She added: “Universities should be places where students are empowered not only to learn about the creative industries, but to become part of them. Bringing a filmmaker of Tony Kaye’s calibre together with emerging talent in Leicester is about opening doors and showing our students that extraordinary opportunities can begin right here in the city.”
Hiu Man packaged the film and took it into production in just two weeks. She said the speed of that work was itself an exercise in research, development and knowledge exchange, and part of her wider teaching and research focus on local and global creative collaboration.
For second-year Music Production student Lara Cutri, the shoot was a first taste of life on a film set.
“I was fortunate enough to have such an amazing team around me and get shooting done in just under two days,” said Lara. “Our team was almost entirely up-and-coming actors and crew, so it gave many people their first experience of working in the film industry.”
Second-year Media Production student Abinaya Mummoorthy worked as an Assistant Camera operator and said the experience had built her confidence for a career in film and television.
“It was a really valuable learning experience,” she said. “I worked closely with the Director of Photography, Louis, who guided me throughout the shoot. I learned a lot about operating the camera, setting up shots, getting the right framing and adapting to an outdoor shoot.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to applying what I’ve learned to future projects.”
Post-production on Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? is ongoing, with more updates expected soon.
The film project was supported by DMU colleagues Jeni Seo, Lecturer in BA (Hons) Acting; Peter Batchelor, Programme Lead for BSc Music Technology; Adam Wykes, Programme Lead for BSc Media Production; and the AV Loan Team. Students from BA (Hons) Arts and Festivals Management and Cultural Events Management, along with students from the University of Leicester, also helped behind the scenes.
Posted on Monday 9 November 2026