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By Amy Houston, Senior Reporter

March 3, 2023 | 2 min read

The spot was written and directed by Jordan Rossi who brought his signature style to the project.

Founded in 1974, Switchboard is the second-oldest telephone helpline in the UK and today it has announced a new, free number for people in the LGBTQ+ community to call if they need to.

The 14-minute-long spot details how the prospective university student Amir, played by Waterloo Road’s Adam Ali, is struggling with his sexuality. Throughout the film, he makes numerous calls to Switchboard which leads him on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.

Throughout the video, viewers will note a series of familiar faces including Holby City’s David Ames, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’s Max Harwood and Wednesday actor Oliver Warwick.

On the project, Rossi said: “This short was about more than telling people there’s a free phone number. I believe in the power of entertainment as a driving force behind changing people’s perceptions and tackling societal issues outside of standard advertising. This is about contextualizing issues that face the LGBTQ+ community in a way that everyone can understand.”

While the film publicizes the new free number it also explores contemporary themes surrounding LGBTQ+ culture, something that world-renowned photographer and agency founder Rankin is proud of.

“We like to push culture forward rather than just creating it,” he said of the agency. “Entertainment has the power to tell stories and create meaningful conversations that can change the world. I supported this short film from a very early stage as it’s a conversation we can all empathize with on a human level.”

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