Actress and Filmmaker Theresa Godly Tackles Heartbreaking Issue of Parental Alienation in Short Film The Stranger I Love

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Acclaimed British actress and filmmaker Theresa Godly is earning international attention with her powerful short film, The Stranger I Love, inspired by her own harrowing experience with parental alienation. Godly, who wrote, produced, and stars in the 13-minute drama, delivers an intimate, emotionally charged performance that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.

In The Stranger I Love, Godly portrays Nina, a devoted single mother whose life collapses when her son returns from a brief holiday with his father completely changed—cold, distant, and hostile. The film’s devastating portrayal reflects Godly’s real-life trauma and captures the confusion and pain of parental alienation with raw honesty.

“I was inspired and motivated to write this story after being alienated from my beloved eleven-year-old son by his father,” Godly says. “It hit me like a truck—one minute I was kissing my son goodbye as he went on holiday with his dad; three weeks later, I was faced with a child I didn't recognize. I knew I had to speak out and raise awareness because what I experienced has a name: parental alienation. It’s psychological child abuse, and we must confront it.”

Alongside director Martin Gooch, BAFTA-winning cinematographer Damian Paul Daniel (The Black Cop), and a standout performance by rising star Leon Ung (The Long Goodbye, Matilda, Disney’s Snow White), Godly crafted a cinematic experience that shines a crucial spotlight on this hidden crisis. The film concludes with a stirring montage featuring real parents and grandparents who have endured months and years of separation from their children—a powerful call for empathy, understanding, and reform.

Since its completion, The Stranger I Love has been recognized by prestigious festivals including the San Jose International Short Film Festival and The Big Syn International Film Festival. The film is proudly supported by Parental Alienation Awareness UK and the Parental Alienation Study Group (PASG), founded by U.S.-based psychiatrist Dr. William Bernet, one of the world’s leading experts on the issue. Together, these organizations help amplify Godly’s mission to drive meaningful legal and societal change.

Godly, whose acting credits include popular series such as Bridgerton, EastEnders, Doctors, Motherland and Law & Order UK, is already developing the short into a full episodic series, giving voice to countless other families suffering from parental alienation.

The official trailer for The Stranger I Love is now available to view on YouTube.


About Theresa Godly:
Theresa Godly is a British actor-writer-producer of Indian and Nepalese heritage, known for her compelling performances and now recognized for her powerful storytelling behind the camera. The Stranger I Love represents a profound personal commitment to advocacy, family court reform, and the emotional well-being of children worldwide.

She is in pre-production on her next project, Fire Lily, written and directed by Oscar / BAFTA qualifier Phil Dunn, which she is producing in collaboration with seven-time Academy Award nominee and two-time Oscar winner Kim Magnusson.

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