Chuck Chuck Baby

Set against the backdrop of a chicken processing plant in industrial North Wales, CHUCK CHUCK BABY weaves a story of love, loss, music, and female friendship. Helen (Louise Brealey), a gentle and reserved woman, finds herself slowly crumbling under the pressures of her life. She lives with her indifferent husband, his much younger girlfriend, and their newborn, while working night shifts at the local plant. Her only solace comes from music and caring for her elderly mother-in-law, Gwen (Sorcha Cusack). Helen’s monotonous existence is shaken when Joanne (Annabel Scholey), a former neighbour and Helen’s schoolgirl crush, returns to town after her father’s death. Joanne, now unafraid to confront her troubled past, rekindles a bond with Helen that quickly blossoms into friendship and then love. As their relationship deepens, it faces challenges from Helen's unravelling home life and the shifting dynamics within the close-knit group of women at the factory. Writer-director Janis Pugh beautifully captures the complexities of her characters, blending themes of female empowerment, community strength, and joyous, cathartic musical interludes.