FILM PREMIERE: ‘The Calluses’, a new film by Freddie Pearson and Tyler Palmer
25 May 2026 | By Freddie Pearson
The Calluses is a short film written and performed by Freddie Pearson, directed by Tyler Palmer.
I lost my grandma last year after a long battle with dementia, and a week before she died, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with her. She didn't remember entirely who I was, but I recall us sharing a beautiful moment, where we sat next to each other, quietly watching the television, hands clasped.
I remember looking down at our hands, feeling her delicate, paper-thin fingers as I stroked them in between my callused palms, so young and inexperienced in comparison to hers. I felt as if I was holding a life full of adventure and nostalgia in my hands. Both at the opposite ends of our lifetimes, my hands strong and rough from my youthful, active life, and hers fragile and sensitive, but both connected in stories shared, and a life experienced.
I rode the train from Derbyshire back to London, overcome with sadness knowing that this would probably be the last time that I would see her, but also grateful that I had that time with her. I kept looking back at this photo of our hands clasped together, feeling incredibly moved by the idea that our hands represent all the contradictions of the world, all the stories we have shared, the memories we've collected, our regrets and failures, and the things that we're most proud of. Two people, connected by blood, from different generations and backgrounds, one naive and impatient, the other calm and wise, but both human, capable of love and life.
I pictured myself as an eighty-year-old man, and how I might think of my life, as my hands relay the story of my time on earth back to me. How we can build loving relationships and connection, as well as bridges instead of walls, and how the simplest part of our body that we can often overlook and take for granted, can be a symbol for so much more. A symbol of hope, of connection, of art and creativity, and a human bond that we all share.
Freddie Pearson is a British actor and writer from South East London. He will next be seen in the upcoming Amazon series Ride or Die, starring alongside Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, and Bill Nighy. His work explores identity, vulnerability, and the emotional complexities of modern masculinity. His short film 'The Current Beneath', also shot by Tyler Palmer, is currently on the international film circuit and will be released at the end of the year.
Tyler Palmer is a cinematographer, director, and editor with a distinctive visual style and a strong foundation in independent filmmaking. He began creating films at 15 and secured his first professional client by age seventeen, launching a freelance career marked by discipline and creative ambition. His work blends technical precision with emotional sensitivity, crafting visually striking narratives grounded in human experience.