Ashes and Sand

This is a British movie set in Brighton. It shows teenage angst and female gang behaviour. The leader of the gang is Hayley (Lara Belmont) and the other gang members are Jo (Beccy Armory), Anna (Sarah French-Ellis) and Lauren (Jessica Harris). They roam the streets of Brighton stalking single men, seducing and then robbing them. Hayley meets a policeman, Daniel (Nick Moran), and becomes fixated on him. She dreams of becoming his girlfriend/lover. Daniel has a shoe fetish and lets himself be seduced by Hayley. The end result is not what he envisages.

Directed by Bob Blagden, Ashes and Sand leans on a strong ensemble — Nick Moran, Lara Belmont, Victoria Scarborough — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2003.