Chiswick Launch for Multi Award-Winning Short Film Last Gasp
David Suchet stars in a film about the true cost of oil
Sir David Suchet plays an investor forced to confront his toxic legacy
May 31, 2026
Sir David Suchet swaps Poirot’s polished shoes for a far darker role in Last Gasp, the multi-award-winning short film making its first public showing on Tuesday 9 June at Chiswick Cinema. The screening forms part of Burning Skies, a collection of five short films exploring the human and environmental cost of oil, hosted by climate-change network Earth Set.
Described by former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas as “a brilliant must-see film,” Last Gasp has already collected a string of honours, including Best Short Fiction Film and Best Director at the London Director Awards, Best Short Drama at the Activists Without Borders Film Festival, and Best Impact and Best Ensemble at the Phoenix Rising International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Tom Cholmondeley, the film follows oil shareholder Robert Harper (Suchet) as he confronts the toxic legacy of his wealth. Inspired by the BBC documentary Under Poisoned Skies, Cholmondeley reimagines the true story of Iraqi teenager Ali Julood, who filmed the devastating effects of gas flaring near the Rumaila Oil Fields before his death from leukaemia at 21.
In Last Gasp, a desperate Iraqi schoolteacher (Waleed Elgadi) and his brother infiltrate Harper’s British home, pleading for him to speak out against the flaring that is killing their children. Suchet’s performance has been praised for its quiet intensity, while the film’s message has resonated strongly with audiences and campaigners alike.
Cholmondeley, who previously collaborated with Suchet on a BBC documentary, said he was “over the moon” when the actor agreed to star. Suchet called the project “a real privilege… something that I hope will be used to cause waves.”
The film is dedicated to Ali Julood, whose father Hussein is suing BP for compensation. Iraq wastes an estimated 17 billion cubic metres of methane each year through flaring — equivalent to the gas used by 15 million UK homes.
Following a pre-release screening at the House of Lords, where then Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy described it as “incredibly powerful,” Last Gasp now reaches its London audience.
After the screening, Earth Set will chair a panel discussion with the director, Mark Davis of Capterio and Rebecca Tremain of Flint Global.
Tickets for Burning Skies at Chiswick Cinema (7 pm, Tuesday 9 June) are available via the venue’s website.
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