Pin Cushion is a British drama film directed by Deborah Haywood that tells the story of a mother and daughter's struggles to find their place in a new town. Lyn (Joanna Scanlan) and her daughter Iona (Lily Newmark) were forced to move from their home in the countryside to a run-down estate in a new town. They both hope that their life in this new setting will be better and more enjoyable.
Iona, eager to fit in with her new peers, quickly becomes friends with Keely (Sacha Cordy-Nice), Stacey (Bethany Antonia) and Chelsea (Indeya Barrie), three popular girls who are known for being bullies. However, their friendship seems to be built solely on her doing their homework and buying their favor with clothes and makeup. This leaves Lyn feeling left out and she tries to find her own friends. Her neighbor, Belinda (Lesley Manville), an eccentric and childlike woman who loves to dance, soon becomes her friend and confidante.
As Iona's friendship with the three girls becomes more intense, she begins to feel like she's hiding a secret - she's a virgin. Keely, Stacey, and Chelsea make fun of her for it, and make her feel even worse about herself. When the girls plan a sleepover that ends in tragedy and reveals the true intentions of Iona's "friends", Lyn and her daughter's relationship becomes strained and everything begins to fall apart.
Pin Cushion deals with themes of mother-daughter relationships, bullying, and acceptance. Haywood's unique visual style, with its bright colors and fantasy sequences, adds a whimsical touch to the film, but doesn't distract from its darker themes. Scanlan and Newmark deliver extraordinary performances that make us feel deeply for their story, ensuring it will stay with us long after the credits roll. It's a powerful debut film from Haywood and a moving portrayal of two women struggling in a world that's often cruel and unforgiving.