Ben Masters is a UK-trained actor and filmmaker now based in the Ottawa Valley, and he’s putting local talent to work on a story shaped by both global and personal history. His new WWII short film, Two Men Left, follows a British and an American soldier stranded behind enemy lines in Northern France in 1944. In a world increasingly marked by conflict, the film explores how two strangers survive through trust, reminding us that compassion isn’t weakness — it’s what keeps us human. The project is a highly personal one — Masters comes from a family with generations of military service, and several members of the Ottawa-area film team have close ties to the Canadian Armed Forces.
Two Men Left is also built with a longer horizon in mind. Beyond a festival run, Masters hopes the film can live on through charitable screenings in partnership with veterans’ organizations. With a crowdfunding campaign now live and the clock ticking (they have until mid-March to reach their goal), the team is rallying support from Legions, arts groups, heritage institutions, and local organizations across the region to help bring the film to life. theHumm caught up with Ben to learn more.
theHumm: What was the first image, moment, or question that made you feel “I need to tell this story”?
Ben Masters: The first moment wasn’t from a battlefield. It was watching my sister pass basic training when I was young. I remember seeing the immediate bonds she formed with people she had only just met. Later, hearing my brother-in-law speak about his time at war, he didn’t talk first about combat. He spoke about brotherhood, and I could see how those experiences shaped his unbreakable loyalty and love for his family.
Even earlier than that, I remember seeing a photograph of my grandad in his uniform as a young man. He recently passed away, and those memories have taken on even more meaning. There was pride in that image, but also something gentler. The friendships he carried with him long after his service.
As an immigrant in Canada myself, I have learned that it is not similarities that truly connect us. It is empathy. In a world that feels increasingly divided, I wanted to tell a story about ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances, and how once the smoke clears, we are far more alike than we think.
What can a pairing of two people from different backgrounds reveal about service, survival, and trust under pressure?
Bringing together a British soldier and an American soldier creates space for initial misunderstanding and pride. At first, they may view each other through nationality or assumption. But when survival becomes the priority, those surface differences begin to fall away.
For me, that is the heart of the film. Service is not defined by background. Survival strips away ego. And trust is built in the moment you realise the person beside you is your only way home.
How did your own family history, as well as your team’s connections to the Canadian Armed Forces, shape the script?
I grew up seeing what the uniform meant to my family. There was pride, of course, but it was something deeper than that. When they met old comrades or spoke about their service, there was an unspoken bond that never seemed to fade. That stayed with me. It made me curious about what shared adversity does to people, and how hardship can create loyalty that lasts a lifetime.
While the events of Two Men Left are not directly based on my family’s experiences, their stories gave me the emotional foundation to pursue it. I then spent a lot of time researching first-hand accounts from past and present soldiers and listening to interviews with veterans, trying to understand not just what happened to them, but how it shaped them long after the war ended.
From the beginning, I felt a responsibility to honour that reality. Emotionally, I wanted to portray soldiers as human beings first. Not symbols. Not stereotypes. Just people navigating extraordinary circumstances.
You’re building this with regional talent, and aiming for TIFF and the festival circuit. Can you elaborate on your passion to “show that emerging voices in film can compete with the very best”?
For me, building this film regionally is not about proving something out of defiance. It is about demonstrating that quality does not depend on geography. With the right collaboration, discipline and belief, emerging filmmakers can create work that stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best.
Aiming for TIFF and the wider festival circuit is part of that mindset. Not because it sounds impressive, but because it sets a standard. When you aim high, you hold yourself to a higher level of craft.
If Two Men Left finds its way onto those stages, it will not just be a personal achievement. It will be a reflection of what regional voices are capable of when they are given space, support and ambition.
How can the community help you realize your goals?
Right now, the simplest and most powerful way the community can help is by sharing the campaign. We do not have long left. Our crowdfunding runs until March 21, and these final weeks are crucial. Word of mouth makes an enormous difference at this stage, and every contribution, no matter the size, moves us closer to bringing the film to life.
If people visit the campaign page, they will also see the range of incentives the team and I have worked hard to create, from limited edition artwork to behind-the-scenes access, acknowledgements in the film, and even dedications to loved ones in the end credits. We wanted supporters to feel genuinely part of the journey.
We are also reaching out to Legions, arts groups, heritage institutions and local organisations because this story belongs to more than just us. Long-term, I hope to hold charitable screenings locally, including potentially at Studio Theatre Perth, with proceeds going toward veterans’ organisations. The goal is not just to screen the film, but to create space for reflection, conversation and meaningful contribution.
At its heart, Two Men Left is about trust and empathy. If the community believes in that message, then we are building something together.
To support this project or find out more, visit seedandspark.com/fund/two-men-left#story