New short film reveals how a kiss almost killed a young woman

A new short film has been released inspired by the terrifying experience of a young woman who nearly died – as a result of a teenage kiss.

Phoebe Campbell-Harris, now 28, had just turned 18 when she travelled to Paris to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

While in the French capital, the two visited a bar, where they started talking to two men, before the foursome went on to a nightclub. 

It was at the end of the evening that disaster struck: Phoebe and the young man shared a kiss. Just moments later, she realised that she was she was going into anaphylatic shock – a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal.

She told the Times: ‘My throat felt like sandpaper. It had gone all scratchy. That is the first sign, then it becomes harder and harder to swallow and that’s when you know your throat is closing up.’

Checking her face and neck in the nightclub toilet mirror, she noticed that she had a rash across her face and neck, as well as across her stomach.

As Phoebe’s panic increased, she described her senses all becoming ‘heightened’: the world felt like it was closing in. Now in a state of ‘pure panic’, she was trying to calm her breathing down.

She used her EpiPen – a device used to dispense a dose of adrenaline when someone has an allergic reaction – before getting an ambulance and going to hospital.

With her mind racing, she was unable to think of anything she could have done to cause the anaphylaxis, though she knew she hadn’t eaten anything she was allergic to.

However, she later realised what must have led to the event.

According to Phoebe, it is likely that the man she went to the nightclub with must have consumed something containing nuts, thereby triggering the allergic reaction when they kissed.

Now a film-maker, Phoebe – who has had to go to hospital six times due to severe allergic reactions – has collaborated on a short film to try and spread the message of how dangerous allergies can be, and how those with severe ones should always remain vigilant.

Called A Matter of Minutes, the film, which is based loosely on her experience in Paris, show a young woman kissing someone at a party before suffering full anaphylaxis.

According to Phoebe, she hopes the film will help illustrate to people how it feels to suddenly fall into anaphylactic shock, telling the Times that if you haven’t experienced it yourself, it feel like a ‘foreign idea’.

After her own experiences of it – suffering her first severe allergic reaction at three – Phoebe says she has to live in a constant state of hypervigilance’ – being extra careful with what she consumes, and even trying to assess whether someone she may kiss has recently eaten an allergen.

In addition, every time she buys a snack or meal from a shop, she will eat it carefully, taking small bites until she’s sure it’s not contaminated with nuts. She has taken long-haul flights and simply not eaten for 10 hours.

A clip from the short film A Matter of Minutes, which shows how terrifying experiencing a severe allergic reaction is

The film (pictured) was inspired by Phoebe’s experience, and shows a young woman experiencing an allergic reaction after a kiss

However, despite taking these precautions, Phoebe says that her allergy is just part of her life, and she tries not to think about it too much, or for it to limit her too much. 

The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (Narf) is a charity which raises medical funds and offers support to those with allergies.

It was founded in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after an allergic reaction to a Pret A Manger baguette.

Natasha’s parents campaigned to have a a new food safety law – known as ‘Natasha’s Law’ – created, which means that all pre-packed food items for direct sale require full ingredient and allergen labelling.

Phoebe, who describes Narf’s work as ‘amazing’, says Natasha’ Law helps take some of the responsibility off those with allergies, who have ‘so much onus on them already’.

While remaining vigilant, Phoebe notes that there are ‘a million different things that could kill them’ when a person leaves their home, and that focusing on this is ‘not comfortable’ – and so she tries not to focus on the potential risk of having a severe allergic reaction, adding she would ‘encourage other allergy sufferers to find that resistance’.

Speaking about the short film, A Matter of Minutes, Narf founder Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, and the mother of Natasha said she wants everyone to watch it, to educate themselves on ‘how quickly a food allergy can escalate, and how important it is to be aware of what to do in the event of a medical emergency’.

A Matter of Minutes was directed by Hannah Beach, written/produced by Phoebe Campbell-Harris and produced by Sophie Stacey. Executively produced by Academy-Award Winning Production Company Slick Films. To see more updates on the film’s journey please follow: @amatterofminutesfilm.