4 minute read
Students host unique film festival
A scene from Winter Memories, directed by Zahra Kababian and Amir Mahdi Safdari, Iran, 2020
Focus on film
REECE PAPE reports on a new festival celebrating the best of short films around the world
Cinemas have been shut for a while now, and many are itching to see something other than the dregs of Netflix’s catalogue.
But fear not, film fans! For the first time, LJMU’s MA Film students have organised their own online film festival featuring short films from around the globe.
The event was organised entirely by the students as a part of their module ‘Exploring Film Festivals, Distribution and Exhibition’, from selecting and programming the films, to contacting the filmmakers, preparing the texts for the website, designing the poster, coordinating the social media promotion and the publicity, editing the trailers and running the Q&As
It seems like tiring work, but module leader Dr Lydia Papadimitriou believes it to be completely beneficial.
She said: “Putting together this public-facing film festival was a unique opportunity for the MA Film students to have a hands-on experience of what it takes for such an event to materialise. Not only did they understand the complexity of film festival organisation, but they also acquired transferable skills highly valuable for almost any workplace.”
Planning started way back in December, with the festival inviting filmmakers to submit their work online. Receiving around 2962 films from all over the world, the students then had the difficult job of narrowing it down to a more manageable number.
They sat down, popcorn presumably in hand, and digested all the films (hopefully the popcorn too), rated them, and then selected their top six-eight to discuss with the group. From this, a programme of 30 films emerged, as well as three festival “strands”: documentary, fiction and animation.
Student Katherine Morrison said: “From a student’s perspective, the thought of organising the festival, selecting the films and running the event seemed a daunting task at first. This was a role of such enormity that none of us has taken before. Each and every student has embraced the role and thoroughly enjoyed the process of programming and organising our own film festival.
“There were surprising elements and learning experiences along the way. We were very pleasantly surprised at how well-made and produced the films we watched and selected were; and we learned how many people and how much work is involved in making a film festival come to life!”
The festival boasts a rather diverse selection, not just in regards to the films and filmmakers’ country of origin, but also in genre, style and technique. Those in the Animation category range from stop-motion, hand-painted, and CGI. Documentaries featured vary from journalistic to experimental poetry, and fiction spans stylised pieces to the more realist pieces. This is a compelling and exciting collection of short films that will make the audience reconsider reductive perceptions about student-made films.
Short films, particularly those made by students, arguably have a bit of a struggle capturing the attention of general audiences. Setting out to be a festival run by students for students, the organisers are attempting to combat this by shining a spotlight on student filmmakers and give them the ability to show off their work to a wider audience and give them that moment of glory that they deserve.
The idea is that the collection will make the audience reconsider “reductive perceptions” about student-made films.
Connor McAllister, one of those involved in the selection process, said: “There is huge amount of effort evident here, resulting in distinctive and varied films ranging from experimental animations to others focusing on the emotions expressed by characters. Hopefully, these filmmakers will go on to be noticed more in the future until they are standing shoulder to shoulder with the greats”
Dr Papadimitriou added: “It was amazing to see how much talent there is out there and that clearly there is a need for festivals like ours. Student films deserve more of a platform!”
Whilst many are probably sick to death of hearing the words “online-only”, the virtual aspects of the event has proved to be one of the most exciting prospects for the team. It has not only provided the opportunity for them to get in contact with students all over the world, but, with the filmmakers all invited to take part in Q&A sessions during the week, it also opens up the chance for connection to those attending.
The best film in each strand will receive a ‘Paper Bird Award’, with the award itself designed by MA student Beth Moore. The competition will be decided by three independent juries, and the winners will be announced on April 21 in an online ceremony on the festival’s website.
The festival will take place online from April 16-23 on the LJMU MA Short Film Festival’s website: https:// ljmumashortfilmfestival.org/, with the full programme of films being gradually announced in the run up to the event.
It is free to access, and no registration required, so there’s no excuse to miss it!
