NORWICH
FILM FESTIVAL 2020
ONLINE
NOVEMBER 2-29
NFF 2020 IS GOING
ONLINE
Check out page 8 or scan/click the QR code to head to the website for more info.
CONTENTS 4 6 8 10 12 14 18 59 60 62 64 66 76
WELCOME NOTE OUR TEAM HOW TO WATCH NFF2020 FESTIVAL STATS OUR 2020 JURY OFFICIAL SELECTION FILM STRANDS EAFA MASH UP COMPETITION OSKA BRIGHT SHORTS EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS GLOBAL AUDIENCES NOMINATED FILMS THANKS
This digital programme contains hyperlinks. Click on names, images, or events for more information.
WELCOME
10 YEARS OF NFF Although we have been lucky enough to move the NFF2020 Official Selection online this year, we are still planning to celebrate our tenth anniversary in style as soon as it is safe to do so. We’ll bring back our industry and networking sessions, Q&As, and so much more. Sign up to our mailing list to be kept up to date with all our future events.
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NFF2020: DIGITAL EDITION This year has been difficult for us all. As we were preparing to welcome audiences to celebrate our 10th anniversary, a global pandemic took hold and put so many things into perspective. There was a long period of time when we weren’t sure what form the festival could even take this year.
We had to come up with a way to achieve that objective while making sure our audiences and volunteers remained safe. Thanks to the wonderful people at Shift72 we were able to transition a lot of our plans online to a digital platform. While we are disappointed not to be able to put on our usual selection of live events, the transition to a digital festival has afforded us one key benefit - we have been able to create our biggest ever programme of short films. We are still hoping to bring a series of live events to our audiences at some point in the new year, but until then, please enjoy our biggest ever festival from the safety and comfort of your own homes.
- Kellen Playford 5
NFF Founder
ABOUT #NFF2020
Throughout all this, however, we were amazed at the amount of films still being submitted to us for consideration. Despite all that was going on, filmmakers were showing incredible resilience and perseverance - they continued working together to create their art and were desperate to share that art with the world. If we cancelled or postponed the festival, we would be doing them a disservice. Our industry is one that is fraught with hardship, setbacks, and rejection at the best of times. Our responsibility as a festival is to support the careers of filmmakers from around the world and to offer new and exciting content to audiences.
OUR TEAM Founder / Lead Consultant
Festival Trustees
Kellen Playford
John Gordon-Saker Alex Saunders Matilda Crumpton-Taylor Keith Johnston Lucy Ward Penny Bartram Fiona Ryder
Participation Manager Siobhan Ennis
Events Co-ordinator Michelle Lillie
ABOUT #NFF2020
Submissions Co-ordinator Charlie Hunt
Festival Patrons
John Collee Olivia Colman Brian Cox Stephen Fry Julian Jarrold Nina Nannar Tim McInnerny Richard Sawdon Smith
Marketing Co-ordinator Ewan Tough
Video Production Ewan Tough Kellen Playford
Friend of the Festival
Poster Design
Hugh Jackman
Brogan O’Grady
Programme & Print Design Brogan O’Grady Kellen Playford
Consultant
Craig Higgins 6
Online Screening Committee Thank you so much to all the volunteers listed below who helped us watch and review hundreds (and hundreds) of hours worth of films this year, ultimately helping us to pick our Official Selection. You helped us to shape NFF2020, and we thank you for all your effort.
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ABOUT #NFF2020
Charlie Hunt, Michelle Lillie, Ewan Tough, Siobhan Ennis, Kellen Playford, Craig Higgins, Juliet Sen Gupta, David Auckland, Molly Potter, Nicholas Hatton, Denise Barrett, Dawn Stock, Barry Dennis, Andy Kirkham, Dean Marriott, Alicia Morgan, Mark Reuter, Simon Nunn, Kerry Curl, Melanie Peter, Hannah Whittaker, Ann-Maeve Taylor, Pauline Andrews, George Chrysostomou, William Schofield, Laura Dwyer, Susan Garratt, Karen Buchanan, Evie Brandish, Justin Abi Assaf, Hector Wood, Niamh Brook, Emma Price, Lisanne van Ingen, Zoe Blacklock, Emily MacDonald, Tina Potter, James Palmer, Chrissie Wightman, Joanne Hollows, Jacob Hewes, Martin Hendry, Sharmila Green, Mark Waters, Dael Brooks, Linda Sheppard, Giorgos Panopoulos, Gavin Spoors, Shelby Cooke, Jolanta Grodecka, Kian Saedi, Melanie Toutakova, James Collie, Mark Jancovich, Richard Vojvoda, Persia Humphreys, Simon Morgan, Tabitha Clarke-Scholes, Sophie Chapman-Smith, Alan Waters, William Plummer, Isobel Pankhurst, Maili Little, Eva Osborne, Zoe Kennedy-Lamb, Alison Kirkham, Sam Briggs, Lucy Guy, Marcy Webb, Delfina Witkowska, Martha C, Harry Fromant, Christos Chrysanthou, Elizabeth Fijalkowski, Tom Moore, Matthew Ivany, Ken Applegate, Greyson Wyatt, Claire Wood, Emily Taithe, Henry Head, Bethany Whymark, Aled VernonRees, Edd Aikens, Kate Stocker-Wright, Thomas Chakrabarti, Leanne Wheeldon, Ella Turner, Cai Draper, Meg Atkinson, Laura Patterson, Richard Sheppard, Simon Best, Juliette Kay, Mary Schofield, Sarah Dance, Amaryllis Macy, Stephen Hulme, NataĹĄa Cordeaux, Sally Cazier, Reed Chapman, Luke Scales, Jarod Hancock, Clifford De Spenser, Tom Prater, Tammy Richardson, Mandy Honeyman, Matt Ecclestone, Rupert Mountjoy, Roanne Ephithite, Bethany Graham, Ryan Whittingham, Talitha Piggott, Rhiannon Talbot-Arnold, Chris Beveridge, Ethan Bagnall, Hollie McGuire, Josh Barnes, Elizabeth Drake.
HOW TO WATCH NFF2020 ONLINE
ABOUT #NFF2020
Due to the global pandemic, we’ve been forced to shift gears this year, as we’re no longer able to safely welcome guests into our venues. But that just means, for the first time ever, NFF is coming to you! You can now watch all our films in the comfort of your own living room, at a time that suits you. We’ve curated a fantastic programme of more than 150 short films which can be streamed on your computer, tablet, phone, or smart TV. All films are available to rent in the UK, with some films being available to global audiences as well (see page 64 for details). While we are devastated that we can’t be with our audiences in person, we are thrilled that this brilliant viewing platform allows us the time to bring you some exclusive bonus content. Many filmmakers have provided us with video introductions to their films, as well as pre-recorded content such as behind the scenes videos - all of which will be available to audiences along with film rentals. You’ll find everything you need to know about our online festival, including rental prices, FAQs, film listings, and film details on our new viewing platform:
watch.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk
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ing View rm fo plat e on liv goes tober! c 30 O
TICKETS Full Festival Pass: £10.00 Nominated Films Pass: £7.50 Film Strands: £3.00 Individual Films: £1.00
FAQs
FOR AN ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL Where do I purchase film tickets from? All tickets can be purchased from watch.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk What’s included in the different type of film passes? Film strands typically consist of between 6 and 8 films based around a similar theme or style (such as Documentary Shorts) and are £3.00. You can buy a pass of just the 24 nominated films for just £7.50, or the full festival pass, which will contain over 130 films from our Official Selection plus all guest strands for only £10.00.
Are film screenings on a certain date or time? Not this year. With the exception of a handful of shorts (details online) all films will be available for the entirety of November and will be ready to screen as soon as a valid pass is purchased.
ABOUT #NFF2020
Is NFF2020 restricted to just the UK? Not completely. Some of our films have been restricted to the UK for licensing reasons, but we have created a special collection called the Global Audience Pass which is only available to people outside of the UK. It costs approx 10USD depending on location and contains over 60 incredible short films.
Do all films have subtitles or closed-captions? The majority of our films are in English. Those that are not either have English subtitles embedded in the film file, or have English subtitles or closed captions available as an option on the video player. Some films have subtitles in other languages available. A full list of these films can be found on our Accessibility page online.
A full list of Q&As can be found at watch.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk. 9
FESTIVAL STATS We’re so proud of how our festival has continued to grow over the last few years. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped us become one of the fastest growing film festivals in the UK.
ABOUT #NFF2020
SUBMISSIONS MAP We were lucky enough this year to receive over 1250 film submissions, from 55 countries around the world, including:
USA (215) GUATEMALA (1) BRAZIL (9) ARGENTINA (4)
UK (658) FRANCE (24) TURKEY (5) BURKINA FASO (1)
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JAPAN (13) CHINA (15) INDONESIA (14) AUSTRALIA(19)
SUBMISSIONS 2018 2019 2020
761 812 1268
INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS 2018 2019 2020
49 Countries 56 Countries 55 Countries
OFFICIAL SELECTION 2018 2019 2020
94 111 132
2020 FEMALE OR NON-BINARY FILMMAKERS 43 % 41 %
Submitted Selected
As always, we are dedicated to helping promote and support gender equality and inclusion throughout the film industry - not just for female filmmakers, but also for those that identify as non-binary.
2020 FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS 31 % 30 %
Submitted Selected
We are committed to supporting filmmakers in the early stages of their careers and will always look to offer a platform for first time filmmakers to showcase their work. 11
OUR 2020 JURY Every film that gets sent to us is watched by at least five members of our Online Screening Committee, which has almost 200 members. Once those scores are in our Executive Team rewatches the highest rated films to finalise our Official Selection and choose our nominated films.
ABOUT #NFF2020
Every year we hand pick 10-15 incredible artists from a range of backgrounds and ask them to watch our nominated films, and to select their favourites. They score each film they watch within a category and once collated, the film with the most points is crowned the winner. This year our fantastic jury consists of:
DEXTER FLETCHER
STEPHEN WOOLLEY
JAMES MARSH
ARIANNE SUTNER
BAFTA nominated director, producer, actor. Rocket Man (2019)
BAFTA winning and Oscar nominated producer. Colette (2019)
Oscar winning director. The Theory of Everything (2014)
Oscar nominated producer. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
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LISA CORTÉS
WILL BECHER
TODD BANHAZL
STUART DRYBURGH
ANTONIO AAKEEL
KATE PHILLIPS
TIM DOWNIE
JULIE LOCKHART
JILL CULTON
Oscar nominated producer, director. Precious (2009)
Writer and actor. Outlander (2018-20)
Screen International Star of Tomorrow actor. Eaten by Lions (2018)
BAFTA nominated producer. The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)
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Cinematographer. Hustlers (2019)
Screen International Star of Tomorrow actress. Peaky Blinders (2016-19)
Hugo nominated animation producer, writer, director. Monster’s Inc. (2001)
ABOUT #NFF2020
Oscar nominated cinematographer. Men In Black: Int. (2019)
BAFTA nominated animator. Early Man (2018)
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SELECTION SELECTION
12th Man (Caitlin Black, UK, 13m) 3 Minutes of Silence (Ben Price, UK, 15m) 37 Things (Zane Roach, Australia, 15m)
Bathtub by the Sea (Ole-André Rønneberg, Norway, 15m) Bird (Wu-Ching Chang, Taiwan, 4m) Born Again (Candice Onyeama, UK, 10m) Brothers Again (Vanja Victor Kabir Tognola, Switzerland, 11m) Bubble (Haonan Wang, China, 14m) Chen Chen (Kargo Chen, Hong Kong, 22m) Cinderella Games (Jessica Wright & Morgann Runacre-Temple, UK, 6m) Common Molly (Georgie Monica, UK, 4m) Cosmic Fling (Jonathan Langager, USA, 10m) Crocodile (Jorge Yudice, Spain, 5m) Crunch (Liukaidi Peng, USA, 10m) Cuckoo (Claire Conway, UK, 19m)
End-O (Alice Seabright, UK, 15m) Fish Head (Grace Tan, Australia, 10m) Five Days to Say Goodbye (Jak Quartermaine, UK, 20m) Flesh (Camila Kater, Brazil, 12m) Forever (Mitch McGlocklin, USA, 7m) Ganef (Mark Rosenblatt, UK, 14m) Ghillie (Mike Marriage, UK, 12m) Gimcrack (Rona Bradley, UK, 18m) Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad (Camrus Johnson & Pedro Piccinini, USA, 5m) Hate (Humza Arshad & Mustapha Kseibati, UK, 12m) Heartbeat (Chi Wang, USA, 9m) His Name Was Gerry (Peter Lee Scott, UK, 12m) Hold (Jonathan Blagrove, UK, 9m) Hungry Joe (Paul Nicholas Holbrook & Sam Dawe, UK, 22m) Hysterical Girl (Kate Novak, USA, 13m)
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#NFF2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION
A Glimpse (Tom Turner, UK, 10m) A Head Shorter (Sasha Sivan Bortnik, USA, 23m) A Hole (James Solomon, New Zealand, 12m) A Separation (Yalan Hu, USA, 15m) Adnan (Steven Chatterton & Mark Arrigo, UK, 15m) Alex & Mr Fluffkins (Adeena Grubb & Andy Biddle, UK, 1m) Alina (Rami Kodeih, USA, 25m) All Inclusive (Teemu Nikki, Finland, 15m) Anna (Dekel Berenson, UK, 15m) Annie & Alistair (Karolina Papp, UK, 3m) Appreciation (Tomisin Adepeju, UK, 14m) Arena (Helen Warner, UK, 13m) Around the Block (Jonnie Lewis, UK, 3m)
Dad Was (Barnaby Blackburn, UK, 12m) Dafa Metti (Tal Amiran, UK, 15m) Danielle (Gareth Warland, UK, 15m) Dawn in the Dark (Runyararo Mapfumo, UK, 16m) Diabla (Ashley George, USA, 15m) Dramatherapy (Philip Monber Pfeiffer, UK, 12m)
#NFF2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION
I Am Pilate (Femi Oyeniran, UK, 12m) If We Smarten Up (Larisa Faber, Romania, 16m) Impermanence (Pham Gia Quy, Vietnam, 19m) In Her Boots (Kathrin Steinbacher, Austria, 6m) In the Shadow of the Pines (Anne Koizumi, Canada, 8m) Innocence (Ben Reid, UK, 20m) Instant Doctor (Youth & Diogo Gemeiro, USA, 7m) Isle of Us (Laura Wadha, UK, 18m) It’s Me (Helen Randag, UK, 15m) Joey (Andrew Knott & William Ash, UK, 14m) Kata (James Latimer, Japan, 7m)
Pampas (Jessica Bishopp, UK, 5m) Patina (Lucas Stones, UK, 11m) Pavement (Jason Wingard, UK, 10m) Petrichor (Louis-Jack, UK, 16m) Pods (Michael Junior Onafowokan, UK, 16m) Portraitist (Cyrus Neshvad, Luxembourg, 16m) Princess (Edem Kelman, UK, 9m) Project 282 (Paddy Bartram, UK, 10m) Proud to be Bald (Jade Eagle, UK, 4m) Rangda (E Seul An, Korea, 19m) Reappear (Tommy Clarke, UK, 14m) Remember When (Maili Little, UK, 7m) Ride (Tian, China, 8m) Rock Country (Dimegaz, Spain, 7m)
Leopard (James Arden, UK, 17m) Letter of Forgiveness (Alina Serban, Romania, 15m) Liverpool Ferry (Lee Armstrong, UK, 19m) Lola (Alexander Vlahos, UK, 16m) Love Spell (Lauren Vevers, UK, 10m) Lucky Break (John Addis, UK, 11m)
Scrum (Kate Graham, UK, 14m) Sh_t Happens (Michaela Mihalyi & David Štumpf, Czech Republic, 14m) She (Matt Greenhalgh, UK, 5m) Ma’am (Joy Wilkinson, UK, 15m) Shoal (Tammes Bernstein, UK, 23m) Muse (Azhur Saleem, UK, 13m) Simulacra (Curry Sicong Tian, USA, 7m) My Brother is a Mermaid (Alfie Dale, UK, 19m) Something Borrowed (Micky Wozny, UK, 8m) My Father the Mover (Julia Jansch, USA, 13m) Song Sparrow (Farzaneh Omidvarnia, My Mum’s Letters (Antonio Sequeira, Portugal, Denmark, 12m) 16m) Square One (Emily Jo Sargent, UK, 12m) Sulphur (Lana Vlady, Russia, 20m) On Air (Bastiaan Rook, Netherlands, 18m) Sweater (Zilai Feng, USA, 2m) Opening the Earth: The Potato King (Eric Sweet Street (Coz Greenop, UK, 15m) Ebner & Aaron Ebner, Peru, 19m) Our Sister (Rosie Westhoff, UK, 14m) Ouzo and Blackcurrant (Nat Luurtsema, UK, 7m)
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Umama (Talia Smith, South Africa, 20m) Underwater (Michael Keogh, UK, 23m) Verisimilitude (David Proud, UK, 14m) We Met Before (Thalissa Teixeira, UK, 12m) Wicked Friday Night (Mark Jackson, UK, 1m) Wings (Jamie Weston, UK, 18m)
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#NFF2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION
Take It and End It (Kirineos Papdimatos, Greece, 21m) Take Me (Claire Norowzian, UK, 5m) Talk Radio (Ben S. Hyland, UK, 9m) The Act (Thomas Hescott, UK, 18m) The Appointment (Alexandre Singh, UK, 20m) The Beekeeper (William McGregor, UK, 13m) The Binding of Itzik (Anika Benkov, USA, 18m) The Blood Bride (Hannah McKibbin & Caspar Leopard, UK, 20m) The Bull (Bojan Labović, Slovenia, 13m) The Cloud is Still There (Mickey Lai Loke Yee, Malaysia, 19m) The Coral Guardian (David I. Dincer, Germany, 11m) The Flood (Kristijan Krajnčan, Slovenia, 15m) The Flying Gold of Arabuko (John Davies, UK, 10m) The Last Supper (Michael Risley, USA, 12m) The Lonely Prince (Sivin & Sunny, India, 15m) The Passing (Nichola Wong, UK, 16m) The Recordist (Indianna Bell & Josih Allen, Australia, 19m) The Ribbon (Jonathan Galland, USA, 5m) The Snow Maze (Sam Cadman, UK, 11m) The World is Thirsty (Isabel de la Torre, Spain, 1m) This Camera is Broken (Joshua Hext, UK, 6m) Thousand Yesterdays (Thomas McDonald, UK, 12m) Tick Tick Tick (Larry Ketang & Liam White, UK, 15m) To the Dusty Sea (Héloïse Ferlay, France, 13m) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Shiyue Xu, China, 12m) Two Little Boys (Farbod Khoshtinat, USA, 14m)
PLAY TRAILER
FILM
STRANDS
Want a free taster? Rent THE MIX TAPE VOL. 1 for absolutely free!
Our 2020 Official Selection consists of over 130 incredible films from around the world. We’ve curated those films into 19 different film strands to make it easier for you to watch and enjoy as many shorts as possible. These film strands are just the same as our film sessions we screen each year, and are grouped around theme, genre, style, or content.
ANIMATED SHORTS BRITISH MIX VOL. 1
And if you can’t decide, there are some mix tapes, which contain a little bit of eveything.
BRITISH MIX VOL. 2 EAST ANGLIAN COLLECTION EMERGING TALENT
Each of the following strands are available for the duration of the festival and can be rented for just £3 each.
ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTS EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS HISTORICAL SHORTS
Alternatively, rent the full Festival Pass which includes all these strands and more, for only £10.00.
INTERNATIONAL MIX VOL. 1 INTERNATIONAL MIX VOL. 2 LATE NIGHT SHORTS LGBTQ+ SHORTS SCI-FI & FANTASY SHORTS THE MIX TAPE VOL. 1 (FREE!) THE MIX TAPE VOL. 2 THE MIX TAPE VOL. 3 WOMEN IN FILM OSKA BRIGHT SHORTS EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS
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FILM STRANDS
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
ANIMATED SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
SIT BACK AND ENJOY A SELECTION OF NINE DELIGHTFUL ANIMATED SHORT FILMS FROM OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION, EXPLORING THEMES OF LOVE, LOSS, LIFE, AND FRIENDSHIP ACROSS A RANGE OF INNOVATIVE ANIMATION TECHNIQUES.
A HEAD SHORTER
ALEX & MR FLUFFKINS
A man recounts the harrowing journey he experienced as a boy during the Holocaust, forced to leave his home and held prisoner in multiple concentration camps.
With quarantine nearing the end, is life about to change for Alex and his cat, Mr Fluffkins?
Sasha Sivan Bortnik | USA | 23m
Adeena Grubb & Andy Biddle | UK | 1m
ANNIE & ALISTAIR
COSMIC FLING
A short film reflecting on the lives of a couple with a lifetime of memories. Inspired by Flyte’s song ‘Annie and Alistair’.
Stan lives alone on an asteroid. After spotting a fellow astronaut stranded on a passing comet, he falls instantly in love, but extreme measures will be needed to reach her.
Karolina Papp | UK | 3m
Jonathan Langager | USA | 10m
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CRUNCH
GRAB MY HAND: A LETTER TO MY DAD
When watching a spaceship launching, a space agency worker is hit by a mysterious lightning and starts to grow bigger. But there seems no way to stop…
Camrus Johnson & Pedro Piccinini | USA | 5m A personal story of grief and how little interactions play a huge part in our lives.
IN HER BOOTS
SH_T HAPPENS
Heidi is experiencing strange things. While her granddaughter is visiting, she suddenly embarks on a hiking journey, to the deepest parts of the Alps.
The caretaker exhausted by everything, his frustrated wife and one totally depressed deer.
Kathrin Steinbacher | Austria | 6m
Michaela Mihalyi & David Štumpf | Czech Republic | 13m
SOMETHING BORROWED Micky Wozny | UK | 8m
Pen to paper, a sweet old woman can’t find the right words. But when she lends her pen to a hopeless young chap, a whirlwind of a chase ensues.
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FILM STRANDS
Liukaidi Peng | USA | 10m
BRITISH MIX VOL. 1
FILM STRANDS
FROM AN ECCENTRIC DANCE-BASED RETELLING OF A CLASSIC FAIRY TALE, TO A FORMER WUNDERKIND OF THE SNOOKER WORLD BATTLING TO REVIVE HIS CAREER, THIS STRAND FEATURES SOME OF THE GREATEST BRITISH FILMMAKING TALENT IN OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION.
3 MINUTES OF SILENCE
ANNA
A troubled and anxious young girl, who feels shut out from the wider world, finds a way to connect with it again when she finds an unlikely haven in a Manchester boxing gym.
Living in war-torn Ukraine, Anna is an aging single mother who is desperate for a change and so goes to party with a group of American men who are searching for love.
CINDERELLA GAMES
DAD WAS
A group of contestants battle it out in a competitive game show, each one desperate to prove they are the real Cinderella.
On a cold Glasgow morning, Mattie must give the eulogy at his father’s funeral. This film is a meditation on grief, memory, and shielded masculinity.
Ben Price | UK | 15m
Dekel Berenson | UK | 15m
Jessica Wright & Morgann RunacreTemple | UK | 6m
Barnaby Blackburn | UK | 12m
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The award for BEST BRITISH FILM is proudly sponsored by:
PAVEMENT
Uloaku works the graveyard shift at a remote service station and is bored out of her mind. Fortunately a chance encounter with a suspicious stranger will soon fix that‌
A homeless man wakes up and the pavement has grown over his legs. Only one person is sympathetic to his plight but will her empathy alone be enough to save him?
PETRICHOR
TICK TICK TICK
A former wunderkind of the snooker world has one last chance to revive his career. Battling with addiction, is there more at stake than just the score?
A comedy about what it means to be a worker bee with a mind of your own. Would you betray your personal beliefs for your job?
John Addis | UK | 11m
Jason Wingard | UK | 10m
Louis-Jack | UK | 16m
Larry Ketang & Liam White | UK | 14m
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FILM STRANDS
LUCKY BREAK
BRITISH MIX VOL. 2
FILM STRANDS
ENJOY EIGHT MORE CAPTIVATING SHORT FILMS FROM BRITISH FILMMAKING TALENT. FROM A SOCIAL REALIST FAIRYTALE ABOUT A TRANS-FEMININE TEENAGER, A HILARIOUS DARK COMEDY ABOUT A SEEMINGLY HAPPILY MARRIED MIDDLED AGED COUPLE, AND A LOCKDOWN SHORT ABOUT A LAD TRYING TO RECLAIM HIS ‘WICKED FRIDAY NIGHTS’ DURING THE PANDEMIC – THIS STRAND IS NOT TO BE MISSED!
BORN AGAIN
JOEY
Nwa is a British Nigerian woman tormented by her inability to have children, however, a transformative baptism leads her on a journey of healing and rebirth.
A lonely clown with a terrible secret, working in a forgotten seaside resort, falls in love with a local waitress.
Candice Onyeama | UK | 10m
Andrew Knott & William Ash | UK | 14m
MY BROTHER IS A MERMAID
SHE
A social realist fairytale about a transfeminine teenager, as seen through the eyes of their 7 year old brother.
A frantic young woman struggles against an unstoppable inner voice that battles against all logic, rhyme or reason… compelling her to endure a journey that takes her to the edge.
Alfie Dale | UK | 19m
Matt Greenhalgh | UK | 5m
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The award for BEST BRITISH FILM is proudly sponsored by:
THIS CAMERA IS BROKEN
Pauline and Barry are a seemingly happily married couple. That is until Pauline tunes into relationship hour on Talk Radio and thinks she recognises the nameless voice full of regret.
An ageing director uses her final film as a chance to delve into her past. Face to face with the embodiment of her younger self, the lines begins to blur.
UNDERWATER
WICKED FRIDAY NIGHT
Jack, an achiever in-and-out of the pool, learns that winning isn’t everything. As acknowledgement and adulation fades who is there for him when he really needs it?
An enthusiastic lad is determined to stay positive in lockdown, and takes it upon himself to find new ways to make sure he can continue to have wicked Friday nights.
Ben S. Hyland | UK | 9m
Joshua Hext | UK | 6m
Michael Keogh | UK | 23m
Mark Jackson | UK | 1m
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FILM STRANDS
TALK RADIO
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
A WONDERFUL SELECTION OF DEEPLY PERSONAL AND ENGAGING TRUE STORIES. FROM A FARMER IN PERU WHO COULD BE THE LAST OF HIS KIND, TO REFUGEES STRUGGLING TO MAKE A LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE EIFFEL TOWER, TO A JAPANESE SCHOOLGIRL WHO BECOMES A NATIONAL KARATE CHAMPION.
AROUND THE BLOCK
DAFA METTI
Creation for creation’s sake can be a struggle. Push through the difficulties of creative paralysis and self-doubt by focusing on the work of street artist, David Zinn.
Under Paris’ glittering Eiffel Tower, undocumented Senegalese migrants sell miniature souvenirs of the monument to support their families back home.
DANIELLE
Gareth Warland | UK | 15m
IN THE SHADOW OF THE PINES
An intimate portrait of Danielle, a woman with deep connection to family and environment, who lives a very full life around the obstacles presented by her MS.
A difficult father-daughter relationship inspired by the filmmaker’s own upbringing with her immigrant dad.
Jonnie Lewis | USA | 3m
Tal Amiran | UK | 15m
Anne Koizumi | Canada | 8m
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The award for BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM is proudly sponsored by:
KATA
Haunted by the ghost of war, a stoic Syrian Barber is trying to build a home for himself and his family on a remote Scottish island.
A fantastical and dramatic journey through the mind of 13 year old Mahiro Takano, an unprecedented 6 year in-a-row national ‘Kata’, Karate form champion.
MY FATHER THE MOVER Julia Jansch | USA | 13m
OPENING THE EARTH: THE POTATO KING
In South Africa, an inspirational man nicknamed ‘The Mover’ motivates kids to transcend poverty and ignite their own sense of freedom through the power of dance.
Julio Hancco is a guardian of biodiversity, critical to the survival of humanity. He represents a way of life that is being lost.
Laura Wadha | UK | 18m
James Latimer | Japan | 7m
Eric & Aaron Ebner | Peru | 19m
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FILM STRANDS
ISLE OF US
EAST ANGLIAN COLLECTION FROM AN EXPERIMENTAL DOCUMENTARY EXPLORING THE BURDENS OF AGEING, TO A TENSE CRIME THRILLER SET ENTIRELY IN A PARKED CAR – THIS STRAND FEATURES SHORT FILMS FROM JUST A FEW OF THE TALENTED FILMMAKERS IN EAST ANGLIA.
FILM STRANDS
THIS STRAND ALSO FEATURES THE WINNERS OF THE EAST ANGLIAN FILM ARCHIVE’S MASH-UP FILMMAKING COMPETITION.
EAFA MASH-UP WINNERS
FIVE DAYS TO SAY GOODBYE
The two winning films from the 2020 EAFA Mash-up Competition, utilising archive material from the East Anglian Film Archive.
A grieving mother has a string of final conversations with her son. She shares with him her love, memories and thoughts on life after bereavement.
HOLD
PATINA
Tommy, an out of work building contractor, faces up to the consequences when a series of phone calls expose a lie that spirals out of control.
In a society that stresses the burdens of ageing, Patina frames old age in a personal and progressive manner, responding to beauty standards and eco-anxiety.
18’s and over - Phoebe Cullum Under 18’s - Charlotte Thistlewood
Jak Quartermaine | UK | 20m
Jonathan Blagrove | UK | 9m
Lucas Stones | UK | 11m
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The award for BEST EAST ANGLIAN FILM is proudly sponsored by:
REMEMBER WHEN
A short documentary film exploring Louisa Sadler’s experience with Alopecia, how she finds positivity and remains confident.
A lockdown film. A letter. A love transcending separation. Remember When offers a fictional snapshot of life during the pandemic.
THE SNOW MAZE
WINGS
10-year-old Adam is an isolated boy tormented by the school bully, until the arrival of a new classmate and the discovery of an old key changes everything.
Two women fall in love whilst working as Land Girls during WWII, but when the men return, so must normality. It will take an unexpected twist of fate to reunite the pair.
Jade Eagle | UK | 4m
Maili Little | UK | 7m
Sam Cadman | UK | 11m
Jamie Weston | UK | 18m
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FILM STRANDS
PROUD TO BE BALD
EMERGING TALENT
FILM STRANDS
OUR EMERGING TALENT STRAND RETURNS WITH SIX STUNNING SHORT FILMS FROM SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST PROMISING STUDENT FILMMAKERS. FEATURING CAPTIVATING STORIES SPANNING A DIVERSE RANGE OF GENRES AND THEMES, THIS STRAND OFFERS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT GENERATION OF FILMMAKING TALENT.
DIABLA
HEARTBEAT
After surviving assault, an enigmatic 17-yearold Mexican girl finds retribution through her untapped female power and local witch culture.
Under the impact of the passing on antiabortion “Heartbeat Bill”, the conflict between a pregnant 18-year-old and her devoted Christian mom begins to grow.
MY MUM’S LETTERS
TO THE DUSTY SEA
Alice is the bubbly, colourful daughter of Death! Every day she receives a letter with her next job, but her bond with a suicidal teenager soon disrupts her duties.
Left alone in the deepest of the summer, Malo and Zoe are trying their best to catch their mother’s elusive eye…
Ashley George | USA | 15m
Chi Wang | USA | 9m
Antonio Sequeira | Portugal | 16m
Héloïse Ferlay | France | 12m
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FILM STRANDS
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR Shiyue Xu | China | 12m
Tommy pursues his dream of becoming a pianist. Different compositions of the famous song are used to reflect his journey.
UMAMA
Talia Smith | South Africa | 20m The morning after having made a promise to celebrate her son’s academic achievement, Domestic worker Sibongile wakes to find he is missing.
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ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
FROM A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY OF VERTICAL DANCE ON THE SIDE OF A ROCK FACE, TO POWERFUL DOCUMENTARIES EXPLORING SUSTAINABLE BUTTERFLY FARMING AND A BEEKEEPER FACING THE LOSS OF HER ANCESTRAL HOME - BE INSPIRED BY SIX INCREDIBLE SHORT FILMS EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL THEMES.
ROCK COUNTRY
TAKE IT AND END IT
Women perform attached to bungee ropes on the side of a rock face in a spectacular display of ‘vertical dance’. Their routine explores women taking the lead.
Underlying tensions rise to the surface as a disgruntled butcher discovers that one of his young calves is in line to be slaughtered.
Janire Etxabe | Spain | 7m
Kirineos Papadimatos | Greece | 20m
THE BEEKEEPER
THE BULL
A beekeeper on the island of Anglesey faces losing her ancestral home to the development of a nuclear power plant.
Feeling too young to grow old and too old to start over, an unemployed art teacher has an encounter with a bull who has just escaped from a slaughterhouse…
William McGregor | UK | 15m
Bojan Labović | Slovenia | 12m
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The ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTS strand is proudly sponsored by:
FILM STRANDS
THE FLYING GOLD OF ARABUKO John Davies | UK | 10m
In Kenya, sustainable butterfly farming has become an unlikely saviour of the last indigenous forest on the East African coast.
THE WORLD IS THIRSTY
Isabel de la Torre | Spain | 1m Despite the crucial relationship between water and the production of our food, human beings are still wasting this precious resource.
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EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
JOIN US FOR THIS DEDICATED EXPERIMENTAL STRAND FEATURING AN ECLECTIC RANGE OF INNOVATIVE SHORTS, ALL DELIVERED THROUGH SPECTACULAR EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES. FROM A DOCUMENTARY SHOT ENTIRELY USING LIDAR FOOTAGE, TO A STUNNING EXPLORATION OF MENTAL HEALTH TOLD THROUGH DANCE, THIS STRAND IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
BIRD
COMMON MOLLY
A girl suffers from a feeling of great discomfort that comes without warning. A chaotic, dissociated journey into her unconsciousness begins.
When a disturbing presence casts a shadow over everything you do, there comes a moment when you have to confront it. An exploration of intrusive thoughts.
FOREVER
PAMPAS
A life insurance company uses an AI algorithm to determine the risk of a new applicant. The subsequent denial sparks a period of introspection for the individual.
Sexual signalling and suburban myth; what does your front garden say about you? A look at sexual signalling, female desire, subcultures, and suburban legend.
Wu-Ching Chang | China | 4m
Georgie Monica | UK | 4m
Mitch McGlocklin | USA | m
Jessica Bishopp | UK | 5m
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SIMULACRA
SWEATER
A surreal blend of dance, movement, and animation is used to capture the life journey of an elderly Japanese Geisha, and the relationships she has experienced.
An unsuspecting man struggles his way into a colourful jumper. Before he knows it, he finds himself whisked into a psychedelic kaleidoscope of patterned wool.
THE APPOINTMENT
THE BLOOD BRIDE
A curmudgeonly novelist wakes from a nightmare to find a troubling entry in his diary: 12 o’clock at the restaurant ‘La Folie’. But whom is Henry meeting, and why?
When a young woman held captive by a trafficking gang is shot, she falls into a surreal journey through her subconscious.
Curry Sicong Tian | USA | 6m
Zilai Feng | USA | 2m
Hannah McKibbin & Caspar Leopard | UK | 19m
WE MET BEFORE
Thalissa Teixeira | UK | 11m When a friend suffers from an illness, it opens the door for people round him to be able to talk about their own life’s struggles. When words are too hard, music takes its place.
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FILM STRANDS
Alexandre Singh | UK | 20m
FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS
FILM STRANDS
FROM AN ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY IN WHICH FIVE WOMEN SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN RELATION TO THE BODY, TO A DRAMEDY FEATURING A HASIDIC BOOKBINDER WHO BECOMES ENTANGLED IN AN EMOTIONALLY INTENSE RELATIONSHIP WITH A STRANGER ON THE INTERNET, THIS BRAND-NEW STRAND FEATURES SIX SHORT FILMS FROM FILMMAKERS MAKING THEIR DIRECTORIAL DEBUT.
FLESH
IF WE SMARTEN UP
Rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done. Through intimate and personal stories, five women share their experiences in relation to the body.
Homeless and stranded after losing her flat, live-in maid Maria decides to declare the building’s broom cupboard her new home. The neighbours are far from pleased.
REAPPEAR
THE BINDING OF ITZIK
Frank decides to restore his late father’s vintage motorcycle, so that he can recreate his mother’s most treasured photograph. The project will kickstart his own journey.
Searching for bookbinding materials, a middle-aged Hasidic bookbinder stumbles across an advert offering ‘binding lessons for submissive women.’
Camila Kater | Brazil | 12m
Larisa Faber | Romania | 16m
Tommy Clarke | UK | 13m
Anika Benkov | USA | 17m
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FILM STRANDS
THE CLOUD IS STILL THERE
Mickey Lai Loke Yee | Malaysia | 19m When her grandfather becomes ill a young Christian woman, faces a critical decision over whether she should intervene with her family’s traditional Taoist rituals.
THE LAST SUPPER
Michael Risley | USA | 12m A young boy, overlooked by his parents and rejected by his peers, finds himself on an adventure of a lifetime when he accidentally lets the wily family turkey escape the pen.
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HISTORICAL SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
FIVE CAPTIVATING HISTORICAL SHORT FILMS EXPLORING STORIES FROM A RANGE OF TIME PERIODS. FROM THE EVE OF DECRIMINALISATION FOR ACTS OF MALE HOMOSEXUALITY IN 1965, TO QUEEN VICTORIA AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE – SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS BRAND-NEW STRAND FOR 2020.
ALINA
GANEF
As Nazis separate children from their parents in the Warsaw Ghetto, a gang of women risks everything to smuggle their friend’s three-month-old baby to safety.
A little girl, spooked by her mother’s paranoia, starts to believe her adored cleaner is a thief.
LETTER OF FORGIVENESS
MA’AM
In the household of a wealthy Romanian noblewoman in 1855, Maria, a Roma-Gipsy slave, fights to obtain freedom for her son Dinca.
Queen Victoria as you’ve never seen her before – the original ‘Instamum’, struggling with post-natal depression while facing a photo shoot to show off her perfect family.
Rami Kodeih | USA | 25m
Mark Rosenblatt | UK | 14m
Alina Serban | Romania | 15m
Joy Wilkinson | UK | 15m
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FILM STRANDS
THE ACT
Thomas Hescott | UK | 18m 1965, the eve of decriminalisation for acts of male homosexuality. A young gay man at odds with the world, discovers love, sex and a family in the backstreet bars of Soho.
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INTERNATIONAL MIX VOL. 1
FILM STRANDS
ENJOY A DIVERSE RANGE OF EXCITING SHORT FILMS FROM INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKERS. FROM A COMEDY ABOUT THE PERILS OF WORKING WITH CLIENTS, TO A TENSE ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER FOLLOWING AN UNHINGED SOUND RECORDIST, TO A THRILLING ACTION FILM SET ON THE STREETS OF VIETNAM – THIS STRAND IS NOT TO BE MISSED!
A HOLE
ALL INCLUSIVE
James Solomon | New Zealand | 12m
Teemu Nikki | Finland | 15m Kalervo, who has always felt powerless and unable to fight back, is gifted a miraculous opportunity to change his life.
A workman digs a perfect hole in a cracked earthen plain. A series of well-dressed people come offering contradictory advice.
IMPERMANENCE
RANGDA
When a man falls out of a window from a Chinese restaurant in Saigon, the stories unfold through different perspectives by different people on what has happened.
Ji-yoon finds herself trapped in a hospital with a sinister atmosphere. Her roommate’s decrepit appearance and the strange behaviour of her carer scares her.
Pham Gia Quý | Thailand | 19m
E Seul An | South Korea | 18m
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FILM STRANDS
THE FLOOD
Kristijan KrajnÄ?an | Slovenia | 15m A long-absent father and his neglected son set off on a reconciliation trip, heading for the family mountain hut.
THE RECORDIST
Indianna Bell & Josiah Allen | Australia | 18m When a sound recordist tunes into a young actress having an affair with a director, he uses the recording to blackmail her.
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INTERNATIONAL MIX VOL. 2
FILM STRANDS
FROM A MODERN FEMINIST RE-EXAMINATION OF SIGMUND FREUD’S SOLE CASE STUDY OF A FEMALE PATIENT, TO A HARROWING REFUGEE STORY TOLD THROUGH THE USE OF PUPPETS, JOIN US FOR SEVEN MORE FILMS FROM SOME OF THE FINEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKING TALENT.
FISH HEAD
HYSTERICAL GIRL
An alienated teen on the cusp of womanhood must find solace in an alternate coming of age, where lines of gender dissolve by the surrounds of the sea.
Sigmund Freud’s sole case study of a female patient is re-examined from a modern feminist perspective. This documentary exposes Freud’s ideas about ‘hysteria’.
ON AIR
PORTRAITIST
Brian is a cynical local radio DJ. During a live broadcast he is abruptly shaken out of his rut when a caller threatens to take his mother’s life.
A suicidal grandfather kindles a relationship with his dying granddaughter through art.
Grace Tan | Australia | 10m
Kate Novack | USA | 13m
Bastiaan Rook| Netherlands | 18m
Cyrus Neshvad | Luxembourg | 16m
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SONG SPARROW
A man decides to give up his miserable life and get back on track after experiencing a series of chance encounters with strangers, which inadvertently prove life-changing.
A group of refugees pay a smuggler to transport them to a safer country inside a meat lorry but things do not go well for them.
Tianyang Hou | China | 7m
Farzaneh Omidvarnia | Denmark | 11m
THE LONELY PRINCE
Sivin & Sunny | India | 15m A lonely prince invites a sculptor to his court to create a piece of art just for him. As the days pass, the prince and sculptor grow closer.
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FILM STRANDS
RIDE
LATE NIGHT SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
IT’S BACK! OUR POPULAR LATE NIGHT STRAND RETURNS WITH ANOTHER GRUESOME SELECTION OF FILMS TO DELIGHT HORROR FANS! SIT BACK, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS, AND ENJOY A HANDPICKED SELECTION OF TERRIFYING SHORTS FROM OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION.
ARENA
BUBBLE
Trapped in a vicious circle fulled by envy and jealousy, a theatre understudy transcends and finally confronts the real source of her dark emotions.
On an ordinary night, concealed in an alleyway, a man and woman dine together in a quiet restaurant. The food the man gorges will instigate an outlandish transformation.
CUCKOO
HUNGRY JOE
An insecure mother tries to maintain the bond with her son as he starts to reject her and threats from the outside world put a strain on their relationship.
A single mother struggles to bond with her apathetic child; born with an insatiable and increasingly inhumane appetite.
Helen Warner | UK | 13m
Haonan Wang | China | 14m
Clare Conway | UK | 19m
Paul Nicholas Holbrook & Sam Dawe | UK | 22m
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FILM STRANDS
IT’S ME
Helen Randag | UK | 15m Set over the course of an evening, a mother remembers moments from a game she played with her son throughout his childhood. Tragedy strikes when he returns.
OUZO AND BLACKCURRANT Nat Luurtsema | UK | 7m
Two old friends take a trip down memory lane, but they are not alone – there’s someone there who never left.
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LGBTQ+ SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
RETURNING FOR ITS SECOND YEAR, THIS STRAND FEATURES SEVEN POWERFUL LGBTQ+ NARRATIVES, FROM TWO SCOTTISH GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL PLAYERS COMING TO TERMS WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIP, TO A TEENAGE GIRL IN 1999 WHO CASTS A SPELL AT HER BUFFY SHRINE TO MAKE HER BEST FRIEND FALL IN LOVE WITH HER.
12TH MAN
CROCODILE
In the ultra-masculine environment of Scottish grassroots football, star players Angus & Charlie struggle to come to terms with their relationship, sexuality, and place in the team.
A YouTuber takes questions from his fans during a live-stream. An unexpected comment forces him to navigate his personal circumstances away from keyboard…
LEOPARD
LOLA
Rocky, a born-and-bred London teenager, begins to question the strict routine set by her father – as well as deeper feelings about her own identity.
The fear of acceptance is breaking down the relationship of Ruby and Paul. A secret is tearing the pair apart and today is the day Ruby’s curiosity gets the better of her…
Caitlin Black | UK | 13m
Jorge Yudice | Spain | 5m
James Arden | UK | 17m
Alexander Vlahos | UK | 16m
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SQUARE ONE
In 1999 in a high school in Newcastle-uponTyne, a teenage girl casts a spell to make her best friend fall in love with her.
Holly finds herself stuck in a closeted relationship. In the hope of avoiding sex, she distracts her partner James with fishing trips.
Lauren Vevers | UK | 10m
Emily Jo Sargent | UK | 12m
TWO LITTLE BOYS
Farbod Khoshtinat | USA | 13m A boy’s secret love for his closeted bully drives him into an unconventional road to confession and its consequences.
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FILM STRANDS
LOVE SPELL
SCI-FI & FANTASY SHORTS
FILM STRANDS
ESCAPE FROM REALITY WITH THIS COLLECTION OF EIGHT INNOVATIVE SCIENCE-FICTION AND FANTASY SHORT FILMS, FROM A DYSTOPIAN DRAMA SHOT ON AN ABANDONED NORFOLK AIRFIELD, TO A VISIONARY STORY OF A DEEP-SEA DIVER WHO IS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
BATHTUB BY THE SEA
BROTHERS AGAIN
Gunnar is set in his ways, but things get complicated when his outdoor bathing schedule is disrupted by a mermaid.
Franco lives his life in serenity together with his wife Margherita. The arrival of his brother breaks the calm.
GHILLIE
GIMCRACK
An ageing Scottish deer hunter conceals a dark secret from his wife, who is confined at home with dementia.
In a future destroyed by environmental disaster, a nomadic woman finds her survivalist values tested when she meets a mother and daughter in need of protection.
Ole-André Rønneberg | Norway | 11m
Vanja Victor Kabir Tognola | Switzerland | 11m
Mike Marriage | UK | 12m
Rona Bradley | UK | 18m
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MUSE
In a future where machines carry out medical diagnosis, Charles visits an automated booth in a subway station with a nasty cough.
An artist turns to his android muse for help when trying to sell his newest paintings, but events take a dark turn when the android learns what has inspired the work.
THE CORAL GUARDIAN
THOUSAND YESTERDAYS
What happens when a drowned deep sea diver is given another chance at life? A moving story about the changing underwater world and the connection to man.
In 1982, elderly Charlie Rainbird waits for his seventeen year-old self to come forward in time from the frontline of the WW1 trenches.
Youth & Diogo Gemeiro | USA | 7m
David Dincer | Germany | 11m
Azhur Saleem | UK | 13m
Robbie Bryant | UK | 12m
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FILM STRANDS
INSTANT DOCTOR
THE MIX TAPE VOL. 1 NOT SURE WHERE TO START WITH #NFF2020? FROM A MODERNDAY BIBLICAL THRILLER, TO AN ENCHANTING FAMILY ANIMATION, TO AN INSPIRING DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A SELF-SUPPORTED TRIP TO CLIMB ALL OF SCOTLAND’S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS – THIS FREE STRAND IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET STUCK IN WITH OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION!
FILM STRANDS
THIS STRAND IS COMPLETELY FREE TO RENT!
A SEPARATION
DRAMATHERAPY
On a warm autumn day in 1990, Huixian, a young Chinese woman, arrives in Florida to reunite with her PhD husband, after a fouryear separation.
An emotionally stunted, middle-aged man enters a group dramatherapy session. He must move beyond his comfort zone in order to face hidden trauma.
HIS NAME WAS GERRY
I AM PILATE
After a young boy’s best friend dies he gets convinced into creating a Viking funeral for him by a neighbour.
A journalist is sent to the home of former district governor for an interview, but his routine obituary fact check reveals an extraordinary secret.
Yalan Hu | USA | 15m
Philip Monberg Pfeiffer | UK | 12m
Peter Lee Scott | UK | 12m
Femi Oyeniran | UK | 12m
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PROJECT 282
Dave is overcome with grief and guilt following the death of a close friend in a gang conflict.
Emily sets off on a continuous and selfsupported trip to climb all of Scotland’s highest mountains. She reflects on her motivations and documents her experiences.
SHOAL
THE RIBBON
In an isolated coastal town, where everyone knows everyone, Eliza works shifts at the fish factory while her fisherman dad goes out to sea.
A young girl suddenly finds herself in a beautiful imaginary world. As she explores this enchanting place, the long ribbon of her dress gets caught, holding her back.
Michael Junior Onafowokan | UK | 16m
Paddy Bartram | UK | 10m
Tammes Bernstein | UK | 22m
Polla-Ilariya Kozino | USA | 4m
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FILM STRANDS
PODS
THE MIX TAPE VOL. 2
FILM STRANDS
AN ECLECTIC MIX OF SHORT FILMS FROM THROUGHOUT OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION. FROM A LOOK AT THE STRUGGLES OF AN UNEMPLOYED DISABLED ACTRESS, TO A MAN WITH A BRAIN CONDITION THAT PREVENTS HIM FROM EVER KNOWING MORE THAN THIRTY-SEVEN THINGS – OUR MIX TAPE STRANDS ARE PERFECT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING!
37 THINGS
ADNAN
A man with a brain condition that prevents him from ever knowing more than thirty-seven things must fight to retain his most precious memory in our information-dense world.
Ten year old Adnan has fled Syria with his mother after their family were killed and their neighbourhood destroyed.
Zane Roach | Australia | 15m
Steven Chatterton & Mark Arrigo | UK | 15m
CHEN CHEN
INNOCENCE
Hao is left to look after his brother Bin, who has cerebral palsy. Hao takes him out for an overdue good time.
When a worker falls to his death at a care home, it appears to be a terrible accident. But a detective questions a man with Down syndrome and uncovers much more.
Kargo Chen | Hong Kong | 22m
Ben Reid | UK | 20m
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FILM STRANDS
PRINCESS
Edel Kelman | UK | 9m A troubled mother takes her daughter out for the day on in East London. Unable to financially provide for her princess, she resorts to petty theft.
VERISIMILITUDE
David Proud | UK | 14m An disabled actress is frustrated as all the disabled acting jobs go to able bodied actors. She gets a job advising a spoilt British film star how to be disabled for his latest role.
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THE MIX TAPE VOL. 3
FILM STRANDS
OUR THIRD MIX TAPE STRAND FEATURES SIX MORE BEAUTIFUL SHORT FILMS FROM THROUGHOUT OUR OFFICIAL SELECTION, FROM TWO BELFAST TEENAGERS TAKING AN ILLEGAL JOURNEY, TO AN AFRICAN PENTECOSTAL PASTOR WHO QUESTIONS EVERYTHING SHE BELIEVES AFTER A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT – OUR MIX TAPE STRANDS ARE PERFECT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH A LITTLE BIT OF VARIETY!
A GLIMPSE
APPRECIATION
A blossoming relationship unfolds when two strangers have a chance encounter in a London cafe.
An African Pentecostal Pastor questions everything she believes after a life-changing event.
HATE
LIVERPOOL FERRY
Tom Turner | UK | 10m
Tomisin Adepeju | UK | 14m
Humza Arshad & Mustapha Kseibati | UK | 12m
Lee Armstrong | UK | 19m Sarah must make a journey from Belfast to Liverpool to avoid a life she does not want. A journey that is against the law.
When Humza’s friend dies, he decides to make a life change. Meeting his fiancé restores his faith and turns him towards love.
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FILM STRANDS
SWEET STREET
Coz Greenop | UK | 15m Isabella, a sex worker and drug addict, struggles to survive Leeds’ red-light district. A romantic encounter offers respite, but happy endings are hard to find.
THE PASSING
Nichola Wong | UK | 15m A talented mortician’s world is turned upsidedown as she encounters the most difficult job of her career, bringing her face-to-face with the life-defining moments that she let pass by.
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WOMEN IN FILM
FILM STRANDS
BACK FOR ITS FOURTH YEAR, THIS STRAND FEATURES JUST A FEW OF THE INCREDIBLE FEMALE-DIRECTED SHORTS IN OUR SELECTION, FROM THE STORY OF A NONVERBAL AUTISTIC TEENAGER AND HER SISTER COMING TO TERMS WITH THE LOSS OF THEIR SIBLING, TO A YOUNG POLICE WOMAN ASSIGNED TO A MURDER CASE IN RUSSIA’S MOST NOTORIOUS AND POLLUTED CITY.
DAWN IN THE DARK
END-O
On the eve of her father’s birthday, Dawn and her fun uncle Nate struggle over her bedtime routine. A new dynamic to their relationship is explored.
Jaq is angry. But she also wants to have sex. This should be straightforward, but her body is out to sabotage her in the worst way.
OUR SISTER
SCRUM
A nonverbal autistic teenage girl and her sister come to terms with the death of their youngest sibling.
A single mum struggles to come to terms with her teenage daughter’s love of rugby league.
Runyararo Mapfumo | UK | 16m
Alice Seabright | UK | 15m
Rosie Westhoff | UK | 14m
Kate Graham | UK | 14m
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FILM STRANDS
SULPHUR
Lana Vlady | Russia | 20m When a murder takes place in Russia’s most notorious and polluted industrial city, a young police woman has to deal with the strange manners of the main suspect.
TAKE ME
Clare Norowzian | UK | 5m Single mum Lena is getting back on the dating scene, but her babysitter’s just cancelled. About to call off her date, Lena has an idea.
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SET YOUR CREATIVE CAREER IN MOTION Have you been inspired by this year’s Film Festival? UEA Faculty of Arts and Humanities excels at creative, engaging and innovative teaching and research. Discover how you could enhance your knowledge and push boundaries in your career by studying one of the many postgraduate programmes we offer, including: · MA Film Studies* · MA Film, Television & Creative Practice* · MA Broadcast & Digital Journalism** · MA Creative Writing – Scriptwriting*
Visit uea.ac.uk to find out more *Full time and Part time study available. **Full time only
Proud sponsors of the Best East Anglian Film Award
EAFA MASH UP MASH UP COMPETITION
DELIVERED BY THE EAST ANGLIAN FILM ARCHIVE Once again the Norwich Film Festival is proud to be screening the winning films from this year’s EAFA Mash Up competition.
THE COMPETITION BRIEF:
THE WINNING FILMMAKERS: 18s and Over - HOME by Phoebe Cullum Phoebe adds animation to home movie clips and local scenes to highlight the unsual ‘everyday’ we currently find ourselves in. Under 18s - CONNECTIONS by Charlotte Thistlewood Charlotte reimagines the archive footage a scenes from home movies to relive the memories of absent family members.
Home
Connections
VIEW THE TRAILER HERE:
eafa.org.uk/highlights/44-mash-up-filmmaking-competition 59
EAFA MASHUP (@EAFA_mashup)
•To make a short film between 1 and 5 minutes in duration. •At least 50% of the total duration of the film must consist of archive footage supplied by EAFA as part of the competition package. •You are free to combine the EAFA archive footage with material you have shot yourself, or add other material. •Each year brings a new theme, and this year the theme is ‘Home’. •A theme that was decided upon some months ago, but now seems particularly pertinent.
OSKA BRIGHT SHORTS OSKA BRIGHT FILM FESTIVAL IS THE WORLD’S LEADING FESTIVAL FOR FILMS MADE BY OR FEATURING PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, AUTISM OR ASPERGERS.
OSKA BRIGHT SHORTS (@oskabright)
With less than 5% of disabled people working in the UK film industry, Oska Bright Film Festival is driven to make change happen. Working internationally with industry partners and funded by the BFI, the team promotes accessible screenings, runs training for venues, and develops skills for aspiring filmmakers.
BORN TO DANCE WITH AN EXTRA CHROMOSOME
ENID & VALERIE
Nikolay Nikolov | UK | 10m
Matthew Kennedy & Vitoria Bastos | UK | 3m
Drag Syndrome are superstars who have entirely changed the conversation about Down’s syndrome and drag.
A short venture into the dreams of lone spinster, Valerie, where she meets Enid (a witch).
FORCE OF HABIT
KILL OFF
As an autistic person, I struggled to understand myself. Then I watched ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and saw myself reflected in the protagonist, Tuco.
A woman who forms an unlikely friendship with a Sudanese refugee through their mutual love of KRUMP.
Tamsin Parker | UK | 4m
Genevieve Clay-Smith | Australia | 16m
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Find out more by visiting OskaBright.org
Oska Bright Film Festival puts people with learning disabilities, autism or Aspergers where they should be, on the big screen.
RADIAL DUNDEE
M. Castillejo Carmen, M. Grand Bossi & E. Silveiro | France | 13m
Back to Back Theatre | Australia | 8m A continuous sequence of action, capturing the beautiful idiosyncrasies of people, bodies, communities and landscapes.
A supermarket at the end of the day. While a few customers are finishing their groceries, a hooded intruder breaks into the store.
WHAT IS NORMAL? WHO DECIDES?
WHAT’S THE TIME?
William Hanekom | UK | 8m
Eleana Re | UK | 4m
It’s a beautiful day in Margery Daw, the land where the Dollykins live. Red, Yellow and Blue live in the house together and go on a gentle walk in the forest.
Autism is not always well understood. Here artist Eleana Re gives a very personal insight into what’s it like for her.
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OSKA BRIGHT SHORTS (@oskabright)
LOST ONES
EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS EFA SHORTS 2020 – A MANIFOLD PANORAMA OF CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN FILMMAKING
EFA SHORTS (@eurofilmawards)
EFA Shorts is the European Film Academy’s short film tour, which brings the latest European short film candidates, nominees, and winner to audiences across Europe – and beyond. The programme features a selection from the candidates, each of them selected at a renowned European (short) film festival.
12K MARX STREET
Irine Jordania | Georgia | 15m
ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK
The Woman pours herself a cup of coffee and sits in the same place, at the same time, every day, calling the same number on her phone. One day, her call is answered.
Lasse Linder | Switzerland | 19m
He calls himself “Catman“. Christian lives with his two cats Marmelade and Katjuscha. They are inseparable, but he yearns for more.
COMMUNITY GARDENS
GENIUS LOCI
It is a story about a cold relationship between a father and his son. Their bond, plagued by indifference, disintegrates completely.
One night, Reine, a young loner, sees within the urban chaos a mystical oneness that seems alive, like some sort of guide.
Vytautas Katkus | Lithuania | 15m
Adrian Mérigeau | France | 16m
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LAKE OF HAPPINESS
MEMORABLE
In a small Belarusian village, Jasja, a 9-year-old girl, has to deal with her mother‘s death. Her father decides to send her to an orphanage. But one day she decides to run.
Recently, painter Louis is experiencing strange events. His world seems to be mutating. Slowly, pieces of furniture, objects, people lose their realism.
NINA
THE BITE
13-year-old Nina is feeling trapped in her relation with the bossy Vassil, who is preparing her to be a skilled pickpocket in Spain.
A poly-amorous, non-binary relationship struggles to survive an epidemic spreading across Brazil.
Aliaksei Paluyan | Belarus | 29m
Bruno Collet | France | 12m
Pedro Neves Marques | Portugal | 26m
THE GOLDEN BUTTONS
Alex Evstigneev | Russia | 20m
UNCLE THOMAS, ACCOUNTING FOR THE DAYS
In 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin created the national guards, whose legal task is to ensure public order, the fight against terrorism and extremism.
A tribute to the director’s uncle Thomas, a humble man with a simple and anonymous life.
Regina Pessoa | Portugal | 13m
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EFA SHORTS (@eurofilmawards)
Hristo Simeonov | Bulgaria | 19m
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JOEY Andrew Knott & William Ash, UK, 15m
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NOMINATED FILMS
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GRAB MY HAND: A LETTER TO MY DAD Camrus Johnson & Pedro Piccinini, United States, 6m
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PATINA Lucas Stones, UK, 11m
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WINGS Jamie Weston, UK, 18m
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