2021 festival programme - draft by SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival

19 — 26 OCTOBER 2021 PICTUREHOUSE, STRATFORD SCI-FI-LONDON.COM

@SCIFILONDON

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WELCOME TO

SCI-FI-LONDON 2021

An outbreak in the East spreads across the planet, citizens forced to stay inside, the virus targets the old and infirmed, employees of Uncle Enzo’s CosaNostra Pizza become ‘essential workers’. Who is going to buy into that narrative? Almost as crazy a thought as an orange-faced reality TV show host becoming the President of the USA or a custard-hippo in at No. 10. Well, despite the surreal times we found ourselves in, things carried on, we remained calm. Movies still got made during the pandemic; some great films, in fact, and I am delighted to bring an eclectic selection back into a real cinema.

It was inspiring to watch this year’s submissions and see a much more diverse field and a better balance of race and gender behind the camera. I want to thank my team and all those who supported us this past two years. I hope to see you at the festival, in person, to hug or tap an elbow, and I wish you all a transcendent year ahead. Now to get Hero Protagonist to deliver my supper! Live long and prosper. Louis Savy Founder and Festival Director

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

WARNING TUE 19 OCT 8.30PM Dir: Agata Alexander Country: USA Year: 2021 Runtime: 88 mins Language: English.

‘The meaning of life explored through multiple interconnected lives set in the near future.’

Doomsday is coming. But from where? Global warming, the isolation and breakdown of society, because the immortals hate us mortals. Maybe from the asteroids charging toward the planet? Dark, witty and spectacular, with a stellar cast, WARNING is a visually arresting, thought-provoking sci-fi exploring the meaning of life through multiple interconnected lives. This is like BLACK MIRROR just jumped out of a plane without a parachute! Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Thomas Jane, Alex Pettyfer, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Alice Eve, Rupert Everett

UK PREMIERE

OPENING NIGHT 2

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

MOON HEART M is alone, almost invisible to society, not an outcast, just old, poor, homeless and ignored. Her only friend is a lone ant. M’s world is full of nostalgic memories and a dark presence that haunts her. Then one day, a “mechanical angel” arrives to help change her life. At its core, this is a film about marginalisation and the abandonment and mental anguish that homeless people suffer. However, it is also an extraordinary warm film with an outstanding lead performance. Cast: Haydeé Cáceres

TUE 26 OCT 8.30PM Dir: Aldo Salvini Country: Peru Year: 2021 Runtime: 80 mins Language: Spanish/ English.

‘We are delighted to present the World Premiere of the exquisite MOON HEART.’

WORLD PREMIERE

CLOSING NIGHT THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

REPEAT THU 20 OCT 8.40PM Dir: Richard Miller Country: UK Year: 2021 Runtime: 95 mins Language: English.

‘We are excited to screen the world premiere of this British sci-fi thriller that will keep you guessing to the end.’

Where do we go when we die? Professor Ryan Moore believes that his new device communicates with those who have ‘passed’. He is obsessed with the project because his daughter, Samantha, has been missing without a trace for months, and he fears the worst. In one experiment, it appears he has made contact with Samantha. His grief is awful, but he thinks he has found a way to ‘bring her back’. But will the truth of what happened be even more devastating. Cast: Charlotte Ritchie, Nina Wadia, Tom England, Ellila-Jean Wood

WORLD PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

EXPOSURE 36 Set in New York, three days before the world will end, we meet Cam, a struggling and grieving photographer. Coping with addiction, Cam’s only plan is to succumb to his substance abuse as the world collapses around him. His one ambition is to capture final days on a roll of 35mm film. But his plan is disrupted when his friend goes missing, putting him on a journey to find out what happened and who’s responsible. The film was partly shot during the Covid-lockdown in the USA. This adds a sublime realism to the film’s portrayal of loneliness, guilt, and isolation. Cast: Charles Ouda, Jennifer Leigh Whitehead, Nick Smithson

WED 20 OCT 8.40PM Dir: Mackenzie G. Maur Country: USA Year: 2021 Runtime: 90 mins Language: English.

‘As life returns to “normal”, Exposure 36 speaks to what it felt like to be alive in 2020.

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

STRAWBERRY MANSION FRI 22 OCT 9.00PM Dir: Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney Country: USA Year: 2021 Runtime: 91 mins Language: English.

‘A feast for the eyes and seasoning for the brain. You will be dreaming about this for a long time.’

Maybe tomorrow, an all-seeing surveillance state will start to invade our innermost thoughts and dreams. And, of course, we’ll be subject to “dream audits” to collect taxes on our unconscious lives. So, one day, mild-mannered government agent James Preble travels to a remote farmhouse to audit the dreams of Bella Isadora, an eccentric artist. But Bella’s vast dream archive hides a secret that offers him a chance at love — and maybe a way out of his dull life. This is a gorgeous production that draws on almost every filmmaking style and technique. It’s like someone gave Gaspar Noé some happy pills. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Albert Birney, Penny Fuller

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

GLASS HOUSE The world we know has gone. The ‘shred’ came and took away our minds, and everything fell apart. But like an oasis set apart from the desolate, destroyed world, one family exists, out of sight. The daughters work the land, their mother rules with an iron hand. One day the sisters are seduced by a Stranger who shatters their peace and stirs a past best left buried. Glasshouse has a haunting score, beautiful photography and superbly detailed production design. Cast: Jessica Alexander, Hilton Pelser, Brent Vermeulen, Adrienne Pearce, Kitty Harris, Anja Taljaard

SAT 23 OCT 9.00PM Dir: Kelsey Egan Country: South Africa Year: 2021 Runtime: 94 mins Language: English.

‘This debut feature by Egan is one of the most tightly written and piercingly observed science fiction films we have seen for years.

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

12 MONTHS OF SUN 24 OCT 5.45PM Dir: Mutsumi Kameyama Country: Japan Year: 2020 Runtime: 83 mins Language: Japamese (English subtitles).

Something has changed in a world where ‘personal caobots’ are commonplace and cater to our every need. Kyoka, who lives in Tokyo and has a successful career, decided to get a personal care humanoid (PCH) Kai. He is perfect. He learns quickly and knows Kyoka so well. However, Kai seems to have real emotions, and Kyoka is lost in this new relationship. Her friends are worried for her, but soon they will all have to confront an unexpected change in the world. Cast: Ayaka Nakagouchi, Kosei Kudo

‘A refreshing indie from Japan that is a welcome addition to the robot story canon.’ UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

NIGHT RAIDERS The year is 2043, and North America has been shattered by war. The totalitarian regime that remains now forces children into brutal military training to fight in the futile war.

SAT 23 OCT 7.00PM

To save her daughter, Waseese, from this fate, Niska has been hiding them in the woods, living a reclusive life dominated by fear of discovery. When the pair are forced into the remnants of the city, Waseese is captured along with several others. Niska finds herself among the ‘Night Raiders’, a group of indigenous rebels who plan to free their children.

Dir: Danis Goulet Country: Canada/ New Zealand Year: 2021 Runtime: 97 mins Language: English/ Cree.

Cast: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart, Alex Tarrant

‘Goulet’s debut feature. is a captivating film that astutely uses the sci-fi genre to criticise the treatment of First Nations people.’

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

VISITOR MON 25 OCT 8.30PM Dir: Alberto Evangelio Country: Spain Year: 2021 Runtime: 91 mins Language: Spanish/ Catalan (English subtitles)

Marga lost her sister in a tragic accident when they were children. Years later, Marga is having relationship problems. So she decides to get some space and visit the old family home. But strange things start happening, and she discovers a portal to another reality, one where her sister is alive and grown-up. ut in that parallel dimension, her sister and her other self warn Marga that something terrible is about to happen, but who can she trust? Cast: Jan Cornet, Iria del Rio, Miquel Fernández

‘A tense thriller with some well-crafted twists and turns.’

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

TIONG BAHRU SOCIAL CLUB Ah Bee’s life is a dull, monotonous one and he seems stuck in a rut. Then, one day, the opportunity arises to work at the new Tiong Bahru Social Club, a data-driven project to create the happiest neighbourhood in the world. His encounters with the neighbourhood’s residents and the authority that runs the place reveal the absurdity of life. This candy-coloured satire flirts with Art Deco nostalgia set in Singapore’s most ‘gentrified’ district. With a sprinkle of The Truman Show and a dash of Black Mirror, though much less pretentious, this is an incisive subtle film, with humour as offbeat as it is caustic. Never has a futuristic dystopia been so heartwarming. Cast: Thomas Pang, Goh Guat Kian, Jo Tan

FRI 22 OCT 7.15PM Dir: Tan Bee Thiam Country: Singapore Year: 2021 Runtime: 89 mins Language: Chinese, English, Malay, Tamil (English subtitles).

‘There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path.’ Lao-Tze.

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

E PROGRAMM 2021 N O D N O L I SCI-F TITLE

DATE

TIME

WARNING

TUE 19 OCT

8.30PM

SHORTS 1 SHORTS 2 FILMMAKERS NETWORKING 48HOUR AWARDS EXPOSURE 36

WED 20 OCT WED 20 OCT WED 20 OCT WED 20 OCT WED 20 OCT

4.30PM 6.30PM 6.30PM 7.30PM 8.45PM

SHORTS 3 SHORTS 4 REPEAT

THU 21 OCT THU 21 OCT THU 21 OCT

4.30PM 6.40PM 8.45PM

SHORTS 5 TIONG BAHRU SOCIAL CLUB

FRI 22 OCT FRI 22 OCT

5.00PM 7.15PM

ESLUNA: THE CROWN OF BABYLON SHORTS 1 SHORTS 2 SHORTS 3 NIGHT RAIDERS GLASS HOUSE

SAT 23 OCT SAT 23 OCT SAT 23 OCT SAT 23 OCT SAT 23 OCT SAT 23 OCT

11.00AM 12.55PM 3.00PM 5.00PM 7.10PM 9.00PM

TUNE INTO THE FUTURE THE HIGH FRONTIER 12 MONTHS OF KAI

SUN 24 OCT SUN 24 OCT SUN 24 OCT

1.15PM 3.15PM 5.45PM

SHORTS 4 VISITOR

MON 25 OCT MON 25 OCT

6.30PM 8.30PM

SHORTS 5 MOON HEART

TUE 26 OCT TUE 26 OCT

4.30PM 8.30PM

For those of you who want to stay out a bit later in Stratford, festival visitors are welcome to use the bar at Moxy Hotel until 1.00am each night - it’s just across the road from the cinema!

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

ONLINE SHORTS PROGRAMME Our shorts selection for 2021 will be available for streaming to the uk from tue 26 - sun 31 oct. HOW TO GET TO SEE OUR SHORTS ONLINE -

HOW TO GET TO STRATFORD Stratford Picturehouse is easily accessible by public transport. By Bus From Stratford train and bus station, cross the road and walk through Stratford Shopping Centre (the shopping centre directly opposite the station). Turn left at the central atrium, following the signs for the cinema and the Theatre Royal exit.

By Underground and Rail A short walk from Stratford Station (Central line, DLR, Jubilee line, Overground and National Rail). STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 15 SALWAY ROAD LONDON 515 1BX TEL: 0871 902 5740 @SEPICTUREHOUSE

The bus routes available are 25, 69, 86, 97, 104, 108, 158, 238, 241, 257, 262, 276, 308, 339, 425, 473 and D3.

Ticket prices vary – see relevant pages for booking links online at sci-fi-london.com THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

TUNE INTO THE SUN 24 OCT 1.00PM Dir: Eric Schockmel Country: Luxembourg Year: 2020 Runtime: 72 mins Language: English. ‘Gernsback started the first sci-fi magazine and thus planted the seeds for pop-culture phenomena such as Superman and Star Wars’

One hundred years before the internet, a self-declared tech guru started preaching the future to his flock of outsiders. Meet the most influential nerd you may never have heard of: Hugo Gernsback. Decades in advance, he foresaw Skype, jetpacks, space mining and drones. But even though he would accumulate over 80 patents throughout his life and befriend the likes of Edison and Tesla, his most influential invention remains Science Fiction. SCREENS WITH SHORT: MY BRAIN IS BIGGER: THE RISE AND FALL OF ELEKTRO, THE SMOKING ROBOT Dir. Ian Johnston, Canada, 10mins, English, UK PREMIERE

A whimsical look at the life of America’s first celebrity robot, Elektro. He was the ‘next big thing’, from the World’s Fair to Soft-porn star... and then he disappeared.

UK PREMIERE

MY BRAIN IS BIGGER 14

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

KIDS CLUB SCREENING

ESLUNA: THE CROWN OF BABYLON Esluna is ruled by descendants of a sacred bloodline, and their technology is powered by the highly advanced relics of their ancients. Raised by the monks who protect the relics of the old world, MAEVE is a treasure hunter who uses her skills to find other artefacts for the leaders. When her mentor, CAZ, is kidnapped by a militia group run by a rogue monk, Maeve learns of a powerful relic called the ‘CROWN OF BABYLON‘, rumoured to have the power to bring back the dead. She teams up with BATAAR, a young man who mysteriously came to Esluna from another world years ago and worked with Caz to find the crown at the time of her abduction. Now, they must find the crown, save Caz, and stop the rogue from endangering the lives of everyone they know

SAT 23 OCT 11.00PM Dir: Denver Jackson Country: Canada Year: 2021 Runtime: 102 mins Language: English.

‘A thrilling animated actionadventure set in the retro-futuristic world of Esluna, and great fun for all the family!’

Cast: Grace Chan, Shawn O’Hara, Ariel Hack, Alain Williams.

UK PREMIERE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

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THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

THE HIGH FRONTIER: THE UNTOLD STORY OF GERARD K. O’NEILL Gerard K. O’Neill was a physicist and space colony pioneer. In 1977, O’Neill wrote The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space. This book sparked an enormous grassroots movement to “open the high frontier” to make space available and beneficial for all mankind. The film is told through “Gerry’s Kids”, as they affectionately call themselves; his peers, family, and the younger generation who followed that movement and are now in charge of the modern-day space industry. SCREENS WITH SHORT: ARTIST DEPICTION BY STEVE R. DODD Dir. Brett Ryan Bonowicz, USA, 19mins, English, World Premiere Steve Dodd has painted space scenes since the 1970s. Working at home with no phone, internet or computer, he has created hundreds of beautiful ‘spacescapes’: visions of a positive future amongst the stars. This is his first recorded interview.

SUN 24 OCT 3.00PM Dir: Ryan Stuit Country: USA Year: 2020 Runtime: 91 mins Language: English.

‘Everyone involved with the film hopes to keep Gerry’s dream alive and see a day where “O’Neill Cylinders” are above our own heads!’

ARTIST DEPICTION THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

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THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

BLINK OF AN EYE SHORT FILM SELECTION

PRESENTED BY

SCI-FI-LONDON loves short film! We think short film is perfect for science fiction, it gives filmmakers the chance to play with ideas and high concepts without having to add drama for the sake of filling ninety minutes. We hope you can make it to one of our shorts programmes at Stratford Picturehouse and see them on the big screen! BEST SHORT FILM 2021

THE SCENT OF THE FOREST (SHORTS 51

Dir. Servaes Dewispelaere - 21:20 - Dutch - Belgium -UK Premiere A young woman hides that she sold her soul to escape reality in a dystopian world. When her boyfriend realizes this he has to make an impossible choice. This beautiful film was made by 22 year old student, Servaes, and is an outstanding visual feast. It has a depth and style drawn from decades of rich sci-fi film, but delivers it’s own unique flavour. We can’t wait to see more from the new talent. THE SCENT OF A FOREST

SHORTS 1 20 OCT 4.30PM 23 OCT 12.55PM

SHORTS 2 20 OCT 6.30PM 23 OCT 3.00PM

SHORTS 3 21 OCT 4.30PM 23 OCT 5.00PM

SHORTS 4 21 OCT 6.40PM 25 OCT 6.30PM

SHORTS 5 22 OCT 5.00PM 26 OCT 4.30PM

ALL SHORT FILMS SCREEN AT STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE AND ONLINE FROM 27 — 31 OCT 2021 THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SHORTS 1 CONSUME

Dir. Bruno Gradaschi - 14:00 - Argentina - UK Premiere. A world where everyone lives in their workstations and eats liquid food coming from dispensers.

CONSUME

HEARTLAND

Dir:Jahmil Eady - 10:40 - English - US - London Premiere A woman attempts to immortalize her dying grandfather using virtual reality technology, but her obsession with documenting drives a wedge between them.

HEARTLAND

ELECTRIC BODIES

Dir. Antoine Janot - 15:00 - French - France - UK Premiere. In a future where human memory is recorded on cards and biomechanical bodies are replaced by biological ones, anyone can change appearance.

ELECTRIC BODIES

FOLLOWING THE COMET

Dir. Fin Handel - 4:19 - English - US - World Premiere Facing the possibility of the end, we follow a young man’s coming to terms with his life. FOLLOWING THE COMET

THE FANTASTICAL MILLIPEDE

Dir. - Daniel Christophersen - 12:59 - English - UK - World Premiere Teenage superhero in the making Hannah Harper finds that despite her superpowers, she feels powerless to save our real world from its real-world problems.

JOYRIDERS

Dir. Raymond Carr - 20:28 - English - US Three kids from the inner city find an alien spaceship and take it on a joy ride through Atlanta and beyond.

VENUS

Dir. Andrew McGee - 14:12 - English – UK Iris, torn out of her idyllic digital world and uploaded into a stolen synthetic body by her grieving mother, must face her body’s objectification and violent potential in a dark future.

CRUSOE

Dir. Shane Acker - 7:25 - English - United States. Crusoe is an astronaut stranded on an alien planet teeming with hostile life. CRUSOE

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SHORTS 2 HAMELIN

Dir. Silvia Conesa - 9:47 - Spanish - Spain - London Premiere In a not too distant future a well-off couple outsource their childcare to “YouCare Inc”

DAILY DRIVER

HAMELIN

Dir. Jonathan Adams - 26:58 - English - Australia. Shane and V.I.N.C.E., a sentient artificial intelligence, navigate life and love from polar perspectives.

ACADEMY

DAILY DRIVER

Dir. Ian Salazar - 12:52- English - US. Six students prepare for graduation from a utopian training facility when they are faced with a dangerous final test.

PLAY NICE

Dir. Samual Dawes - 10:46 - English - UK - UK Premiere Mel makes the most of her free house by getting down to some serious gaming, but is interrupted by her children’s toys when they decide they aren’t getting enough attention.

ACADEMY

KYLE GOES TO MARS

PLAY NICE

S.A.D THE MOVIE

KYLE GOES TO MARS

Dir. David C.C. Erickson - 4:42 - English - US - International Premiere Ordinary Kyle Kesterman, wins a contest which sends him to Mars, with disastrous results. Dir. Guilherme Gehr - 9:00 - English - Italy - UK Premiere A kid creates space adventures with his toys. As summer break arrives, he travels with his parents to the Scottish highlands, but a storm puts his imagination to the test, and his fate will depend on it.

S.A.D THE MOVIE

THE WORLD IS OURS FOR THE TAKING

Dir. Milda Baginskaite - 5:30 - UK - UK Premiere A group of survivors meet up to share information in a brutal post-apocalyptic world. In a world where communication and physical contact is a threat, people still aim to form a community.

THE WORLD IS OURS FOR THE TAKING

ERASED

Gabriela Loza - 14:05 - English - Australia. Eric and Cate live and work on Mars. Technology tracks their every word and action, while a mysterious humanoid voice directs their movements.

ERASED

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SHORTS 3 CARRIER

CARRIER

Dir. Thomas Saville - 6:02 - English - UK. World Premiere It’s business as usual for a deep space pilot until a strange anomaly hits her ship and knocks it off course.

JOCASTA

Dir. Natasha Arthur - 11:40 - Norwegian - Norway Jacob meets an old friend that forces him to reconcile his past. JOCASTA is a Sci-Fi thriller that deals with the trauma of being abducted by otherworldly beings.

IN-FINITE

Dir. Alican Eren Kuzu - 3:27 - English - Germany Long after mankind left Earth, two astronauts are rediscovering their ruins and reflecting on their own fate with those who abandoned it. A visual poem.

GIRL IN THE GALACTIC SUN

Dir. Heather Perluzzo - 10:45 - English - Canada. The Gemini are a genderless alien species who have discovered they’ll become extinct if they don’t find a way to reproduce. GIRL IN THE GALACTIC SUN

THE DESERT

Dir. Michael Dockery - 5:09 – Australia Earth in a post-human age, where our creations are left to wander in desolation. THE DESERT

TODAY

Dir. Andrew Jaksch - 20:55 - English - Australia - UK Premiere Today is November 19th, 1969, and this young successful couple find themselves in a vicious cycle, trapped within an impenetrable void. TODAY

ZEALANDIA

Dir. Bruno du Bois - 15:00 - English - New Zealand In 2032, Zealandia has become the only virus-free country left on earth but at a high cost to its population due to intrusive medical regulations. But, could the bag carried by a fearless woman be the downfall of this oppressive state?

EDICUS

Dir. Uzo Oleh - 22:16 - English - United Kingdom - World Premiere. When things go sour with Jason’s most powerful client, he knows his life is on the line. But a visit from his intuition claims to have the answers. But can Jason trust him?

THE HOST CELL

Dir. Joey Hamburger - 3:00 – US Tilly is watching a Sci Fi show about space commanders trying to kill a Robotic Host Cell that has infected humans and turned them into robots. While she watches, her parents argue about about what to do with her degenerate grandfather who has become a burden on their lives. THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SHORTS 4

HE MURDERED SLEEP

Dir. Jeremy Boxen - 18:45 - English - Canada - World Premiere What do you get when the Scottish Play is shoved through a cyberpunk grinder? Neon nightmares and laser gun blues.

SWIPED

Dir. Edward J Douglas - 3:43 - English - Canada - UK Premiere When Melody decides to swipe a few hot guys on her augmented reality dating app, she meets her match in a man who may be more—or less—than meets the eye...

SWIPED

SOLAR SAILOR

Dir. Philip Reinking - 10:03 - Chinese - UK - UK Premiere In the future, a girl returns to the abandoned earth but finds that humans aren’t particularly welcome anymore.

THE SIMULATION

Dir. Faye Fillingham - 10:29 - English - UK - London Premiere An insomniac woman generates an AI to alleviate her guilt related to a mysterious corpse, but her creation has other ideas.

HOSPICE

Dir. Soo-young Kim - 11:07 - Korean - Korea - World Premiere A man awakens in hospital, tied to the bed, with no idea where he is. His nurse says she will make him comfortable, but what excatly does that mean?

HOSPICE

RED STRING OF FATE

JUNE

Dir. Lovina Yavari, Lance Fernandes - 10:00 - English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese - Canada - London Premiere In the year 2090, a robotics engineer tries to bring her fallen lover back to life. Dir. Dwayne Cameron - 14:54 - English - New Zealand International Premiere Willow and David receive a serious diagnosis from their doctor and attempt to deal with the mundane as their world disintegrates around them.

ISKRA

Dir. Adrian Replanski - 11:30 - French, Russian - France - UK Premiere As a strange plague tightens its grip on an isolated rural village, a young woman’s contact with the outside world breeds unrest amongst a superstitious townspeople.

JETTISON

Dir. JJ Pollack - 11:13 - English- US - World Premiere A restless young woman ships off to fight an interstellar war, only to struggle with the effects of being cut off from her home by both time and space.

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SHORTS 5

ESCAPE VELOCITY

Dir. Tamás Rebák - 7:43 - Hungary - UK Premiere Escape velocity: the minimum speed needed for an object to escape from the gravitational influence of a massive body, without ever falling back.

HIRAETH

Dir: Ryan Andrews - 10:51 - English - UK - London Premiere Commander Amber Jones, researches newly discovered life on Europa. She’s courted controversy her entire career, not least because she is the daughter of child killer Crista Jones, the first woman to be hanged in Britain in 70-years.

SPACE FRANKIE

Dir. David Valero Simón - 17:00 - Spanish - Spain - UK Premiere Paco is a fisherman with a distant relationship with his neighbors. He lives in a small town that has preferred to earn money over the well-being of its inhabitants. The discovery of a strange artifact will radically change the relationships between them all.

THE EXIT PLAN

Dir. Angus Wilkinson - 13:54 - English - UK & Australia In an overpopulated future, an elderly woman is visited by a young government official to check she is complying with the “Exit Plan” policy. However, when the agent interrogates her further he soon realizes she has something ‘planned’ for him.

THE DARK ODYSSEY

Dir. Michael Lavine - 8:31 - English - US - London Premiere A brave captain and his faithful mate transport a captive warrior, who holds The Inventory of The Mind, across the interstellar line. When their ship is forced to navigate an asteroid field, their mission is jeopardized.

THE EXIT PLAN

THE DARK ODYSSEY

LIFELIKE

THE TIME BETWEEN US

LIFELIKE

Dir. Keith Allott - 6:46 - English - UK A reclusive sci-fi enthusiast develops an unexpected friendship with a customer service representative.

THE SCENT OF A FOREST

THE TIME BETWEEN US

Dir. Anna Boronea - 9:57 - English - UK - London Premiere When the marriage between James, a workaholic physicist and Emily, his caring wife starts falling apart, the only thing that can save their relationship is a time machine. However, does James deserve a happy ending?

Presented by

THE SCENT OF A FOREST

Dir. Servaes Dewispelaere - 21:20 - Dutch - Belgium -UK Premiere (See page 19)

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

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THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

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THE SCI-FI-LONDON 48 HOUR FILM CHALLENGE It’s simple: make a 5 minute short film in two days! Back in 2008 when Gareth Edwards (GODZILLA, STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE) won the challenge we had around 50 teams take part in the film challenge.

This year, despite the pandemic over 100 teams made some incredible films with mind-bending stories made in a weekend. It just goes to show that you really don’t

need huge budgets and special effects to make a good sci-fi. You can watch many of the 48hr films on our youtube.com/ scifilondon channel.

The winners of this year’s challenges are announced at our awards ceremony on WED 20 OCTOBER 2021. The awards party is invitation only, but to win entry and see the shortlist visit sci-fi-london.com/48awards THE 2021 JURY BEN ROBERTS, LAUREN BEUKES, SIAN PROCTOR, SOPHIE CARROLL, JULIA STUART, PATRICK GYGER

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASTIC FILM 19 — 26 OCT 2021

SCI-FI-LONDON CREDITS AND THANKS Festival Producer

Marta Calderón Quiñones

Social Media Jedi:

Georgie Knight

Staff Wrangler:

Anna- __________

As is typical in the printed festival programme, we would like to thank our friends and supporters for helping the festival this year. In no order, but deserving of a special mention are: Thomas Atherton Nic Brama for our lovely poster David Lally Rachel Harper at SciFiNow Alex Fitch for those excellent Q&As The staff at Picturehouse Stratford The 48hr challenge jurors Suzanne Gorman

All the people who pushed their films our way. Our lovely sponsors and partners And all the festival volunteers – couldn’t do it without them. Sure we have stupidly forgotten a few and of course there are those who, quite rightly, wish to remain anonymous – we thank you all!

Roberto Pita Arcones Tom Hunter Lorraine Savy Amanda Roberts Marek Stevens Andre _____ Kiara and Meg Johanna at MFF Dominic Voyce Strike Media, Wez Merchant

Errors and omissions? Probably. Sorry if we made a few typos etc.

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