Take One Watersprite Preview

7-9 MARCH 2014

Special Festival Preview Edition www.takeonecff.com | @takeonecff | fb.com/takeonecff

INSIDE

THE CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL

Interview with the Festival Director Preview of gangland doc ONE MILE AWAY, screening at Watersprite 2014

Watersprite Festival 2014

It’s that time of year again. As the Ides of March rolls ominously forwards, Cambridge is treated to some of the most prodigious output gifted student filmmakers have to offer, with fiction, documentaries, autobiographical works and stunning animations sharing time on the silver screen.

Fellow Roger Graef (who returns this year, after his talk about documentaries proved a hit at last year’s Festival) and award winners including Jim Cornish, who worked on THE DARK KNIGHT, SKYFALL and GRAVITY. And in the spirit of the film festival, every event – film screenings, talks, workshops – is free of charge.

Given the calibre of some of the speakers the festival has had – including Eddie Redmayne, Richard Curtis, Olivia Colman and Kevin McDonald – one might think that the Watersprite International Student Film Festival is a long-standing, well-established event, having been firmly entrenched in Cambridge calendars for decades. Not so – the first festival was in 2011, with wordof-mouth compelling ordinary cinema enthusiasts to come from all over the country to participate in a smorgasbord of short films, speakers and events.

The ‘Breakfast Screenings’, an antemeridian exhibition of student films, comprises pieces of variegated nationalities, styles, forms and genres. Based around the theme of ‘creating cinematic illusion’, Sunday’s screenings showcase some intriguing and intelligent explorations of the nature of cinema and filmmakers, as well as provoking thought on themes of truth, norms and constructivism.

Other eye-catching events include ‘Transforming Bodies’ (a talk given by Will Tennant and Rich Holleworth, of Imaginarium Studios, on performance-capture acting and new digital technology); ‘Script Lab’ (a workshop focusing on the art of screenwriting, featuring script editor Jamie Wolpert and two winners of Watersprite’s screenwriting award), ‘Documenting Documentaries’ (a panel talk about the nature and techniques

Indeed, the events are almost as important as the student films themselves. With workshops and talks on editing, composition, music and writing, attendees will be treated to invaluable advice and stories of experience from luminaries such as BAFTA

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PREVIEW

ONE MILE AWAY

Penny Woolcock’s revealing documentary ONE MILE AWAY digs into the thorny issue of gang warfare here in Britain, focussing on two different groups in Birmingham: the Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew, separated only by their respective postcodes.

Having shot the film 1 DAY on the same streets back in 2009, Woolcock knows something about the young people living there and the troubles they face. Following yet another fatality in the ongoing tit-for-tat cycle of violence, she was asked to play honest broker by hosting peace talks between Dylan and Shabba, two leading members from either side who’d had enough of seeing their friends injured or killed.

The film follows the delicate and often dangerous attempts by the two young men to convince other gang members that this is the right way forward; and it turns out to be an alternately challenging and thought-provoking piece. Woolcock is marvellously unintimidated by the taboos she constantly breaks, as she not only facilitates the process of mediation, but captures some of it on film for good measure – not something to be recommended to those wishing for a quiet life.

ONE MILE AWAY humanises people who have either been demonised or simply forgotten about for far too long, shedding light where many would fear to tread. Woolcock has the main participants introduce themselves onscreen by rapping to the camera MTV-style. This initially appears to glamorise the world of violence, before it becomes clear that the music is actually an outlet to vent their anger, is very cleverly written and, more often than not, laments the path that life has taken them down.

The project is still ongoing, and there are some gang members who still want no part of it, but there are grounds for optimism: the two guys who led the way are now going into schools talking about what they have achieved and why, hoping to inspire others. It is a heartening outcome and an all too rare success.

Gavin Midgley Meet director Penny Woolcock and see the film on Sunday 9 March at Watersprite. To view the programme visit www.watersprite.org.

Editor/Design: Rosy Hunt Managing Editor: Jim Ross Associate Editors: Gavin Midgley, Sarah McIntosh

©TAKE ONE 2014

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of documentaries, with the likes of Penny Woolcock, whose film about gang warfare in innercity Birmingham – ONE MILE AWAY – is also showing at the Festival); and ‘Making Movies Sound Good’ (a talk by Aidan Shaw on scoring and choosing songs for films). Richard Curtis will be the guest speaker opening the Festival, and Jim Broadbent will appear at the Closing Gala.

The Watersprite Awards include hundreds of submissions each year, from 48 different countries on 6 different continents. The films are generally of a great standard, the talks compelling and the workshops useful and interactive. It’s all free, and takes place over a Arjun Sajip weekend. You have no excuse not to go. So go!

INTERVIEW WITH FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Marianne Styger

If you had to give the Festival a motto, what would it be?

Our festival slogan is ‘Recognising and rewarding emerging global talent’ . We aim to help the next generation of filmmaking by providing tangible opportunities for them to further their career, be it through screenings, prizes or networking at the festival.

What part(s) of the Festival are you most looking forward to?

We’ve been planning the festival for so long, it’s hard to think of it as a reality and pinpoint bits I’m looking forward to! The awards ceremony is always a fantastic evening where we announce our winning filmmakers. With almost all nominees attending this year, a beautiful handmade sculpture and prizes to present, and some lively entertainment it should prove a great evening. In terms of the events, I’m particularly looking forward to the Art Talk, and evidently our Opening and Closing Galas with Richard Curtis and Jim Broadbent.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

Sleep! I don’t have set plans after graduation as of yet. I’m roadtripping through Canada during the summer, and then I’ll most likely be in London for a few months looking for initial jobs in the film industry - hopefully something in awards or an educational film charity. visit www.takeonecff.com for more reviews and interviews | @takeonecff