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Shorts Block 6 - London Independent Film Festival (LIFF) 2019

9/5/2019

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Martin Richard’s science fiction effort 'The Bomb' imagines a violent post-Brexit where a leather clad maverick bomb disposal expert takes freelance diffusing gigs until he comes up against new challenge. The film’s main concept is an AI bomb defence system that preys on your emotional weakness by taking the form of someone you’ve lost. It’s an interesting thought experiment, although the script relies on the viewer to do too much of the work filling blanks. The final effect is a little flat and lacks narrative clarity, but the idea has merit and the effects are nicely done for an indie film.

The standout offering of the block is 'The Critic', written, directed by and starring Stella Velon. It delves into the psyche of an actor and questions the role of critics; their value and the casual cruelty of those paid to judge, rather than do. Velon’s actress faces down a shadowy interviewer who belittles her and tries to trap her in cunningly worded questions until you’re willing her to cut him down to size. Although the mechanism of the narrative isn’t novel, it is immaculately executed and as the only visible face on screen Velon ably carries the film. Her wealth of expressions do far more work than any dialogue could, admirable for anyone directing themselves. Understanding the form and purpose of a short story is just as important as screencraft and 'The Critic' succeeds on all fronts.

'Ghost Dance' by Emilia Izquierdo may have gone over my head. On the surface it is a bewildering animation which felt wildly out of place in the programme and offered little more than diverting shapes. Several minutes of wiggling colours and swirling figures may well have been a triumph of animated technique but within the context of a series of clear narratives, and especially following such a strong contender, there is little to remark on.

Saam Farahmand’s 'A Portrait of the Artist Angus Fairhurst', an homage to the least-known of the Young British Artists of the late 80s, is a little worthy, an art student kind of film in every sense. That said, the cast do well with the convincing dialogue, and the intercut snippets of Fairhurst’s underrated work is well-managed and thoroughly entertaining. Likewise, the shaggy dog story that the eponymous artist tells to his enfant terrible contemporaries works as a neat metaphor for the whole era of thoroughly commercial art. The sumptuous black and white film cements the effect, and the affect.
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Luke Bradford’s 'Risk' shows its cards early and what we expect to be the big twist is signposted a mile off, making the wait for the reveal a little tiresome. The true twist however comes in the closing credits when a few words reframe everything that has just passed. More of a PSA than an entertainment film it is nonetheless fully effective in its mission to shock and challenge. Confident direction shines through and the film easily stands up to much higher budget rivals. Perhaps a less obvious (and more contentious) consequence of the film’s proselytising is how it raises the question of how much right, and how much responsibility, others bear when a woman’s choices for her own body are potentially causing untold harm to another.
Review by Sophie London.
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'Gender'

8/4/2019

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'Gender', directed by Aleksandra Czenczek and written by Gisele Mauvecin, depicts project manager Emma’s (Gisele Mauvecin), struggle to be seen as an equal and as viable candidate for a senior position in her company. We see Emma working all hours of the day to the detriment of other areas of her life, however despite all of this, her efforts are thwarted by an unfairly rigged system denying her due to prejudices based on her gender. The cinematography overall is very well executed and the film has the feel approaching that of a much bigger budget feature length film. The shots are clean and fluid and it is well woven together visually. The soundtrack is brilliantly composed and it is partially what sells the high end nature of the film. It is not over done and it is great at underpinning the action as it unfolds in a non intrusive sense, that layers it up and makes it fuller.

Performance wise, it is very naturalistic overall and there were only a few moments with the big boss (Jamie Lee-Hill) who verged on being a somewhat pantomimic caricature of a big bad sexist. However, there are some elements that feel as if they are missing. For one, their office is a very white environment. However, both our main character and her boss Anna (Yulia Romanova) have migrated from other parts of the world to work in this London branch, yet only their gender is mentioned as being a barrier to progression. However, as we are all coming to learn, the world is intersectional. So not only will they have to face gender bias, but also the potential biases that come from being a migrant. Both actors read relatively well and it is very refreshing to see two actors, who’s first language isn’t English, without having them be the “Other”, it’s just that within a film that seeks to address prejudice, it is short sighted to ignore the interweaving of these things.

It was a great twist, to have her boss who is a woman, be in some way complicit with the decision to promote her less accomplished male colleague (David Wayman) ahead of her. A great reminder that even if we come from an oppressed group, we can still be puppets of the system enacting those injustices out upon those who face the same hardships as us. However, it is very based in a narrative that there is one metric of success, and that we must all adhere to it, even though it was created and is upheld by those who would keep us out. So rather than redefine what success looks like, we mutilate ourselves in order to emulate and to get a approval from those above who will only allow individuals not in the “club”, just far enough to appease and cajole.

It was well executed and well performed, it just seemed as if it wasn’t saying anything wildly new or in a fresh way. We need more films to get people to think and to address their behaviours for sure and this will certainly act as a reminder, it just could have reached a little further in a more nuanced way for a 2019 audience.
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Review by Francesca Reid.
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We Are The Weirdos 2019

21/2/2019

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We are the Weirdos, a collated collective of short feminist horror films woven together by The Final Girls, is now in its second year and continues to torment, terrify and transfix with each of the nine films showcased in its latest incarnation. Featuring films from Finland, Mexico, Ireland, South Korea, the US and UK, the full length and breadth of the intersection of feminism and horror globally is splattered across the screen in the collection.
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This second instalment of We Are The Weirdos is a cunningly crafted set of films that demonstrate the talent and infinite imaginations of female-driven casts and creative teams within the horror genre. It’s an intelligent glance at interwoven issues of femininity and patriarchal oppression that manages to firmly plant the intersection of feminism and horror into an important space within film as, in The Final Girls’ own words, "who said girls weren’t scary?"
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Catcalls
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Hair Wolf
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#EATPRETTY
'Catcalls' sinks its claws into verbal harassment and rape culture while the camp and kitschy 'Hair Wolf' addresses the fetishisation of black culture in mainstream media through its humorous references to 70s screamers and the melodramatic horror conjured by Chester Algernal Gorden’s inventive hair and costume design. Both pay homage to debates being waged in and around intersectional feminist circles and directly utilise vicious visuals to deliver a rich dark fantasy of feminine power. The morphing mistresses of 'Cartcalls' patriarchal destruction target their harassers with gruesome gumption and although we are denied more than a glimpse of their feline form in a Ginger-Snaps-esque monstrosity, Kate Dolan’s masterful direction manages to capture a thrilling sense of unease nonetheless. 'Hair Wolf’s monsters are altogether more recognisable as white Instagram influencers pawing at the panes of a hair salon with zombie-like zeal to try and get their hands on, as one girl drawls in an unending undead one note ‘braaaiidss’. Mariama Diallo’s script is peppered with insightful takes on appropriation and a dry humour that connects with the film’s campy aesthetic, making this piece one of the smarter horror flicks in the showcase. Similarly, '#EATPRETTY' uses horror as a genre to fuel fascination for current obsessions with beauty standards, perfection and the male gaze, though with more of a bent on the living lens of social media. Abigail Halley’s voiceovers for Roseanna Frascona’s maniacal shuttercock image fantasies are languid and soothing, creating bizarre juxtaposition for Frascona’s hungry obsession and deterioration.
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Blood Runs Down
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Goodnight
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Cerulia
'Blood Runs Down' delivers memorable miasmic aestheticism within its Louisiana setting and monochrome design. Candlelight spills from every surface and Jesse Ray Guillory’s production design guiles us into a tapered tapestry of white linens and gentle luminescence. While a southern storm rages outside, psychological possessions are padded with whispers and piano chords inside, creating a delightful undercurrent of distress. The atmosphere is brilliantly set thanks to Sultana Isham’s soundtrack and Zac Manuel’s cinematography but sadly Zandashé Brown’s screenplay falters in its progression of a compelling storyline.
The image of a small girl in a white dress wielding a baseball bat is a wonderful reclamation of girlhood as something other than delicate candlelit delights and the overall attempt at addressing intergenerational trauma and the long lasting effects of loss is a poignant one but the film fails to arrest its audience with anything other than scintillating visuals. 'Goodnight', directed by Diane Michelle, features an exploration of psychosexual nightmares and gender in the family unit. Its jump scares and picture perfect family place it firmly in the realm of Hollywood horror, yet the disturbing direction the piece takes in exploiting childhood fears and twisting them into a thing with carnivorous connotations shows there’s more to 'Goodnight' than meets the eye.y
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Inseyed
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Puppet Master
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The Lady From 406
Other manifestations include Sofia Carillo’s illustrative stop animation 'Cerulia' featuring truly original abominations that plague the mind and senses. Two identical girls play strange games with badly taxidermied animals to escape their lonesome reality in a delightfully delectable reference to 'The Shining', while the heads of grandparents emerge from leaf piles in the greenhouse demanding stories be read and hair be combed. It’s a surrealist delirium that plays on the volatile imaginations of children and it is by far the most perplexing and perturbing of the set. 'Inseyed' in contrast is a short sharp little animation that delves into the discomfort of daily life whilst featuring a small sharp toothed creature peering out from the inside of a rotting skull. It is as offbeat as it is adorable and makes for a gratifying interlude from duller offerings such as 'Puppet Master' which also takes aim at objectification and the male gaze in the form of a metamorphosis from human woman to puppet. This silent exploration of obsession explores our relationship with art as possession in a reverse Pinocchio plotline that occasionally drags and would seem more at home on a stage rather than a screen. Last in the lot is director Lee Kyoung’s 'The Lady from 406' which, with its mesmerising myriad of shots that circle about the tenement building in which our protagonist finds herself agonisingly attempting to rid her apartment of her neighbour’s cigarette smoke, creates less of a horrific hellscape and more of a sage sanatorium. The overall effect is one of heightened suspicion and sense of utter confusion.
Review by Jordana Belaiche.
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'After the Sea' - Raindance Film Festival 2018

25/10/2018

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'After the Sea' is a beautiful and heartfelt story about grief. A separated couple reunite on a beach in their hometown to talk about their shared best friend and his suicide. It’s impressive that a film so short can evoke so much emotion and create characters that are totally relatable. Inspired by true events in the lives of the filmmakers, the writing is simple but effective and is supported by strong performances from Lauren Cato and particularly from Elliot James Langridge.

The film shows two people realising that sometimes what you’ve left behind is what you need, and that you can go back to what you want. It’s about forgiveness and accepting that everyone makes mistakes, and about supporting one another instead of assigning blame for matters that are sometimes out of your control. Acceptance that sometimes it’s nobody’s fault. The feeling of loss is strong throughout the film and they deal with the sensitive matter of suicide extremely well.

'After the Sea' makes a strong comment on mental health and also how losing someone you love can cause lasting devastation.
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Review by May Heartly.
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'Seeing Him'

10/8/2017

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Coming soon.
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The premiere of 'Seeing Him' at the Prince Charles Cinema generated two first times in one night: my first red carpet screening there, which proved more fitting than expected, and the first time I saw a short film screened twice at the same event: before and after a Q&A with the filmmakers (there were also a few last words from the panel and the audience after the second screening). And speaking of second times, we also discovered the film itself had had two directors and had been filmed twice.

Directed by Chris Jones & Catherine Arton, and written by Vanessa Bailey (who also stars), 'Seeing Him' is a doomed love story, the tale of an impossible relationship between Sophie, a middle aged professional, and James, a secret lover Sophie’s sister disapproves of.
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French presidential elections still fresh in mind, though I immediately noticed the age gap between Bailey (who you might have seen in Eastenders or Southcliffe), and George Taylor (Partners in Crime, X Company, The Lady in the Van), it didn’t exactly shock me and therefore made me automatically think the secrecy of the relationship couldn’t possibly be only about this. Something about James was also both candidly charming and disturbingly clingy, so I wasn’t surprised either when I saw my suspicions confirmed halfway through the film. Funnily though, if one specific shot hadn’t completely thrown me off track in the first couple of minutes, I would have gotten the whole picture from the very first shot...and this would have taken nothing away from the film’s impact.
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To twist, or not to twist… that became one of the first questions during the second Q&A, as many viewers in the audience found themselves moved more deeply during the second viewing once the twist had been revealed and I wonder if the filmmakers will decide to alter the way they present 'Seeing Him' to future audiences.

Another discussion in the Q&A was gender and age. Bailey stated one of her goals in writing 'Seeing Him' was to create new roles for females in their 40s. Ironically, Sophie could really be any age, and it is her universality that in parts also makes the story so relatable to all, age and gender alike. If anything, it made me wonder why casting for similar roles were not open to both genders or with a wider age range in mind.
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Gender politics and twist debate aside, the film was unquestionable moving, thanks to natural, vibrant performances by the leads and supporting cast (Catherine Rowney as Sophie’s sister, Duncan Duff as Sophie’s colleague), beautifully natural cinematography (Don McVey), and last but not least, a hauntingly romantic score by composer William Goodchild (Jago: A Life Underwater, Walking Through History).
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Review by Anne-Sophie Marie.
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Rate the film and why not write your own review in the comments?
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'Dead Meet'

10/8/2017

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Out now online!
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Unfortunately this was a very dead meeting indeed both for the audience and the cast and crew involved. Described as being ‘quirky comedy’ with ‘quirky characters’ and hong Kong style action. What this troupe need to realise sooner rather than later is that despite your attempts to make a film filled with "action" the storytelling comes first or you will lose the audience's attention and sadly their affection for you. Telling the story should be the first "action" you achieve successfully in your process. Acting still needs to be on point as it would be in any other genre of film. Francesca L White, a very talented fighter, really did not create a believable Cleo and therefore the comedy dropped entirely. White is often to steadfast and rigid in her approach and therefore was unable to let the lighter elements of the character shine. What we wanted to see was the normal woman behind Cleo taking a risk going on date and being nervous about that date.
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That’s where the comedy would have been stupendous, a woman nervous on a date but who can knock several shades of blue out of any man or villain she comes in contact with. She is secret superhero/assassin yes but in order for us to believe her White needed to show us this woman's private persona as well as her public superhero self. Think about the nuances that are created between Clark Kent and Superman for example. White’s performance needed an injection of curiosity and vulnerability badly as it’s these qualities which makes us - the viewers- get on your side immediately. Obviously the director (Daniel J Brant) could have done much better in bringing these qualities out better in White and so is partially to blame.
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​​Rueben Williams played a really convincing and comedic version of "the nice guy" simply on a date with no prior knowledge of his dates real job, which she is essentially a hitwoman/bondgirl/anti-hero type. Rueben Williams was a breath of fresh air and utterly enjoyable to watch despite him having a very short presence in the film. He really was very relaxed and created a sense of confidence from the get go. Francesca White is a deeply attractive actress with some serious Zena warrior princess like moves and that her level of fighting expertise has to be commended however as the lead in this film she simply didn’t achieve all that she could have with Cleo.
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​There were obvious production failures also with shoddy camera work and little to no imagination when it came to colour grading, graphics and cinematography. A slick cinematographer and an excellent editor with some graphics skills may just have set off that Hong Kong style action that the team were after and some clever stylisation would have covered over the obvious flaws in the acting better.

Unfortunately though for the team and the audience, the production matched the direction and acting and went in a rather dull direction. Leaving viewers feeling a bit frustrated and robbed of the most essential ‘action’ of all - decent storytelling.
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Review by Sid Berry.
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'The Prey'

11/9/2015

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Coming soon! Release date to be announced.
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Out of all genres of film that exist in the world, horror is arguably one of the most challenging to tackle, much less master. The task of producing shocks and tension without relying on stereotypical tropes and slipping into cliché is a difficult balance to maintain, one that many attempt but very few succeed. It’s a task that is exponentially more troublesome when it comes to a short film, restricted by a much reduced run-time and necessity to create a more rapid-fire pace than usual.

Thankfully, it is a task that writer/director James Webber and his team are more than able to handle, not only managing to keep the scales perfectly aligned but also adding numerous other elements to the mix, serving to create something pleasantly refreshing.

After an argument with her boyfriend whilst driving back from a party, Mel ends up alone in the wrong side of town on a dark Halloween night.
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'The Prey' kicks off the proceedings with some truly awe-inspiring visuals and camera-work, setting the foreboding eeriness of the evening within seconds. All before drawing you in to the more human and relatable drama between Mel (Rebecca Van Cleave) and her boyfriend (James Alexandrou).

From there, things refuse to let up; the drama quickly ramping up to a broader sense of such nerve-wracking tension that it’s all but impossible not to be pulled to the edge of your seat. It truly is heart-pounding stuff, not least of all due to a truly impressive use of music and sound, that manages to seem both original and occasionally an homage to other well-known horror movies.

On the acting front, all prominent members of the cast are on solid form. James Alexandrou ('Eastenders') does well with a role which, with lesser writing and in lesser hands, could have been a one-note and generic “annoying boyfriend” role, blessing it with nuance and an acute sense of awareness. Of the two, however, Sam Gittins ('Ripper Street') easily stands out, conveying myriad emotions and levels of menace with expressions and actions alone.

Alongside and up against both, Rebecca Van Cleave ('The Royals', 'Game of Thrones') more than holds her own, in both the personal drama and the subsequent tense situations she finds herself involved in. The scenes she shares with Sam Gittins truly sizzle with palpable psychological and emotional strain. As well as, surprisingly, a wonderful amount of dark humour, producing genuinely laugh-out-loud moments amid the traditional and impressive gore and violence.
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All in all, 'The Prey' is a truly confident, accomplished, and beautifully well-rounded short. One that knew exactly what it wanted to achieve and stylishly succeeded in doing so without an ounce of excess weight. Despite spanning less than ten minutes, from the aforementioned visuals and score to the acting and writing so tight that it could easily stand-up to repeat viewings, there really is a lot to love.
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Review by Jay Thomas.
Tell us what you think!
Rate the film and why not write your own review in the comments?
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'Clinical'

10/4/2015

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Out now on YouTube!
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'Clinical' is a ten minute short film following a mysterious man known only as The Drifter, who arrives in a new town with initially unclear motives. Without a conventional plot, this is clearly depicted as just another day in The Drifter’s life. The different people he meets and the way he interacts with them forms the backbone of this movie’s exploration of morality and offers some unexpected moments that seem to tell us “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.

The cast are great for what is clearly a very low budget production; Brett John & Lydia Kay playing two junkies who attack The Drifter early on, and Tanita Guldbransen as a pharmacist all work towards conveying these themes competently, with Jon De Ville portraying The Drifter as a hardened yet sympathetic character, despite having very few lines. Shot very nicely by Jesper Tobiassen, the urban landscapes are carefully desaturated reflecting the bleakness of the characters, without feeling completely desolate as many overzealous colour graders can often fall foul of. Joel Macklin, writer and director of 'Clinical' has created a fascinating main character, fitting a few interesting ideas into the ten minutes, and in avoiding a number of the “student film” traps that short film makers so often fall into, even manages to make the run time fly by and leave me wanting to find out more about The Drifter. A short film well worth taking a look at.
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Review by Cameron Richardson.
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'Feast'

28/1/2015

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Out now, playing in front of 'Big Hero 6'!
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A heart warming tale about a dog’s life, told through food. This short animation will make you smile, laugh and tug at the heartstrings; and all in a matter of minutes! Although the storyline is simple and borderline cliché, what makes it stand out and cast these descriptions aside is the way that it is implemented. Beautifully animated and very well done, it is easy to see why this little masterpiece is up for an Oscar. 
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Review by Lydia Kay
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