The past few months have been incredibly busy here at LFS. The annual Graduate Showcase saw a huge number of grads, pitches, masterclasses, presentations and screenings but there’s been plenty of other activity too. Across students, staff, grads, and alumni, we’ve crammed two months of news here.
Let us know if we’ve missed anything. We’re always keen to hear about alumni achievements and what you might be working on now.
We’re in the midst of awards season and we’re delighted to see that former student James Friend (CEP Cinematography), won a BAFTA for his work on All Quiet On The Western Front and has been nominated for an Academy Award. James worked as DoP on the film and it’s wonderful that his work has been recognised.
Another LFS alumni awards contender is MA Filmmaking alumnus Oliver Hermanus (MAF 161) for his film, Living. The film was nominated for Best British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Bill Nighy at the BAFTAs, and Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor at the Academy Awards. With the Oscar announced next month we’ll all be watching closely and wishing Oliver and his team the very best.
We’re delighted that not one but two MA Screenwriting grads; Despina Ladi (MAS 5) and Greg Simmons (MAS 13) have been selected for Series Mania Writers Campus 2023. On the week-long writing workshop 20 professional writers from all over the world to take part with the opportunity to develop their series projects with renowned mentors
The end of January saw our new Director and CEO, Neil Peplow join us. He got off to a great start and spoke on behalf of the School at Gotenberg Film Festival at the Nostradamus x impACT seminar. Neil spoken about the need for sustainable talent development and to embrace diverse voices as a key to artistic innovation.
We’re hugely excited for the next project from Filmmaking alumnus, Koby Adom (MAF 183) who has announced he will be working the feature, Haircut, based on his short that won the London Calling Plus award in 2018. We’re looking forward to it.
Well done to comedian, animator and former student, Alasdair Beckett-King (MAF 169) who has written a children’s book: Montgomery Bonbon, Murder At The Museum. The brilliantly funny book launched in February, soon after Alasdair won the Breakthrough Act award at the Chortle Awards. Catch his comedy tour next month Alasdair Beckett-King: The Interdimensional ABK – Mick Perrin Worldwide.
Congratulations to Álvaro Gago (MAF 175) for the film, Matria which is featuring in Berlinale this year. The film was developed from his second short which won the Grand Prix in Sundance in 2018. It will be featuring in the Panorama section of Berlinale – a fantastic achievement to be hugely proud of.
Graduate Films Highlights
We’re thrilled to announce that eight films are screening at Goya and Oscar Qualifying Film Festival, In the Palace FF in Bulgaria, this coming June. Congrats to all our grads and their teams! Blue Note, (Dir: Pavel Andonov, Prod Design: Abigail Quinlan Prod Ass: Carolina Ratcliff), By the Rivers Blue, (Dir: Tong Lui, AD and Co-Prod: Naixin Lang, AD: Zhanfei Song, Prod Design: Cheng Li, Art Dir: Hui Zhang), Lo Sguardo, (Dir: and Prod, Eduardo Ulivelli, Assoc Prod: Antonio Donato and Patrick Verlin) Neighbouring Sounds (Aka Komşu Selser) - nominated Best Student Fiction (Dir: Ali Guldurur, Prod: Joao Salgardo, DOP: Adyita Sharma, Sound: Carolina Ratfliff), On Your Behalf, (Nominated Best Student Short – Dir: and Prod Design: Anna Garcia Rico, Producers Maya Wills and Remi Itani, Editor: John Powell), The Viewing Room (Dir: Love von Hauswolff), Your Guardian (Dir: Mimi Vlaovic, Producer Anastasia Savinova), and Wetsuit Dir: Joao Salgado, DOP: Eduardo Carreras, Editor: Hannah Owen.
We are proud that The Viewing Room will be part of the prestigious European student films Competition at Premiers Plans D'Anger (France) (Wri-Dir: Love von Hauswolff. Your Guardian will start a busy March with screenings at Fest International Film Festival Belgrade 2023 (Serbia) and Watersprite Film Festival 2023 (UK). (Dir: Mirjana Vlaovic, Prod: Anastasia Savinova.)
One Last Laugh will have its USA premiere at Short Sweet FIlm Fest. (Dir: Gavin O'Herlihy, Prod: Mirjana Vlaovic, DoP: Jaffar Raza, Editor: Peter Hogenson.)
On Your Behalf screened at Santa Monica International Film Festival (USA) and at British Shorts Berlin (Germany) and Cortogenia Film Festival Hollywood Just4shorts Film & Screenplay comp 2022 (USA) and Oaxaca FilmFest 2022 (Mexico). (Wri-Dir: Ana Garcia Rico, Editor: John Powell, Prod: Maya Wills.)
Wetsuit was part of CINENOVA Interuniversity Film Festival 2022(Portugal). (Wri-Dir: Joao Salgado, DoP: Pablo Garrido Carreras, Editor: Hannah Owen.)
A Circle (Dir: Mariya Lukavska) was Awarded ‘Best Film’ at 21st International Student Film and Video Festival of Beijing Film Academy 2022 (China) CONGRATULATIONS! This grad film was also part of Asti Int FF (Italy) and Bastau Film festival (Kazakhstan).
Sucking Diesel had a great season recently screening at, Indie Cork Film Festival 2022 (Ireland), Galician Freaky Film Festival (Spain), Buzau International Film Festival (Romania), Portobello Film Festival-London (UK), Corto di Sera Independent Short Film Festival (Italy), Almagro International Film Festival (Spain), Butoni Film Festival (Spain) and Villamayor Film Festival (Spain). Phew! The dark comedy continued its journey at notable festival Tallin Black Nights POFF (Estonia), Foyle Film Festival (UK) and was nominated for 1.4 Awards (UK). (Dir-Wri: Sam McGrath).
A couple of titles coming to the end of the run but still screening ... A Firecracker Story of 1st Berlin NEW GEN Chinese FF (Germany), and will be later in December at London Arthouse FF (UK) and Tangier International Film Festival (Morocco). (Wri-Dir: Zhizi Hao, Prod: Naixin Liang, DoP: Guyuan Ma, Editor: Xiao Ding, Art Dir: Cheng lI) and The Third Solar Term will be part of 30th Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival (Australia). (Wri-Dir-Editor: Zhanfei Song, Prod: Naixin Liang, DoP: Tong Liu, Prod.Design: Aoya Su, Art Dir: Xiaojing Ma).
And finally....
Vox Populi (Wri-Dir: Tyanita Gancheva) and People's Pond (Wri-Dir: Chiahui Liao, Prod: Tyanita Gancheva, DoP-Editor-Prod: Shuaizhi Li, Prod. Desig: Yan Zhang) were part of the Festivals Pick at the film market videotheque of Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival this February.
We are also proud to see that Pardi di Locarno Silver winner after a room screened online as part of the Locarno Shorts during February. Stills from the film were even taken for the festival’s campaign and were used as part of this year’s main image. Well done to the whole team. (Writer-Dir-Editor: Naomi Pacifique, Producers: Rafael Manuel, Juri Ferri, DoP: Xenia Patricia, Sound: Pablo Garrido Carreras.)
Photo Credits (top to bottom)
Image from All Quiet On The Western Front (Dir: Edward Berger)
Matria (Dir-Wri: Álvaro Gago Díaz)
Wetsuit (Wri-Dir: Joao Salgado)
A Firecracker Story (Dir-Wri: Zhizi Hao)
after a room (Dir-Wri) Naomi Pacifique