The time has returned for us to shine the spotlight on our incredible students, graduates, and alumni. Continue reading to learn about their superb success stories and what they have come to achieve in the month of July. If you have any exciting news you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to get in touch, we want to hear all about it. Don’t forget you can sign up to our alumni newsletter here to get the updates direct to your inbox.
Another successful partnering with two filmmaking alumni! Well done Chloé Deleplace (DoP) and Matteo Zenini (Steadicam Operator) their short-form mini-series, Universelles, has been released on the online platform of the Belgian television channel RTBF Auvio. Watch the trailer here!
“Working on ‘Universelles’ was incredibly fulfilling and life-changing for me. Director Céline Ribard, producers Elsa de Balby and Julia Gabreau from Ose Production, and I had prepared for two years before receiving the green light to shoot. Our goal was to portray a vibrant love story between two women in Brussels, capturing every stage of their relationship.
“The shoot presented considerable challenges as we had to film in two simultaneous aspect ratios (4x5 and 1.85), demanding precise framing and extensive rehearsals for our long Steadicam shots. Due to budgetary constraints and a short shooting time (6 days), we had to be creative and resourceful. Our two-person lighting team learned to work efficiently and adapt to each situation - we were working between shaping natural light and illuminating large spaces across 11 locations, day and night. Despite the intensity of the project, the experience proved to be highly instructive and immensely gratifying, demonstrating our ability to create an ambitious project with limited resources.
“We were thrilled when RTBF expressed interest in airing the 1.85 version on their Auvio platform. I'm proud of how ‘Universelles’ turned out. It's a testament to everyone's hard work and passion, and it is an honour to be selected for broadcast on Belgian TV.” - Chloé Deleplace
Screenwriting alumna, Manuela Irene, completed her first feature film, Xibalba Monster, which was recently selected by Edinburgh International Film Festival. Congratulations and best of luck! See the trailer here.
“Monstruo de Xibalba is my first film and it took me more than ten years to achieve it. Over the course of this time, DP Damián Aguilar and I made several trips to Yucatán and found the most amazing locations that I kept writing into the script. The Xibalba Monster character has always been based on my father and in these ten years he aged enough to be able to play the part.
“During pre-production, on the last day of casting, a boy named Rogelio - exactly as written in the script - appeared and amazed us all with his performance, innate comic body language and stubbornness. In this time, I also became a better director shooting, producing and editing two short films. Today I couldn't be happier with the final result, which is why I am very grateful for the obstacles that made the time for Monstruo de Xibalba to be exactly the film it is.” – Manuela Irene
Delighted to see filmmaking alumni, Nathan Deming (writer-director) and Adam Stunkle (producer), win the top prize and Audience Award at the Wisconsin Film Festival for their film, February. Inspired by the films of Mike Leigh, February is part of a 12-part series called the "Year Project" with a film for every month set in the same small town in Wisconsin.
"February is the sequel to January, part 2 of a planned 12-part series (I'm calling it the Year Project) all set in Wisconsin and informed by the months of the year. Each month we change main characters and perspectives, sometimes characters overlap but each film will stand on its own. February is about a family of Mexican immigrants in a small town, and one of them has just moved there and is really struggling to fit in until he discovers ice fishing. There's other themes I'm building in the background of each film that will hopefully build as I make more of them, as I explore the passage of time and the effects of our environment on us, our culture, our beliefs - and how similar we all are, etc. But also a heavy focus on capturing Wisconsin culture accurately (one character in February was played by a local non-actor and real life ice fisherman, and he was fantastic!)
"The film's styles are HEAVILY inspired by Mike Leigh, the reason I went to LFS in the first place. He's one of my favourite directors, and this series is very close to my heart to maybe, MAYBE do a bit for Wisconsin what he's done for the UK - he's one of the most realistic filmmakers around, and very successful at documenting culture, personalities, and characters throughout his career. My dream is I can continue to explore this series in and around the rest of my film career. "March" is obviously next!" - Nathan Deming
We're pleased to share an excellent collaboration between screenwriting alumnus, Pablo Saura (writer-director), and International Film Business alumna, Camila Basora (producer). Their film, Love Lost, recently premiered at this year’s Brighton Rocks International Film Festival. Many congratulations!
Being Pablo’s first film as a director, partnering with Camila, who has an extensive background in production, helped him lift this project off the ground. It’s always a pleasure to see students and alumni from different programmes make magic together. Well done!
“When making your first film, finding the support to get things started can feel nearly impossible. Something I learnt making Love Lost is: Just get the party started, and hopefully people will follow the music. Some of those people will join in and you’ll have a blast together. Some others will walk away and miss out. That’s OK, they weren’t ready. Invite them to the next one.” – Pablo Saura
Congratulations to filmmaking alumna, Dornaz Hajiha, who was recently awarded a place on the NIPKOW PROGRAMM. This fellowship grants a film residency in Berlin based on the merit of the applicants' second feature film screenplay. Dornaz will be working with a mentor to develop her screenplay for the next few months as well as taking part in various workshops. Very exciting stuff indeed! All the best with this great opportunity.
Huge congratulations to Janis Pugh for the theatrical release of Chuck Chuck Baby in the UK and US! The film received 4-star reviews in The Guardian from Peter Bradshaw and Wendy Ide.
Bravo to Naomi Pacifique who recently had her second screening at Locarno Film Festival, this time for her film, looking she said I forget. Equal praise to Naomi's fellow filmmaking alumni, Xenia Patricia (cinematographer) and Rafael Manuel (producer) who also worked with her on this project. Well done to you all!
We couldn't be prouder of Shira Haimovici (writer-director), Tamás Apor Méder (cinematographer) and Servane D'Alverny (camera assistant). Their grad film, Summer Shade, has received 2.9 million views and on its way to 3 million views on Short of the Week's YouTube channel.
Finally, we are excited to share the magnificent achievement of screenwriting alumni Lyndon Henley Hanrahan (writer, director, actor), Nora Dahle Borchgrevink (director) and Fergus Burnand (producer) whose film, I Hope He Doesn’t Kill Me, has been shortlisted for the Iris Prize, Best British Short, supported by Film4 and Pinewood Studios. Congratulations and best of luck!
Grad Film Highlights
We are proud to share that LFS grad film Invocation is selected as a semi-Finalist for the Student Academy Awards. Invocation follows a young woman on a strange journey to cure an mystery disease, following her mother to a remote village for sorcerer’s treatment. Congrats to the cast and crew. Writer–Director: Lu Lu, DoP: Yue Pan, Producers: Zhao Wu and Jiayin Bao, Production Designer: Ziyan Gao, Editor: Zheng Wei, Camera Op: Longhua Yang. Good luck at the Finalist stage in the Autumn!
"I am deeply honoured to be selected as a semi-finalist for the Student Academy Awards. This story, developed into a fantasy film from my own experience, has given me the opportunity to bring my vision to life. The journey has been incredibly rewarding. All the cast and crew worked diligently and made tremendous efforts. We spent an unforgettable time in the mountains of Guizhou, and I am deeply grateful to them." - Lu Lu
More exciting news as we are thrilled to announce an LFS grad film has been shortlisted for the LGBTQIA Iris Prize this year, this is amongst tough competition.
Congrats to cast and crew of Divine Intervention. Director: Ravenna Tran, Writer: Rebecca Ozer, Producers: Adyita Jain and Nathan Legger.
"Honoured to be selected by the Iris Prize and so thankful to the cast and crew, and my co-creator and screenwriter Rebecca Ozer for making this film with me, it was an ambitious and monumental project and it couldn’t have happened without everyone involved. Very excited to share Divine Intervention with audiences soon." - Ravenna Tran
Also selected is a film made by 2021 LFS Screenwriting graduate Lydon Hanrahan...see the alumni section above. The winners will be announced late this year but also after the Festival event, all the short-listed films will be screening on Channel Four to a wider audience for one year. Watch this space for further updates!
Moving short Rickshaw screened at Tbilisi International Film Festival (Georgia) in early July. Writer-Director: Raphael Hernandez, Producer: Anastasia Savinova, Raphael Hernandez, Jaina Liu, Spandana Patanaik, Editor: Mengyao Zhang, DoP: Eng Teck Ng.
Award winning grad film, Sparare alle Angurie continues to screen to global audiences this month at Edera Film Festival 2024, Toko Film Fest 2024 (Italy) and 7th Yerevan International Short FF 2024 (Armenia). Writer-Dir-Editor: Antonio Donato, Producer: Patrick Verlin, DoP: Sahil Kotwani, Prod. Designer: Anastasiya Mykhaylova.
Two LFS grad films screened at Oscar Qualifier Heartland FF (Indiana) Indy Shorts International Film Festival at the end of July. Congrats to the team of Broken Hearts (Director: Julie Magnaudet, Prod: Nathan Legger, DoP: Bo Giesen, Prod Design: Anastasia Mykhalova, Editor: Ryan Ling) and Places We Knew (Writer-Director-Producer: Oliver Staton, Producer: Nathan Legger).
Memorable coming of age film, Talking to the River which premiered at Quinzaine de Realtors, Cannes in 2023, was part of Busan International Kids' and Youth FF (South Korea). Congrates to Dir-Writer-Editor: Yue Pan, Co-Prod: Yue Pan, Sound Recordist: Lu Lu, Prod. Design: Ziyan Gao, Art Dir: Zhao Wu.
Praeis continues screening after its Le Cinef Cannes premiere this time at Burgas International Film Festival 2024 (Bulgaria). Writer-Director: Dovydas Draksas, Producer: Jing Zhao, Production Designer: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, DoP: Tamás Apor Méder, Editor: Dovydas Draksas, Camera Assistant: Yinghui Jing.
Photo credits (top to bottom)
Universelles still, Writer-Director: Céline Ribard
Poster for I Hope He Doesn’t Kill Me, Directors: Lyndon Henley Hanrahan and Nora Dahle Borchgrevink
Xibalba Monster still (Writer-Director: Manuela Irene)
February BTS, Writer-Director: Nathan Deming
Love Lost still, Writer-Director: Pablo Saura
Photo of Dornaz Hajiha, photographer credit: Vlad Braga
Chuck Chuck Baby stills, Writer-Director: Janis Pugh, stills photographer: Carlton Dixon
I Hope He Doesn’t Kill Me poster, Writer-Director: Lyndon Henley Hanrahan
Divine Intervention still, Director: Ravenna Tran