We’re delighted to share more fantastic achievements of our students, grads, and alumni. Continue reading to learn all about their inspiring stories! As always, if you have any exciting news you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to get in touch because 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.
Huge congratulations to Screenwriting student Kay Saied whose short film Do Not Resuscitate has been selected by the BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festival, Aesthetica! Kay wrote Do Not Resuscitate, his first feature, on another writing programme in 2022 which, he says, helped define his unique voice. Knowing he wanted to pursue an MA here at the LFS and as the application required a short film script, Kay decided to adapt a segment of Do Not Resuscitate and was determined to make it his debut short before the course started! What an incredible achievement.
“The experience was amazing and it has really shaped me as a filmmaker. The first day of shooting was my very first day on set EVER so I’m a big believer in learning while doing. Lastly, it’s a film that has a real independent spirit, half of it was shot in my flat, it’s produced by me and my partner, and we crowdfunded. So I’m so delighted that Aesthetica is giving my project an audience at one of the biggest short film festivals in the UK! I hope this can be the first of many. I’ve just finished my short film unit on the Screenwriting MA and will look forward to make that film next.” - Kay Saied
Well done to screenwriting alumna Kim Nüesch whose short film, Marriage Unplugged, premiered at Cambridge Film Festival in October! It will screen twice in the Shorts and The Unexpected category. The film was also selected by Leeds International Film Festival where it will have two screenings in November. Kim wrote the original screenplay during her MA Screenwriting programme’s short film unit. She then partnered with her sister, Florine Nüesch, and together they wrote the final version and directed the film. Congratulations!
“A frustrated couple in their 50’s resorts to a sex robot as a final attempt to salvage their crumbling marriage, unwittingly uncovering the very fractures that damaged it in the first place.”
"Marriage Unplugged marked several firsts for us: our first UK shoot with an entirely new crew, our debut comedy script, the first time we’ve directed intimacy scenes and worked with an intimacy coordinator, and while we’ve worked on many sci-fi scripts, it’s the first sci-fi we’ve directed. We are thrilled to start our festival run with two amazing UK festivals, where cast and crew have a way of attending and we hope to see many familiar and new faces at the screenings." - Kim Nüesch
We also couldn’t be prouder of our magnificent alumni who worked on projects that screened at this year’s BFI London Film Festival. Huge congratulations to…
Screenwriting alumnus, Chris Andrews, who had his feature film Bring Them Down starring Barry Keoghan screened at the festival.
And Ameir Brown who was part of the writing team for upcoming historical boxing drama series, A Thousand Blows, created by Steven Knight. The first two episodes were screened at the festival.
“Working on A Thousand Blows has been an incredible experience. From the scope to the talent involved and the huge amount of personal development after two years on the show, it’s been a joy to play a part in. I can’t wait for the world to see what we’ve been working on, I just know you’ll all love it as much as I do.” – Ameir Brown
And International Film Business alumna, Norah Elkhateeb, who produced the short Dawn Every Day which screened at LFF in the Wondering, Wandering programme.
Grad Film Highlights
LFS grad films are streaming this month on many platforms, Disney +, Channel Four and Arte! In October LFS graduate films have been screening worldwide in Cinemas from Mexico to Beijing, from Canada to Australia. See our screenings below and congrats to all the creative teams!
Recently, Rebbeca Ozer and Ravenna Tran’s Divine Intervention was shortlisted for the Iris Prize Best British Short. The 15 shortlisted films will be broadcast on Film4 and streamed on @channel4 for a year after the festival. As a result of its selection, the film was broadcast on Film4 and is currently available to stream on Channel 4. Be sure to have a watch! Ashley Goh (shown above) who played the role of Kai won the Iris Prize award for Best Performance in a role Beyond the Binary (Best British). Congratulations to everyone involved! Keep an eye out for an upcoming exclusive interview with Rebecca and Ravenna very soon.
Further exciting distribution news and huge congrats to the director Sam MacGrath (writer-director) and the team as grad film Sucking Diesel is currently streaming on Disney +. Check it out and congrats to the whole team for this wonderful achievement!
Just to make that a triple, more exciting news as dark comedy - Sparare Alle Angurie (Shooting the Watermelons), is now screening on Arte Channel – after a spectacular Festival run! The film also won the SIAE Award for Best Project in Development at the Unbox Short Film days (Italy). Well done also to Sparare alle Angurie for winning the Best Student Film Award at the Smalls Film Festival (London) The film will be also screening at the 13th edition of Shorts Not Pants Film Festival (Canada), at the 24th edition of the Festival del Cinema Europeo (Italy), the SorsiCorti Short Film Festival, the 30th edition of the Med Film Festival (Morocco), the Byron Bay International Film Festival (Australia), the 8th edition of Azyl Shorts (Slovakia), the 43rd Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival 2024 (Finland). Writer-Dir-Editor: Antonio Donato, Prod: Patrick Verlin, DoP: Sahil Kotwani, Prod. Designer: Anastasiya Mykhaylova.
Further around the globe, we are pleased to announce that Beijing Film Academy Festival will be a screening a special showcase of grad films with our very own course leader Charis Coke travelling to Beijing to present. The choice from recent years includes Film Festival winners Sol De Agosto, Summer Shade, Transit, Talking to the River (XIA RI FU BEN), Praeis, Rickshaw, Sparare alle Angurie, and Señor.
Also, we are proud to share that graduate film A Blue Memory (Writer-Director: Adema Tatisheva, Co-Producer: Jing Zhao) is screening in the annual Student Film Competition too!
More international visits as Deputy Course Leader Sue Austen is travelling to represent LFS at the Munich Film Schools Fest, where the LFS film Dou (Writer-Director and Producer: Jing Zhao) is screening in competition, attended also by Jing Zhao.
Congrats to the team of Praeis for winning the Best Cinematography award at notable Linz International Short film festival (Austria). Writer-Dir: Dovydas Draksas, Producer: Jing Zhao, Production Designer: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, DoP: Tamás Apor Méder, Editor: Dovydas Draksas, Camera Assistant: Yinghui Jing.
Three grad films screened at BAFTA qualifier Bolton Film Festival. Sparare Alle Augurie, Lapel (Writer-Director: Nicolas Seaton, DOP: Adar Ravir, Producer: Nabil Muzayyin, Sound Recordist: Qili Li, Editor: Benjamin Sivo), and The Food Taster (Dir/Editor Alexander Emborg, Sound Recordist: Manasi Bedekar.
Saving Art screened at British Urban FIlm Festival (UK). Writer-Director-Editor: Remi Moses, Prod: Victor Nauwynck, DoP: Pui Man Leung, Prod Designer: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, Art Director: Elitsa Marielle.
Passerby was screened at the Vilmos Zsigmond Film Festival 2024 (Hungary). Writer-Director: Benjamin Sivo, Editor: Nicholas Seaton.
Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite will be screened at the Birmingham Film Festival (UK) and the Cinemira Budapest International Children's and Youth Film Festival (Hungary) . Writer-Director: Kelly Diapère, Prod. Jules Thin, Assistant Director: Jules Thin, Co-Producer: Amanda Salvati, Kelly Diapère, DoP: Lucas Boetsch.
Workplace drama Treadmill picked up Best Student Film at Lonely Wolf International Film Festival (London) also screening at Big Syn International Film Festival (London). Writer-Director: Pierluigi Campa, Prod. Nabil Muzayyin, DOP: Aadit Kumar Sharma, Editor: Benjamin Sivo, Assistant Director: Kun Sun.
Sharp comedy, Sharks in Colwyn Bay screened at Swindon Int Film Fest. Writer-Dir: Jonathan Williams, Prod: Siddharth Menon, DoP: Maxwell Cutting, Production Designer: Ben Packwood, Editor: Tom Chambers.
Quelques Nuits D’Hiver screened at Mirada Corta Film Festival, (Mexico) congrats to Dir: Jules Thin, Producer: Ananda Salvati, DoP: Avar Raviv, Editor: Nicolas Seaton, Sound: Marta Malvesiti.
Thread Tension will have its Italian premiere at the TOHorror Fantastic Film Fest (Italy) in late October. Writer-Director: Ruby Mastrodimos, Prod. Oliver Staton, Editor: Benjamin Sivo, Producer: Henry Hayton Iles.
Broken Hearts will be screened at the Funny Life Film Festival (London) and scooped the award for Best international Film at Disappear Here Film Festival (Ireland). Writer-Director: Julie Magnaudet, Prod: Nathan Legger, DoP: Bo Giesen, Editor: Tsz Wai Ling.
16 will screened at Hidden Film Festival Worldwide (London). Writer-Director: Ryan Kochberg, DoP: Ryan Kochberg, Assistant Dir: Thomas Derbyshire at the Hidden Film Festival Worldwide 2024
Kimaya will be screened at the International Film Festival of South Asia Toronto (Canada) Writer-Director: Manasi Bedekar, Assistant Director: Tom Chambers.
Places We Knew was screened in the Official Selection of the last edition of the LA Asian Film Festival (Los Angeles, US) and the next edition of Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival 2024 (US). It was also screened at the last edition of the Tokyo International Short Film Festival (Japan). Writer-Director: Oliver Staton, Producer: Nathan Legger, Oliver Staton.
Congratulations to Invocation for winning Best International Short Fiction Award the Night Award at the London Breeze Film Festival! Writer-Director: Lu Lu, Producer: Zhao Wu, Producer: Jiayin Bao, DOP: Yue Pan, Production Designer: Ziyan Gao, Editor: Zheng Wei. Well done!
Cotton Something screened at the REEL East Texas Film Festival (US). Writer-Director: Hollye Swinehart, Co-Producers: Hollye Swinehart, Oliver Staton, Editor: Marta Malvestiti, DOP: Ruari Chambers, Assistant Director: Victor Nauwynck.
Ariane's Baby scared everyone at the 16th edition of Underground Cinema Award (Ireland). Writer-Director: Mahee Merica, Producer: Mathilde Jouaud.
Congratulations to The House That Stood for winning the Best Student Narrative Film award at the Central Alberta Film Festival (Canada) and the Honorable Mention Best Feature Film at the New Renaissance Film Festival (London). The film was also screened at the Social Film Festival Artelesia (Italy), the RAM Film Festival (Rovereto, Italy) and the Nebrodi Cinema Doc (Italy). Emisferi Cinefest Roma (Italy), the Festival del Cinema Europeo (Italy), the International Film Festival of Srinagar (India), the Calella Film Festival (Spain), the Festival International de Cinéma et Mémoire Commune (Morocco) and the Bobritsa Film Festival (Ukraine). Writer-Director: Antonella Spirito, Producer: Nathan Legger, DOP: Bo Giesen.
Photo credits (top to bottom)
Do Not Resuscitate, writer-director: Kay Saied
Marriage Unplugged, written and directed by Kim and Florine Nüesch
A Thousand Blows, creator: Steven Knight
Divine Intervention, written by Rebecca Ozer and directed by Ravenna Tran