It’s the start of the new term and new school year and already we’ve been inundated with news of the fantastic achievements of our graduates. We’re so pleased to share their remarkable news from just the last month.
Blerta Kambo (MAF 0919) has been recognised for her artwork on one of the biggest stages possible, with Heavy Stone broadcast on the screens at Piccadilly Circus early in September. Blerta has been selected as one of 30 finalists in the CIRCA International Art Prize and as well as being shown on the big screens in London her work was shown on screens around the world including Berlin, Seoul and Milan. See more of her work at Blerta Kambo (@blerta.kambo) • Instagram photos and videos.
Well done to the entire LFS team including Alex Grigoras, Cait Lyn Adamson, Hsien-Yu Niu, Matteo Zenini, Tom Rowe, Micky Montoya, Et Ng, Tamas Meder, Scott Trotter, Chloé Deleplace who worked on the feature, A Song From the Dark. The film featured in the fifth annual S.O.U.L. Fest, in partnership with ABFF Global, at the BFI Southbank earlier this month. Watch the teaser here A SONG FROM THE DARK - Official Movie Teaser - YouTube.
Those Who Follow is the most recent short film from Frederic Kau (MAF 187) and it has been nominated in the Student Academy Awards in the narrative category. Being recognised in these awards is a huge achievement and we’re delighted to see how brilliantly Frederic is doing. Watch the trailer here Trailer: Those Who Follow / Mitläufer on Vimeo. The winners will be announced on 20th October and so we’ll be wishing Frederic the best of luck.
We’re delighted that LFS Screenwriting alumnus, Connor Cahil-Hayes (MAS 0919) will be featuring in LFF this year with a film he has co-written. Now and Then, has been selected for the No Placed Called Home collection of shorts.
More LFF news as Eoin O’Faolain (MAS 18) MA Screenwriting student has co-produced, Baltimore, in official selection at the competition. We’re delighted to see the film do so well and can’t wait to hear more about it.
Encounters Film Festival takes place this month and we’re over the moon that alumna Shalini Adnani (MAF 186) and her film, White Ant will be featuring in the National Competition. The film features in a programme of 80 films from over 4,000 that have been submitted and was previously selected for Sundance too.
We’ve got alumni Oscar news already as we’re incredibly proud that former Filmmaking student, Robin Moran (MAF 146) has worked on Indonesia entry into the International Academy Award category. Autobiography was written and directed by Makbul Mubarak and was selected for LFF in 2022.
More Oscars news and in the same Best International Film category, Hanging Gardens from Ahmed Yassin Aldaradji (MAF173) has been selected as the entry from Iraq. We’re doubly delighted with this news as the film was co-written and produced by Margaret Glover, interim MA Filmmaking course leader. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the final list of nominees as soon as they’re announced but the selection in itself is a brilliant accomplishment.
Congratulations to George Siougas (DF 120) who just won the Grand Prize Best Live Action Short at the Rhode Island International Film Festival with his film, The One Note Man. The film is narrated by Sir Ian McKellan and stars Jason Watkins, we're delighted for George!
If you’re based in London, our friends at Cinema Mentiré Film Club are a great place to check out rare and unique Latin American films. The Film Club seeks to bring a taste of Latin American cinema to London and UK audiences. Find out more on their page here. The next screening will be O Que Se Hereda (It Runs in the Family) Dir. Victoria Linares, 2022, 84m, Dominican Republic. Taking place Thursday 12 October, 8pm at Brixton House. This screening is part of CASA PRESENTS, LatinxArt festival.
August and September Grad Film Highlights:
LFS films have been screening all globally, with screenings from Uruguay to Hong Kong, from Bolton to Burbank.
After Premiering at Locarno, Scorched Earth had its national premiere at Drama Short Intl FF (Greece). Writer-Director: Markella Kontaratou, Editor: Mengyao Zhang, Producer: Chen-Ling Liu, DoP: Taamas A Meder
Also, we are proud to announce that the British Society of Cinematographers has selected Sparare Alle Augurie for the student competition. Writer-Director / Editor Antonio Donato, Producer Patrick Verlin, DOP Sahil Kotwani, PD Anastasiya Mykhaylova.
An LFS Showcase will take place at Tbilisi Student Film Festival (Georgia) where five films will be screened. Bona Vacantia, (Dir: Shezah Salam, Prod: Rhys Holland, DoP: Nizah Elias Prod. Design: Abigail Quinlan, Sound Recordist: Tzu Hsuan Chao), Lunatics (Writer-Dir: Florian Kasperski, Prod: Nathan Legger, DoP: Raphael Hernandez, Editor: Robert Harold, Sound Designer: Lu Lu, Composer: Lucas Boetsch), Komsu Sesler (Writer-Dir: Ali Güldürür, Prod: Joao Salgado, DoP: Aditya Sharma), zong (Writer-Dir: Hope Robinson, Prod: Catherine Englis, Editor: Francesco Ibba, DoP: Suzzette Ortiz Centeno, Sound Editor: Kyle Campbell-Pope) and By the Rivers Blue (Writer-Dir: Tong Liu, Co-Prod: Naixin Liang, Prod Design: Cheng Li, Art Dir: Hui Zhang).
Hopping to South America, Komsu Sesler will be screening at 23rd Film School Festival Uruguay 2023.
Two LFS grad films are off to the MANAKI Brothers Cinematography Film Festival (Macedonia) edition includes the films Waiting for Kalki (Writer-Director: Nimay Goswami, DoP: Sahil Kotwani, Composer: Lucas Boetsch) and Scorched Earth (Writer-Dir: Markella Kontaratou, Editor: Mengyao Zhang, Prod: Chen-Ling Liu, DoP: Taamas A Meder). We hope the DOPs will enjoy this event.
This year's edition of Bolton Film Festival (UK) started on 4th October and we have a five fabulous LFS grad films! Wetsuit (Writer-Director: Joao Salgado, DoP: Pablo Garrido Carreras, Editor: Hannah Owen), Bona Vacantia, Pour Mon Fils (Dir: Mathilde Jouaud, DoP: Pablo Garrido Carreras, Prod. Designer: Mahee Merica), Half Guard (Writer-Dir: Mark O'Connor, Art Dir: Abigail Quinlan, Prod: Scott Trotter, DoP: Et Ng) and Sucking Diesel (Director-Writer: Sam McGrath). Congratulations to all!
Lo Sguardo will be screening at Burbank International Film Festival 2023 (USA) and Tour Film Festival 2023 (France). Writer-Director-Producer: Edoardo Ulivelli, Associate Producer: Antonio Donato & Patrick Verlin.
Saving Art screened on 3rd September at the Shortest Nights in London. Writer-Dir: Remi Moses, Prod: Victor Nauwynck, DoP: Pui Man Leung, Prod.Design: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, Art Dire: Elitsa Marielle) and was also a finalist in the Performance Awards! Well done!
The House that Stood was accepted at 14th Soho International Film Festival 2023 (USA) and will be screening at East Angelika Cinema in NYC and Q&A (USA). Writer-Director: Antonella Spirito, Producer: Nathan Legger and DoP: Bo Giesen.
Two grad films will be part of Imagine India (Spain) this year: Komsu Sesler, and Waiting for Kalki.
Broken Hearts will have its UK premiere at no coast film fest 2023. Writer-Director: Julie Magnaudet, Producer: Nathan Legger, DoP: Bo Giesen, Editor: Tsz Wai Ling.
Drunken Boat screened at DokuFest 2023 (Kosovo) in August 2023. Writer-Director: Xueqi Wang, Producer: Yuanhao Song, DoP: Haotong Xue, Editor: Hui Zhang.
Your Guardian screened at Newport Beach FIlm Festival, California, Director: Mimi Vlaovic, Prod: Anastasia Savinova.
Bona Vacantia and Herbert and Humphrey (Dir-Writer: Siddarth Joshi, Prod: Antonio Donato, DoP: Sahil Kotwani, Prod. Design: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, Art Dir: Kelly Diapère) will also be part of New Renaissance Film Festival London and The Best of India film festival.
Still screening The Third Solar Term was accepted to the 34th Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2023 (China). Writer-Dir-Editor: Zhanfei Song, Prod: Naixin Liang, DoP: Tong Liu, Prod.Design: Aoya Su, Art Dir: Xiaojing Ma.
Busy September for spooky Ariane's Baby, which was accepted to Metropolis Film Festival 2023 (Italy), Dead Northern Horror FF (UK), Serbest Int Film Festival 2023 and Spook Screen 2023 (Ireland). Writer-Director: Mahee Merica, Prod: Mathilde Jouaud, Mahee Merica and Chen-Ling Liu, DoP: Sheherezade El Moumni Berdai.
Photo Credits (top to bottom)
Still from The House The Stood (dir: Antonella Spirito)
Still from A Song From The Dark (dir: Ogodinife Okpue)
Still from Those Who Follow (dir: Frederic Kau)
Still from Now and Then (dir: Harris Alvi)
Still from White Ant (dir: Shalini Adnani)
Poster from Autobiography (dir: Makbul Mubarak)
Poster from Hanging Gardens (dir: Ahmed Yassin Aldaradji)
Poster from The One Note Man (dir: George Siougas)