Over the last month we’ve had the pleasure of a hugely successfully Cannes for LFS students and alumni. Read on to find out how brilliantly former and current students of LFS have done. As ever please do let us know if we have missed anything or if you’d like to share any details of your own projects.
Well done to Screenwriting graduate Martina Lisec (MAS16) whose latest screenplay, Devious, received an honourable mention at this year's Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition 2023. The competition seeks to discover and support the most original and innovative screenplays from emerging and established screenwriters from around the world, so huge congratulations to Martina for her work being recognised.
We loved seeing Bitterbrush, the documentary by former student, Emelie Mahdavian (MAF 146), play at Berth DocHouse this month. The documentary follows Hollyn Patterson and Colie Moline, range riders who are spending their last summer herding cattle in remote Idaho. It was described by Variety as “Magnificent... A picturesque documentary that embraces the sweeping tradition of the Western genre.” Well done, Emelie.
If you're in London over the next few weeks be sure to check out Translations, available now. Directed by former filmmaking student, Keith Kopp (MAF 177), the film and Q&A sessions will be taking place at the London Welsh Centre (Russell Square) on Thursday the 15th June at 7:30 pm and at Phoenix Cinema (East Finchley) on Thursday the 22nd June at 5:30 pm.
A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in Cannes this year.
Firstly, a massive congratulations to Amanda Nell Eu (MAF 170) whose film, Tiger Stripes won the Grand Prize at Cannes’ Critics’ Week, the Cannes sidebar dedicated to first or second films. It screened at La Semaine de la Critique to a fantastic reception and we’re over the moon for Amanda and her team. Check out some of the reviews from her film here and here.
Leticia Tonos’ (DF135) Dominican sci-fi drama, Aire won the inaugural Fantastic Latido award in Cannes. The win provides Leticia win with international sales representation for the film. Aire centres on Tania, a conservation biologist living in a future dystopian world where the human race has been reduced to extinction level by pollution and disease.
Ahmed Yassin (MAF 173) was awarded best film at 7th Arab Critics held by Arab Film Centre within Cannes for Hanging Gardens. The film was produced by Interim MA Filmmaking course leader from LFS, Margaret Glover too.
Filmmaking Graduate, Yue Pan (MAF 200) had an incredible Cannes, and her selection for Talking To The River in itself was a brilliant achievement.
We were hugely impressed with former filmmaking student Seemab Gul (MAF 166), who was one of the key speakers in the UK Pavilion. Seemab discussed ‘How to start working in the international film industry’ and working with British Council highlighted how labs and networks work and why participating in them is a good idea. The talk is now available to watch again, head to the We Are Film website.
Elsewhere at Cannes several MAIFB students attended and took part in various events and meetings. Stay tuned for their forthcoming blog post on their experiences.
Great to hear about our alumni moving into new job roles. Well done to Albert Josiah (MAF 186) who started as Adjunct Lecturer at the United States International University, Africa. Brilliant too that Stephanie Espinetti (MAF 181) has just started a new position as VFX Coordinator at Legendary Entertainment.
A shout out to Benjamin Bee (MAF 175) who has been named as one of the next generation of comedy talent by the BBC in their inaugural Comedy Collection. Ben is one of 10 recipients of a bursary scheme. You can read more on here.
It’s great to hear about LFS alumni working together on projects beyond their time here at the School. Mark Khalife (MAF 176) has been working with Mariam Abou Oaf (DF 144) on TV series, Taghyeer Gaw. Currently showing on Shahid, a streaming service for the Arab world, the 15 episodes are directed by Mariam with all cinematography from Mark.
Mark has also been working on the film, La Mer et Ses Vagues which premiered in the ACID sidebar in Cannes this year. The Lebanese film, directed by Liana and Renaud, follows the young Najwa and the musician Mansour as they cross the Lebanese border and reach Beirut on a full moon night. The film was boarded by Shellac as both the international sales agency and the French distributor.
Brixton Community Cinema will be screening Black Theatre of Brixton by Ilan Moshenson (DF 63) on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th June on Windrush Square in Brixton. Bamidele Awoyemi, Farouk Agoro and Livia Wang won London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth Council and Brixton Business Improvement District (BID)’s design competition ‘People at the Centre of Brixton’. Their design ‘Views on the Atlantic’ will brings a cinema screen to Windrush Square and we're delighted that LFS film, Black Theatre of Brixton by Ilan will be screened.
Graduate Highlights May 2023
Sun Sets on Beirut was part of Marche du Film, in Cannes, “Coopmed #1”, the first Market screening of Mediterranean short films. Writer-Dir: Daniela Stephan, Prod: Yuanhao Song.
Busy May for On Your Behalf which screened at Big Apple Film Festival (USA) and at Fastnet and LOCO (UK). Congratulations to the team! Writer-Dir: Ana Garcia Rico, Editor: John Powell, Prod: Maya Wills.
This year's edition of LOCO London Comedy Film Festival (UK) included On Your Behalf and Sucking Diesel (Dir-Writer: Sam McGrath).
Fastnet Film Festival (Ireland) screened two LFS films, Unders ( Writer-Director: Bert Dijkstra, Prod. Designer: Abigail Quinlan) and On Your Behalf.
Herbert & Humphrey has been selected in LA Comedy 2023 (USA). Dir-Writer: Siddarth Joshi, Prod: Antonio Donato, DoP: Sahil Kotwani, Prod. Desig: Anastasiya Mykhaylova, Art Dir: Kelly Diapère.
Komşu Sesler screened at Akbank Short Film Festival 2023 in early May. Writer-Dir: Ali Güldürür, Prod: Joao Salgado. DoP: Aditya Sharma.
We caught up with the director of Incense and Cigarettes which screened at Tokyo Shorts (Japan), and was awarded Best Female Student Director and Best Women Empowerment Film, and Shangai Indie Film Fest, where it was awarded Best Actress and Best Drama. Congratulations! Dir: Lingge Dong, DoP: Hangshuo Zhang all during 2022.
Photo Credits (top to bottom)
Bitterbrush (Dir: Emelie Mahdavian)
Translations (Dir: Keith Kopp)
Poster from Aire (Dir: Leticia Tonos)
Mariam and Mark reviewing a shot of Taghyeer Gaw with the crew
Still from La Mer et Ses Vagues (Dir: Liana Kassir and Renaud Pachot)
Herbert & Humphrey (Dir-Writer: Siddarth Joshi)