Together we’re shapingthe world of tomorrow

Fund

Festival Director’s Letter

I’m delighted to welcome you all to the inaugural Manchester Film Festival.The festival was born out of the desire to not only provide a platform for student filmmakers but to help create a forum where all local filmmakers can connect to ensure that Manchester remains a vibrant and thriving city for the arts.

The festival has launched in what remains a difficult period both for the city and country as a whole. We hope that it will provide the inspiration and support to allow filmmakers to continue pursuing their passion and will become the first of many annual festivals. Throughout the three days there are a range of events taking place from screening the various competition categories, to presenting the BAFTA nominated short films and animated shorts, and a variety of talks led by industry professionals. We hope that you find events to suit your taste and leave the festival feeling inspired.

I would like to thank each and every person who has been involved in creating the festival. Whilst there isn’t the space to personally list each person, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Espen Jensen, Charlie Lowry-Corry, Naomi Atkin Fellows, Linda Lace, Mark Gutteridge, Cat Hamilton, David James, Paul Henley, Joan Ormrod and Kieran Hanson for their continual support and sheer dedication to ensuring the festival is a success. A special thanks also goes to our sponsors The Your Manchester Fund and Cobbett’s LLP for the phenomenal level of assistance they have offered the festival, without their support this event simply would not have been possible.

So it is with great pleasure that we invite you to sit back and enjoy the array of wonderful films and events we have taking place.

Andrew OldburyFestival Director

Schedule

Friday 13th April

6pm Drinks Reception & Networking

7pm - 9pm Masterclass - Mark Gutteridge

9pm - 11pm Filmmaker Retrospective – Gavin Searle

Saturday 14th April:

10 am - 12am Student Short Film Category

12am – 1:30pm BBC Writersroom Seminar

1:30pm - 2pm “All That Way for Love” Screening and Q&A Session

2pm - 4pm BAFTA Live Action Screening and Q&A Session

4pm - 6pm The Cobbett’s UK Short Film Category

6pm - 8pm Filmonik Screening

Sunday 15th April:

10am - 12am Manchester Short Film Category

12am - 1pm Film Festivals 101 with Rich Warren

1pm - 2pm Future of Media Industry Panel

2pm - 3pm BAFTA Animation Screening

3-5pm Student Short Documentary Category

5pm – 6:30pm Awards Presentation

Opening GalaThe Opening Gala will be taking place on Friday at the Whitworth Art Gallery. The evening will kick off with a drinks reception and informal networking session where filmmakers can mingle with their counterparts and delegates from a range of industry organisations.

The multi-award winning director and judge, Mark Gutteridge, will be hosting a Masterclass where he talks about his experiences as a filmmaker and talking about the current changes taking place within the industry. The Masterclass will include screening several of Mark’s short films.

This will be followed by a retrospective of the three time BAFTA winning documentary maker Gavin Searle’s work. Over the past fifteen years Gavin has had a series of exotic adventures having survived a plane crash in Brazil whilst looking for the largest freshwater fish in the world, tracking down the story behind the Bravo 2 Zero tales of the SAS in Saddam’s Iraq, and filming a wannabe shaman going mad on frog venom and Ayahuasca in the Peruvian jungle. Gavin will be discussing his experiences and the process that went into creating some of televisions most iconic documentaries, including: Welcome to Lagos, Meet the Natives, and Tribe.

Student Short Film CategoryA collection of the best student short films from around the UK.

Duty of CareDir. Iyke Obi | Northern Film School, Leeds Metropolitan University | 9 mins 37 secs

Two SoldiersDir. David Strejskal | Northern Film School, Leeds Metropolitan University | 3 mins 47 secs

Rieh N’est Impossible Dir. James Barr | University of Plymouth | 5 mins

Dawid and Dominik Dir. Andy Salamonczyk | Staffordshire University | 6 mins 20 secs

Bill Bradley’s Corporate Bootcamp Dir. Rupert Van Dan Broer | London Film School | 5 mins 53 secs

The Phonebox Dir. Ian Robertson | University of Glasgow | 5 mins 25 secs

Six Pence Short Dir. Paris El-Said | Bournemouth University | 5 mins 1 sec

Jogging for Camera Dir. Tilly Shiner & Asta Meldal Lynge | Central Saint Martins | 8 mins 59 secs

Smoke Dir. Paris El-Said | Bournemouth University | 5 mins 25 secs

Bank the Sea Dir. Rob Collins | University of Bedfordshire | 30 mins

Come Here Often? Andrew Harrison | Manchester Metropolitan University | 4 mins 50 secs

Left Behind Katie Blagden | University of Manchester | 3 mins 30 secs

Spectacle Macabre Kasia Wisniowska | Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University | 7 mins 53 secs

One Night Dir. Keelan Anderson | York St. Johns University | 2 min 56 secs

Boiling Point Dir. Katie Blagden | University of Manchester | 1 min 16 secs

Oye When I’m Small Dir. Alex Browning | University of Manchester | 3 min 29 secs

BBC Writersroom SeminarEver wondered how a script becomes a television show? Henry Swindell, New Writing Manager at BBC Writersroom North will be holding a workshop on discovering new talent from across the north of England and what writers can do to get their work seen.

Henry has a wealth of experience in television as a producer and script editor on popular shows, such as Coronation Street, Casualty and Hollyoaks. He was also nominated for a BAFTA (2012) for his latest film, All That Way for Love.This workshop is ideal for any writers looking to break into the industry.

“All That Way For Love” Screening‘All That Way For Love’ is a perceptive examination of the character of travelers; nomadic westerners who can’t or won’t put down roots. The short film explores the complexities of human sexual relationships and the bonds between people. Set against the stunning backdrop of East Africa, ‘All That Way For Love’ is a beautiful tragic thriller.

The film’s producer, Henry Swindell, will be participating in a Q&A session after the screening where he’ll be explaining the process behind making the film.

BAFTA Nominated Short Films & Short AnimationsThe Manchester Film Festival is delighted to announce that we’ll be screening the BAFTA 2012 nominated short films and short animations during the course of the festival.

BAFTA Short Film Nominations

CHALK –Martina Amati, Gavin Emerson, James Bolton, Ilaria Bernardini

MWANSA THE GREAT – Rungano Nyoni, Gabriel Gauchet

ONLY SOUND REMAINS – Arash Ashtiani, Anshu Poddar

PITCH BLACK HEIST – John Maclean, Gerardine O’Flynn (Winner)

TWO AND TWO – Babak Anvari, Kit Fraser, Gavin Cullen

The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Two and Two director Babak Anvari.

BAFTA Short Animations Nominations

ABUELAS– Afarin Eghbal, Kasia Malipan, Francesca Gardiner

BOBBY YEAH– Robert Morgan

A MORNING STROLL – Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe (Winner)

Cobbett’s UK Short Film CategoryA collection of the best short films from around the UK made by both students and indie film directors.

It’s A Serendipitus ThingDir. Cassius Matthias | London | 10 mins 20 secs

BeastDir. Jasper Warry | Brecon | 7 mins 55 secs

Gin & DryDir. Oscar Piewes | London | 15 mins

End Dir. Tom Gatley | Cardiff | 13 mins 1 sec

The Bride of VernonDir. Calvin Dyson | Leeds | 15 mins 2 secs

Zombie MusicalDir. Ryan Mchenry | Glasgow | 17 mins 29 secs

The LaytonsDir. Jackson Hogan, Ryan Hogan, Emily Reynolds | Sawbridgeworth | 19 mins 43 secs

The Mind’s EyeDir. Georgius & Jarkw Jartikka | Southampton | 14 mins

Filmonik

BEST OF THE FILMONIK KABARET 2012 Each year in April, the Filmonik hit Manchester with a whole week of flat out, peddle-to-the-metal 24/7 filmmaking. Part jam session, part creative boot-camp, the Kabaret offers access to equipment, talent, opportunities to forge partnerships and pretty much all the means to make films. If you’ve always dreamed of making “that little movie”, if only you had the time / talent / equipment, now is your chance to watch that dream crash and burn, and see something else come stumbling from the ashes.

Every year in just seven days, we spawn a whole heap of films, from throwaway quickies to complex narrative dramas, from stop motion animations to experimental music videos. We challenge the creatives to put their inventiveness, ability to improvise and eye for an opportunity to the test, and above all to have fun with film.

For the Manchester Film Festival 2012, we will proudly showcase the best that Kabaret 2012 has to offer. Prepare for an utterly explosive evening of crazy-ass filmmaking fun that will leave your knees trembling and your heart bursting with cinematic pleasure. Come mingle with us too and find out how you can get involved in Kabaret 2013!

Manchester Short Film CategoryA collection of short films set or shot in Manchester that reflect the city’s iconic and vibrant nature.

AnteDir. Chris Cronin | 17 mins

You and Me: Painting the World With LoveDir. Arran Greenwood | 2 mins 48 secs

Walking on NamesDir. Dec Gallacher | 6 mins 24 secs

Bog StandardDir. Colin Warhurst | 10 mins 3 secs

LifeLibraryDir. Amanda Belantara | 14 mins 43 secs

Saving the BananaDir. Pauline Dabrowski | 20 mins 11 secs

The Watcher Dir. Joe O’Byrne | 26 mins 36 secs

Somebody’s JobDir. Pauline Dabrowski, Shane Fennelly, Esther Naagdenberg | 20 mins 12 secs

MugDir. Oliver Lee | 2 mins 20 secs

Film Festivals 101 with Rich WarrenRich Warren the Programme Coordinator at Bristol Encounters International Film Festival will be hosting a seminar on demystifying film festival process and explaining how filmmakers can increase the chances of getting their work picked for festivals.

Encounters is one of the longest running and most prestigious film festivals in the UK. Originally envisioned as a one off event to mark the centenary of cinema in 1995, it has rapidly expanded to become a globally recognised festival. Hosting a range of prestigious events, such as the BAFTA nominated short films and short animations and Cartoon D’Or.

“Future of Media” PanelAlex Connock, Chairman of the Royal Television Society North West and founder of Ten Alps, will be chairing a panel composed of several industry professionals working across the length of the media sector to discuss the changes facing the nature of the British media industry and how these opportunities can be harnessed.

Joining Alex on the panel are: Susan Hall, Solicitor from Cobbetts LLP and Jane McConnel, Publicist at Future Artists.

Student Short Documentary CategoryA collection of short documentaries made by students that push the narrative and aesthetic boundaries.

Shooting FreetownDir. Kieran Hanson | University of Manchester | 29 mins

Saliendo AdelanteDir. Ben Cheetham | University of Manchester | 24 mins

JolandaDir. Rae Strong, Jacob Harbord, & Loveday King | University of Manchester | 12 mins

TimedDir. Mike Jones | Met Film School | 7 mins 37 secs

Leaving London Behind Dir. Tom Turner | University of Manchester | 28 mins

The Son and the Heir Dir. Angelica Cabezas Pino | University of Manchester | 16 mins 16 secs

Sponsors

Together we’re shapingthe world of tomorrow

Fund