IDEA1- My Guest Post

It has recently been announced that this will be the last month of IDEA1’s operation. I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to them for always supporting the events I put on. I was the final guest editor for the site and wanted to post my top choices for events in the city this month here also:

GUEST EDITOR EMILY STEELE: TOP 5 CHOICES FOR MARCH

Emily Steele’s Top 5 choices for March 2019

I’m a freelance filmmaker and director of Cine-Sister, which puts on film screenings and workshops promoting female identifying filmmakers. I am also a current Emerge Young Producer at Peterborough Presents planning a film festival that will launch later this year.

There’s so many amazing arts events happening in the city every month but here are just a few of my personal favourites:

1) CINE-SISTER FILM PREMIERE (7th March, 7pm, Open Door Baptist Church, Harris Street) & CINE-SISTER PETERBOROUGH WOMEN’S FESTIVAL (14th March, 7:30pm, Metal)

It would be silly for me to not shout out the two events, celebrating women filmmakers coming up with Cine-Sister. Over the past few months, I ran a mobile filmmaking course for women in Millfield in partnership with Peterborough Presents. Come along to this event to watch the final films and celebrate the work! There will also be guest speakers from the area sharing stories and insight into the themes of womanhood and local community. The event is completely free including (some rather fancy) refreshments.

For Cine-Sister’s second year participating in Peterborough Women’s Festival, Cine-Sister is putting on a free screening of international short films, by female identifying filmmakers in a leadership role. The evening will have a mixture of documentary, animation and fiction short films. Celebrating some of the best in contemporary short filmmaking. This event is also completely free!

Cine-Sister Film Premiere, 7th March

Cine-Sister Peterborough Women’s Festival 14th March

 

2) PETERBOROUGH WOMEN’S FESTIVAL (9th March, 11am-3pm, Peterborough Town Hall)

To celebrate Women’s History Month the Peterborough Trades Union Council are back with this year’s Peterborough Women’s Festival. As part of the week long celebration the town hall is hosting a full day of activities on the 9th of March including stalls, speakers, poetry as well as some great food.

There are loads of events going on during the rest of the week including the Feminist Book Club, theatre at both the Undercroft and the John Clare Theatre as well of course, the Cine-Sister event mentioned earlier to close it. Full details here. 

 

3) COLD WAR, PETERBOROUGH ARTS CINEMA (21st March, 7:30pm, John Clare Theatre)

A chance to see one of my favourite films from 2018! Set against the background of the Cold War in the 1950s, two performing musicians are brought together by their dream of escaping the propaganda machine they are part of to escape to more creative freedom. They embark on a turbulent and destructive relationship spanning decades and nations.

Stunningly shot in black and white, and set to a gorgeous soundtrack of rural Polish folk songs to Parisian jazz.

The film earned a Best Director award for Paweł Pawlikowski at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 and was a Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography nominee at the Academy Awards 2019.

 

4) ART OUT II, RESPACE (23rd of March from 12pm to 8:30pm. New England Project, Occupation Road PE1 2LJ)

In collaboration with the Peterborough Art Society, ReSpace is bringing you a celebration of local artists. This includes live painting, craft tables, art for sale and live music. This will be the culmination of a week-long Art Festival in the space running from the 16th of March 10am until 4pm every day.

ReSpace Peterborough was handed the keys to the derelict New England Institute a few months ago, together with a handful of committed local people, they transformed a third of the building into the thriving New England project for under £500. It aims to bring people together to celebrate art, music and each other. More info here. 

 

5) TREASURED PEOPLE AND POSSESSIONS EXHIBITION (Peterborough Museum, Exhibition open 16 February – 30 June 2019)

This is a fantastic exploration of today’s Peterborians, and celebrates the rich heritage of our city and its citizens. It features photos, treasured objects and the true stories of the people and communities behind them.

A highlight includes the film “Workers” Directed by Jay Gearing and Produced by Ben Rogaly in which ten individuals give personal and moving accounts of warehouse and food factory work, and reflect on their creative lives beyond the workplace. Full details here. 

A BONUS RECOMMENDATION: THE BUSTER KEATON PICTURE SHOW! (Stamford Arts Centre on the 28th of March, 7pm)

Where classic comedy meets contemporary music performance in this screening of Buster Keaton’s The General (1926), accompanied by original live score and immersive light show by instrumental-trio Haiku Salut.

Highlights of my #52FilmsByWomen 2018

If there’s one thing that people associate with me or my ~personal brand~ it’s promoting films with female identifying directors, or women in other creative areas. A popular challenge on my social media feeds is the yearly #52FilmsByWomen, a challenge that invites you to try and watch at least one film directed by a woman a week created by Women in Film LA .

My first attempt at this challenge was in 2017 during my slump in watching films after moving away from Manchester, I only saw (discounting all the short films I watched to curate screenings for Cine-Sister) 19 films directed by women.

2018 was really a year where I focused and dedicated my time to learning about and watching films, as a result I saw 112 female directed films. I thought I’d share a selection of some of my favourites with you here of the films NOT released in 2018

You can see a list of everything I saw on Letterboxd.

Smithereens (1982) Directed by Susan Seidelman

I saw this at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2018 as part of their focus on American female directors of the 1980s, which included a Q&A with Susan Seidelman herself. The film offers us a time capsule of 1980s New York City whilst blending comedy and drama with contrasting female archetypes in the characters of the film. The film has a subversive, and surprising ending but mostly captures the feeling of being in your 20s and disappointed with the state of the world.  Sedielman explained the process of the making of Smithereens and the way it ended up at the Cannes Film Festival. This inclusion of the film at a prestigious international showcase of cinema changed the way American indie was viewed by the world.

The Wild Party (1929) Directed by Dorothy Arzner

This VERY pre-code comedy/drama focuses on an all-female college where the students are more interested in having fun and partying than studying (so, a normal university). Famously, Clara Bow’s first talkie for which Arzner devised what is reported to have been the first boom microphone, to allow Bow to have the freedom to move while filming thereby giving The Wild Party far less stillness than its fellow early sound releases.

Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) Directed by Agnès Varda

I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this before 2018 either! A classic of the French New Wave, Varda in real time captures the minutes whilst Clèo waits for the potentially life changing results of a biopsy. You fall in love with the flighty and melodramatic protagonist and feel the suspense build throughout its 90 minute duration leading up to her doctor’s appointment.  The film also has a strong feminine gaze and raises questions about how women are perceived, particularly in French society.

The Red Kimona (1925) Directed by Walter Lang and Dorothy Davenport (Uncredited)

The Red Kimona is particularly interested in the plight of women, and is partly memorable today for being one of the few independent productions produced and written by women at the time, (most notably Dorothy Arzner wrote the story). The direction was credited to Walter Lang, but Davenport was always on the set during production and it was she who approved every take and is widely accepted as a co-director now. The film was controversial in its day, due to its subject matter as well as a court case involving the film.

These are just a small amount of the amazing films I discovered this year, you can follow me on Letterboxd for almost daily updates of what I’m watching.

My Favourite Female Directed Films Released in 2018

As is the case with film distribution please take the term “released in 2018” loosely. All the films here were available at the cinema/released on Netflix in the UK in 2018. I have not yet had the opportunity to see (and is supposed to be excellent) Chloè Zhao’s The Rider or Claire Denis’ Let The Sunshine In but these are the best female directed films in no particular order I did see released in 2018.

Shirkers (2018) Directed by Sandi Tan

Sandi Tan, Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique set out in 1992 to make “Shirkers” a -could have been- Singapore-made cult classic had the 16mm footage not been stolen by their American collaborator Georges Cardona, who disappeared with it. 20 years later she rediscovers the reels of film and sets out on a journey of self discovery.  Shirkers (2018), is the story of Sandi’s journey in rediscovering her former self and coming to terms with loss and what ifs.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) Directed by Desiree Akhavan,

Chloë Grace Moretz stars in this coming of age story about a young girl in the 1990s sent to a gay conversion therapy camp. Alongside new friends played by Sacha Lane and Forest Goodluck who find a common ground in their outcast status and keep each other going through this ordeal. The film is a bittersweet expression of teenage love, innocence and sexuality contrast with the damning portrayal of the archaic practice of conversion therapy.

Leave No Trace (2018) Debra Granik

Leave No Trace a father and daughter duo live an off-the-grid existence in a nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call home. I watched this film on a plane and was still blown away by how beautiful and meditative this film is, both heartbreaking and empathetic.

Waru (2017) Directed by Briar Grace-Smith, Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner, Katie Wolfe, Chelsea Cohen, Renae Maihi, Paula Jones and Awanui Simich-Pene

Waru is made up of eight chapters, each 10 minutes or so long and each directed by a different Maori woman Each of the  scenes is presented as a single unedited take and takes place in real-time exploring the impact of the death of a young boy (named Waru) at the hands of his caregiver on this small Maori community. The film bubbles with anger and a need for retribution.

You Were Never Really Here (2017) Directed by Lynne Ramsey

The film that topped the list of best films of the year by the “Bechdel Test Fest poll” and with good reason, Lynne Ramsay directs Joaquin Phoenix as Joe, a killer-for-hire who is hired by a politician to get his young daughter back from sex traffickers, Joe’s own past make this more than just another job for him. The film blends Joe’s thoughts  and inner demons with what’s happening in the story taking us on this journey as he battles his trauma.

What were your favourite releases in 2018?

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

Hi

It’s been a while since I last casually put words-to-screen, almost two years to be exact.

I don’t remember why I stopped writing, it definitely had something to do with moving from the metropolitan city of Manchester to the much smaller city Plymouth and then again to my hometown of Peterborough. Without (what I felt) an easily accessible, buzzing art scene I felt like I had nothing to say and as a consequence, nothing to write about.

2017-2018 I commuted from Peterborough to London where I completed an MA in Film Programming and Curating. This was the best decision I could have made, I spent a year meeting interesting people, academic heroes and people in the industry. I visited amazing places and learned so much. But most of all I spent a LOT of time developing my writing and watching films throughout history.

I took Cine-Sister with me and it’s found a home in Peterborough, doing amazing screening events and workshops supporting women in film. I’m even making short films again thanks to Red 7 Productions. It’s been my privilege the past year or so to engage with and help build the art scene right here in Peterborough.

But by the end of 2018 I was feeling pretty burnt out, I’d worked really hard and said yes to every single opportunity. I’ve been thinking about 2019 and that is what has brought me to you, my blog. The past two years I have had nowhere to document, reflect upon and be mindful of what’s going on in my creative life and the art I consume.

I would like to change that.

So, hi I’m Emily and I’m back.

Cine-Sister’s first screening!

If you’re in Manchester this weekend come and see the launch of my first film programming venture Cine-Sister!

Support female filmmakers and some fantastic charities (MASH, Women’s Aid, & Shelter) and there’s loads of other great stuff happening at the event. The screening starts at 2pm on the 4th of March 2017 in at Texture, 67 Lever St, Manchester.

Cine-Sister will be launching with a short film screening featuring 7 female directed/produced films. The films in this screening deal with themes of gender, race, religion, body and identity. There is a mixture of drama, comedy, animation and documentary short films so there is something for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

You can find out more about the films here: https://cinesisterfilm.com/wonder-women-4th-of-march/

Sista In The Brotherhood

Single Asian Woman Online

Go Ahead Take Left

The Bus Trip

Nasser

America Heard: Refuge of Hope

LYING WOMEN

This screening is part of Wonder Women 2017 at an event held by Traffic MCR and you can find out more here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1333296603410652/

Reflecting on 2016.

It’s been one hell of a year! I mean, this seems to be the general consensus among most people I know. It’s probably quite late to be writing this post, we’re well into January but I spent so much of the latter part of 2016 wishing it’d end (thanks to the fantastic political decisions made this year feeling rather overwhelming) that it’s taken me until now to really collect my thoughts.

For me on a personal level, 2016 has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Full of incredible highs and lows, it has possibly been the most drastically changing year of my life so far.

In the first few months of the year, I went to Edinburgh (January) and Berlin (February). I celebrated my 21st birthday which coincided with the Chinese New Year celebrations in Manchester making it extra special. I went to my first Reclaim The Night March which I loved and hope I can do again at some point.

I graduated from Manchester School of Art with a degree in Filmmaking, after spending the first 5 months of the year working on two short film projects The Witch of Wilmslow Road which I directed and Soul which I produced. I managed my course’s side of the degree show at my university, working with the Edinburgh Shorts Film Festival to programme and carry out the show. Although, it definitely brought me its fair share of challenges and stress (and that’s putting it lightly). I was also a photographer for the Bang Said The Gun: Stand Up Poetry nights in Manchester for my final few months living there.

Over the summer, I was trained by programmers from the BFI Flare Film Festival and was a young film programmer for the Queer Media Festival in Manchester. My film WOWR was also screened in Manchester by Film Vault MCR as part of a night of films directed by women.

After graduating, (and after many, many rejection emails) I got a temp job in an office for 2 months before I moved to Devon to live with my long-distance boyfriend of almost 3 years. Since moving here, I have begun writing for Film Inquiry and I was commissioned by The Time Is Now to write an article for the film Sonita. I have also been a Research and Cataloging Volunteer at the South West Film and Television Archive.

I have seen so many fantastic films, exhibitions and theatre performances this year. Highlights have been attending Berlinale in February, A Streetcar Named Desire in September and Manchester Animation Festival in November.

For the first time in my life, I don’t have a solid plan. I’m not in education and I’m still figuring out what I really want to do with my life. In the meantime, I am doing my best to ensure I get the most out of 2017.

Happy Belated-New Year!

 

 

 

My Top Ten Films of 2016.

It’s that time of year again, here are my favourite films that I have seen which came out in UK cinemas in 2016!

1. Kubo and the Two Strings

As a huge fan of LAIKA and of stop-motion animation in general, I was so excited when I discovered the poster for Kubo and The Two Strings. Even the screaming baby in the cinema when I finally went to see this amazing film couldn’t ruin it. The animation is incredibly detailed and yet again the studio pushes the boundaries of the medium. You can read my full review here.

 2. Kate Plays Christine

I was lucky enough to see this at Berlinale in February and it has stuck with me ever since. Directed by Robert Greene, the film is a blend of fact and fiction. Taking on a documentary style the film follows actress Kate Lyn Sheil, who prepares to play Christine Chubbuck in a fake fictional film. Chubbuck is a newscaster who in 1974, became the first person to commit suicide live on air. The film explores the mirky waters of morality in acting and filmmaking but ultimately gives more questions than answers.

3. When Marnie Was There

The final Studio Ghibli film  When Marnie Was There arrived in UK cinemas this year, anyone who knows me or has read my blog will know that I adore the films of Studio Ghibli so it is bittersweet to be writing about this at all. Bittersweet however, is the feeling of their final film. Based on a british book of the same name by Joan G. Robinson the film is whimsical and sad with stunning animation. A fitting end to my favourite animation company.

 4. A United Kingdom

I was able to see this film during my first visit to the BFI London Film Festival. Directed by Amma Asante,  A United Kingdom tells the story of the real-life marriage between Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo), Prince of Bechuanaland and British office clerk Ruth Williams (Roasamund Pike) and the international conflicts their union caused. You can read my full review of it here.

5. Mustang

Set in a remote Turkish village Mustang depicts the lives and struggles of five young orphaned sisters who are pulled out of school and locked away in their home to be trained to be wives after concerns are raised about their relationships with boys and the growing problem of their blossoming sexuality. Told through the eyes of the youngest sister it is an exploration of girlhood and of a conservative patriarchal society that fears it.

6. Your Name

This film was a surprise to me, I went in expecting a slightly silly but charming romance and got a beautifully crafted surreal tale of love and friendship that surpasses the odds. The characters are likeable and believable and the plot twist was unexpected. You were rooting for the leads in this film right up until the credits rolled.

7. Sonita

This empowering and interesting documentary by Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami explores the life of Afghan refugee and aspiring rapper Sonita who when she is 15, is told that she is being sold as a bride for $9,000 in order for her brother to pay for a bride of his own. It blurs the line of what a documentary filmmaker is and documents a struggle for female identity. You can read an essay I wrote about the film and its links to female empowerment through music here and here.

8. Pink

This is another surprising and late addition to the list. Hindi film Pink is a courtroom drama starring Amitabh Bachchan as a lawyer fighting for 3 women who have been sexually assaulted by a highly connected young man and his friends. The film criticises the Indian criminal justice system as well as teaches a powerful message about consent and the demonisation of female sexuality. It’s an incredibly important film and I think it’s a shame it didn’t have a wider UK release. 

9. The Red Turtle

I also saw this during my visit to the BFI London Film Festival, The Red Turtle  is the first Non-Japanese collaboration from Studio Ghibli and it comes in the form of a wordless feature directed by Michael Dubok de Wit. You can read my full review of it here.

10. Victoria

Finally, we finish with Victoria. As you probably know, (which I actually didn’t going in to the film) the whole film is one shot, one take and the plot pans out over the course of the length of the film. It’s thrilling to watch and takes so many unexpected twists and turns. You can read my full review of it here.

Honourable mentions: Moana, Everything Before Us and Room.

What were your favourite films of 2016?

I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016) Review.

Originally written for and posted on Film Inquiry.

Directed by Feng Xiaogang, I Am Not Madame Bovary tells the story of Li Xuelian (played by Fan Bingbing) who, in order to get the apartment she desires, conspires to get a “fake” divorce from her husband. However, once the divorce is official, she is shocked to discover that her now ex-husband has moved into the apartment with another woman. This begins her quest to have her “fake” divorce annulled so she can remarry her husband and then divorce him “for real”.

I Am Not Madame Bovary is written by Liu Zhenyun and based on his 2012 novel I am Not Pan Jinlian. The book was translated in order to keep the same connotations, and both Pan Jinlian and Madame Bovary connote promiscuity, adultery, and shame. When Li Xuelian confronts her ex-husband about his betrayal, he publically humiliates her, calling her a “Pan Jinlian” for having pre-marital sex, which only fans the flames of her vengeance and her need to seek justice.

A Political Dark Comedy

The film is highly critical of Chinese bureaucracy, both using the plot to highlight its inability to care about anything other than their job position, as well as poking fun at the workings of officialdom with the conversations between the officials themselves. Li Xuelian is so fed up that at one point she tries to hire someone to kill both her ex-husband and the government officials who have failed her. The moment is funny and well written, but also dark as you watch her become unhinged in frustration.

More than ten years pass in the film, and Xuelian continues to sue the state for failing to recognise her case. She confronts officials in the street, hurls herself in front of their cars. Eventually, they become afraid of her, and afraid of losing their jobs due to being unable to stop her protesting. The film works as a dark comedy to a degree, satirising the Chinese bureaucratic system, but it is very repetitive. The second half’s events set later in the protagonist’s life are very similar to the first half, since she meets the same people and faces the same obstacles. But at times it is funny and twisted, and pokes fun in a clever and subtle way.

A Unique Use of Aspect Ratios

Most of the film is framed with a round aspect ratio that gives the story the feeling of examining one of the examples of Chinese paintings shown during the prologue of the film. Due to the miniature space the filmmakers have given themselves to work with, everything is highly stylised and dramatised, making use of every inch of the space.

source: Well Go USA Entertainment

I Am Not Madame Bovary occasionally has a Wes Anderson feel with its dry humour, as it is overly choreographed and with not-quite-realistic settings. When Xuelian arrives in Beijing, the aspect ratio changes to a smart-phone-like portrait view, allowing you to see more of the frame – but everything is also blander as she meets identical bureaucrat and bureaucrat, getting nowhere. However, although I enjoyed this unique style, it did make the subtitles difficult to read and sometimes made it hard to see facial expressions clearly, which overshadowed somewhat Fan Bingbing, who otherwise is brilliant with her subtle and emotional performance. She shines amongst the otherwise all-male cast who also perform well, with great comedic timing.

To Conclude

Overall, I Am Not Madame Bovary is a tongue-in-cheek criticism of Chinese politics, as well as their view of women and sexuality. Xuelian is a fantastic character who may not be educated or wealthy, but is driven and passionate about finding justice for herself. I definitely enjoyed the film and its unique stylistic aesthetic, as well as the strong performances throughout.

Would a unique visual style make you more likely to see a film? Is that something filmmakers should be experimenting with more?

I Am Not Madame Bovary is currently playing in the USA and China. For all international release dates, click here.

The Uncondemned (2016) Review.

Originally written for and posted on Film Inquiry.

The Uncondemned, directed by Michele Mitchell and Nick Louvel, tells the story of a group of young international lawyers and activists who fought to have rape recognised and prosecuted as a war crime. Underfunded, inexperienced and overwhelmed, they faced huge hurdles as they pursued their first case against a small town mayor in Rwanda.

Crimes of war against humanity had not been prosecuted since post-WWII, and surviving witnesses feared to come forward amongst death threats against them and their families. The film documents the brave Rwandan women who came forward to testify and win justice for the crimes committed against them.

A Bit of Context

Despite rape being recognised as an international war crime since 1919, no one had ever been prosecuted for it prior to 1997 during the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu, which was part of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. However, even though rape during war has been a recurrent feature of wars throughout history, it has always been looked upon as a by-product of conflict, and not an effective military policy.

source: Abramorama

As explained in the documentary, these systematic sexual assaults are something that destroys not just the individual but the familial fabric, the social fabric and the economic fabric of a society. It is something that is used against a population to make it submit. Due to the tireless efforts of the men and women shown in this film, rape was tried for the first time as a war crime and as an aspect of genocide.

Legal Jargon and a Dull First-Half

The structure is in the style of courtroom dramas, moving between archival footage, sound from the testimony and court proceedings, as well as recent interviews with the integral people that are part of the operation. They describe the push-backs from the tribunal to include rape as a war crime charge for the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu.

Whilst some of it was very interesting, I found the first half of The Uncondemned difficult to follow. I had little knowledge of the events that occurred in Rwanda in the 1990s other than being aware of some of the terrible events that had occurred against the Tutsi people. The documentary offers little information about the events leading up to the tribunal and subsequent trial. Many different faces and places are mentioned without much contextualisation that would help the viewer understand the twists and turns of this plot coherently. There are no names or titles overlayed during the modern interview sequences that could help you grasp who is who, and I believe that would have helped a lot with getting to grips with the story. A lot of legal jargon is used, which made it difficult for someone with little to no legal knowledge understand what was going on.

Heartbreakingly Human Conclusion

The last half is where The Uncondemned reaches its climax – during the buildup we are introduced to four Rwandan women who have formed a support group for the rape victims of their village spurred by the victim herself, Godelieve Mukasarasi, and some of the lawyers and activists supporting the case. She realised that it was killing the women to be silent about their trauma, due to culturally not talking about their bodies and the shame associated with the violent assaults they had endured. You immediately are rooting for these women to testify against the mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu and to break the cycle of silence and shame for these victims, especially when they are flown to speak in front of the UN. It makes you feel uplifted and inspired by these amazing women.

Overall, this is a subject matter that outshines its documentary. It lacks contextualisation for the interviewees and makes the first half hard to follow. However, it is the brave women and the inspiring conclusion of The Uncondemned that makes it a heartbreaking, human, and empowering watch, and it reveals an important part of forgotten history.

Do you think it’s important for a documentary to give you the context of the subject matter? Or do you think you should do some research before you watch it? 

The Uncondemned was released on October 21 and 28, 2016 in NYC and LA. 

 

Manchester Animation Festival 2016 (Day 3)

The third and final day of Manchester Animation Festival! The stars of the show were, of course, the Ray Harryhausen puppets on display during the day. In the morning, John Walsh and Connor Heaney gave a talk on the lost treasures of Harryhausen and an insight into his world of stop-motion creature effects. Other highlights included the live recording of the Skwigly podcast, which included interviews with some of the filmmakers from the festival.

Studio AKA Masterclass

Ray Harryhausen “Medusa” puppet

Ray Harryhausen Foundation

Ray Harryhausen “Medusa” puppet with delegate

LIVE Skwigly Podcast

Ray Harryhausen “Medusa” puppet

LIVE Skwigly Podcast

In between events I was able to watch the short film programme “Student Films 2,” my personal highlights were Ama by Emilie Almaida, Liang Huang, Mansoureh Kamari, Julie Robert, Juliette Peuportier and Tony Unser. Perched directed by Liam Harris and Mr Madila by Rory Waudby-Tolley which although I had seen before at a This Is Not a Cartoon screening a few months ago it’s still a fantastic and funny film.

Overall, this was a fantastic event to photograph and attend. I wish I could’ve stayed for the award ceremony right at the end but unfortunately, I had to set off.

I hope to come back next year and I hope anyone reading this gets the opportunity to attend next year also!