Now that the dustย has settledย and the accoladesย have been dished out,ย itโs time toย take a lookย atย highlights of theย Britishย Shortsย 13thย film festival.
Foundedย to celebrate and promote cinematography from theย United Kingdom and Ireland,ย theย screenings of theย acclaimed film festivalย wereย impressivelyย diverse andย filled with stunning examples of the craft.ย As always,ย indieBerlinย wasย on the sceneย to attendย theย screenings,ย whichย were beyond richย both in terms ofย theย genresย they touched onย andย their innateย quality,ย and took placeย atย severalย uniqueย venuesย around the city.ย Here is the verdict from ourย veryย unofficial jury.ย
Festival Opening Screeningย / Thu 16.1ย City Kino Weddingย
The 13thย film festivalย kicked off with aย captivatingย compilation of short films of various genres,ย that drew together disparate themes from Brexit absurdity to the Cooperโs Hillย cheese rolling contest.ย Bothย the British Shortsย Audienceย Award 2020 and theย honourableย mentionย ofย indieBerlinโsย juryย go to short films shown in the opening screening.ย The officialย winnerย being Letโs Roll, which tellsย an amusingย story about a small townโs dangerous tradition.ย Mercury, which is aย powerful deconstruction of, โfemale friendship and thwarted motherhood, facing up to choices made earlier in life and growing up,โย on the other hand took our juryโs fancy.ย ย
Documentary Specialย /ย Fri 17.1ย Sputnik Kinoย
Thisย thought-provokingย screening,ย solelyย comprisedย ofย documentaries, was met with much approvalย byย indieBerlinโsย respectable jury.ย The comprehensive screeningย thatย paintedย aย simultaneouslyย poignantย and heartyย pictureย ofย humanย experience,ย left us with an utterlyย uniqueย feeling.ย Portrayalsย of aย young male-offender nurturing sheep and aย brain injuryย patientย โcaught in a perpetual loop of joke tellingโ,ย trulyย stood outย amongstย the selection.ย
The comprehensive screeningย thatย paintedย aย simultaneouslyย poignantย and heartyย pictureย ofย humanย experience,ย left us with an utterlyย uniqueย feeling.
Homage to Kate Dickieย / Sun 19.1ย City Kino Weddingย
Theย festivalโsย homageย screeningย was dedicated toย the Scottish actressย andย keen supporter of the short film format,ย Kate Dickie, who, โhas a preference for extraordinary roles.โย Herย phenomenalย characterย portrayals inย the award-winning films she is starring inย trulyย areย exercises in craftsmanship.ย Especiallyย theย touchingย yetย disturbingย filmsย British by the Grace of Godย andย Operator,ย whichย stayed with us for a while.ย All in all, the screening was a moving tribute to the actress’sย exceptional penchant for short filmย performances.ย ย
The screening was a moving tribute to the actress’s exceptional penchant for short filmย performances.ย ย
If you missed the festival or are longing for more British cinematography inย theย aftermath ofย Brexit,ย check outย the cost-freeย British Shorts Photography exhibitionย at Sputnik Kino!ย
Pictures: British Shorts