The digital film festival hits the road.

After its successful run at London’s ICA earlier this year, the digifilm festival of choice is finally being unleashed on the rest of the UK. A slightly slimmed-down version of the festival kicks off on Monday 06 October at Chapter in Cardiff, and ends up at The Duke Of York’s Picture House in Brighton for a ten-day run at the end of November.

The highlights are many and varied, obviously, including a chance to see Saint Etienne’s feature-length “psycho-geographical visual soundtrack to London”, Finisterre. It’ll be presented by the band and the filmmakers at selected venues, including Cardiff, Sheffield and Brighton. And it's definitely worth a look.

As is girls on film, a mini-retrospective of four seminal (if I can use that word) female promo directors: Dawn Shadforth (Kylie, Sugababes), Sophie Muller (Blur), Elaine Constantine (Moloko) and the deeply unsettling Floria Sigismondi, creator of nightmarish videos for Marilyn Manson and Sigur Ros, among others.

For a glimpse into the future of film, though, extended play features a selection of more narrative-based shorts. Obvious highs are the BAFTA-winning My Wrongs and the scientist-clones-head-in-the-basement fantasy, Head, directed by Jonny Halifax, Danny Vaia and Ezra Holland.

Best of all, though, is Chris Shepherd’s dark seven-minute masterpiece Dad’s Dead. Narrated by Ian Hart, it brilliantly fuses live action and animation. It’s a perfect example of how digital technology can actually enhance narrative rather than just being bolted on as an effect.

The experimental digital showcase wow + flutter is also worth catching. However, if you can’t make it to any of the screenings, you can see twenty2 product’s gorgeous Yuen Po right here on Collective, along with clips from Head and Dad's Dead.

Jonathan Carter 03 October 03

onedotzero’s UK tour starts in Cardiff on 06 October 03.

useful link: www.onedotzero.com