Encounters Short Film Festival 2009: preview

It's that Encounters time of year again, making it a key week in the calendar for industry professionals and anyone involved in short film production. Despite the difficulties of mounting a relatively niche festival during the current economic climate, the Encounters team have assembled an incredible selection of short films and events, just some of which we'll highlight below.

If you're a filmmaker, industry professional or interested in short film or film production schemes, you really should try and make your way down to Bristol for the festival because it can offer an illuminating perspective on thebgrass-roots filmmaking scene in the UK.

We sure nobody will hold it against us if we begin by mentioning two events that are co-organised by Film Network...

BBC Shorts 2009

This selection of five shorts includes two films that were co-produced by BBC Films in conjunction with the UK Film Council (much like The Rain Horse, featured in last year's festival) - Love Hate, starring Ben Whishaw and Hayley Atwell, and Rufus Norris' King Bastard starring Peter Mullan.

The remaining three films were all produced as part of a new scheme involving BBC Film Network, Lighthouse Arts & Training and BBC Writers Room, run along similar lines to last year's BBC Comedy Shorts scheme. Unfortunately one of the short films from the scheme wasn't completed in time for this screening, but the remaining three should still offer some quality entertainment, and they star the likes of Jodie Whitaker, John Henshaw, David Hayman and Jim Carter. Read more about all the films here.

John Henshaw in Joe Tumner's Conversation Piece, one of the Drama Shorts

BBC HD Masterclass

This special event hosted by BBC HD's Ian Potts aims to dispel some of the myths about shooting in HD. There will be a selection of clips from some recent BBC productions shot on HD cameras, plus a chance to look at some of the equipment that complies with HD broadcasting standards. It promises to be an enlightening afternoon.

Best of British

The key strands at Encounters are always the Best of British selections, divided into 5 different programmes. There are loads of great shorts in these programmes, including Emma Sullivan's After Tomorrow, the highly acclaimed film that was nominated for the Cannes Palm D'Or short film category.

Also playing is Laurie Hill's excellent Photograph of Jesus, an animated documentary that is also fantastically funny (recently seen in Film Network's programme at the onedotzero adventures in motion festival). Another one to look out for is Edward's Turmoil, directed by Kim Albright, whose previous work features on Film Network. A Short Film About Poo is another one that seems to stick out from the programme, directed by Anne Wilkins and Emily Howells.

Kim Albright's Edward's Turmoil.

Made in the South West

Another strong category is this selection of films from talents based local to the Bristol festival. The most well-known obviously being Wallace & Gromit in a Matter of Loaf and Death, from Nick Park's Aardman Animations. You may have already seen the film on TV last Christmas, but this is a rare chance to see it on the big screen when you're not stuffed full of turkey and jaded from yuletide television overload. Also in this programme is Karni & Saul's Flogging Molly Float, the brilliant The Surprise Demise of Francis Cooper's Mother (another one from the onedotzero festival) and two films from the Bristol-based BBC Film Lab - Trapped and All My Dreams in VHS.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in All My Dreams In VHS.

Other programmes

There are many other programmes in the varied schedule too, including the 4mations Digital Shorts (look out for Joseph Pierce's Family Portrait and a new film from The Brothers McLeod) and the UK Film Council's completion short films, which features Kirk Hendry's Junk. The Scottish Showcase features a short from Michael Keillor, who also directed one of the BBC Drama Shorts (see above).

There are a selection of awards handed out in various categories, some of which are voted for by audiences. But there is also a jury that decides on the main prizes, which this year includes Film Network filmmaker Tom Harper and Jonathan Romney, one of the few British film critics to have tried his hand at short filmmaking.

Leanne Welham's Transgress, from the Best of British programme.

Features

In order that feature-length films don't feel excluded from the short-form party, there will be a small selection of 'proper' films playing at the festival. The animated comedy Mary and Max has already garnered some great reviews at festivals, plus there's a chance to see the excellent Fish Tank, with Andrea Arnold in conversation afterwards, along with Shifty, directed by Eran Creevy, who made his name directing promos and commercials that would feature in events like Encounters.

There are a host more events, screenings and discussions that we haven't mentioned here, so please check out the full brochure here, and try and make your way down to this reliably comprehensive festival.

Click here for Film Network's Encounters section, featuring articles and short films from the festival.

James Rocarols | 13 November 2009