Bristol Independent Film Fest

🎬 Exciting news! 🎟️ We're thrilled to announce that tickets for tomorrow's screening at Watershed from 1pm - 5pm are officially SOLD OUT! 🚀 Thank you all for the incredible support, and we can't wait to see everyone there! 🍿

🎬Il film di Niko Maggi "Headshot" sarà presente al Bristol Independent Film Fest per ritirare il premio come
“Miglior Film straniero”

🏅La cerimonia di premiazione si svolgerà il 24 Novembre

🔗Link: http://bit.ly/HeadhshotPremioMigliorfilmstraniero

Join us for our exciting screening program on Friday, November 24th, from 7 PM to 9 PM, at the Bristol Aquarium! Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to watch these captivating films and documentaries. Tickets can be purchased through the link in our bio. See you there! 📽️🎬

🌟 Exciting News! Additional Screening Added 🌟

Join us on Friday, November 24th, from 7 PM to 9 PM at the mesmerizing Bristol Aquarium, a venue with a seating capacity of 300 people, for a special screening of 'Headshot,' directed by Niko Maggi, the winner of Best Foreign Film!

Experience this cinematic masterpiece, participate in a Q&A with the director, and stay for the award ceremony. Secure your tickets through the link in our bio. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity! 📽️🎬

Meet Our Presenter: Jamie Lowe

With nearly 8 years of experience in local broadcasting, Jamie Lowe has become an integral part of Bristol's media landscape. Having launched Bristol’s local TV channel, he has immersed himself in the city's diverse cultures and communities.

Upon completing his studies in Film and TV at university, Jamie has cultivated a deep appreciation for film projects spanning a wide range of genres. Now, in his third year working with the Bristol Independent Film Festival, Jamie is thrilled to be a part of this year's festival screening.

His expertise and enthusiasm promise to make the event truly special. We can't wait for you to meet Jamie at this years Bristol Independent Film Festival Screenings!

Contact Details:
www.jamielowe.co

Join us for our exciting screening program on Friday, November 24th, from 1 PM to 5 PM! Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to watch these captivating films and documentaries. For ticket information contact us. See you there! 📽️🎬

Join us for our exciting screening program on Saturday, November 25th, from 5 PM to 9 PM, at the Bristol Aquarium! Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to watch these captivating films and documentaries. Tickets can be purchased through the link in our bio. See you there! 📽️🎬

We're thrilled to present the official screening schedule for Friday, November 24th, at the Watershed from 1 PM to 5 PM! 🎞️✨

Join us for an exceptional selection of films that promise to captivate and inspire. For further event details, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We can't wait to share this cinematic experience with you! 🎬📽️

Catch the "Savage Waters" documentary at Watershed from November 3rd to 5th. Engaging, enlightening, and limited-time only. Don't miss this opportunity!

Book your tickets today at: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/12243/savage-waters

Join us for our exciting screening event on both Friday, November 24th, and Saturday, November 25th!🎬✨If you would like to learn more about ticket details and further information regarding the event, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! 🎞️

Immerse yourself in the magic of cinema at our Film Festival Screening Event!

We're thrilled to unveil the 2023 Bristol Independent Film Festival, where we'll be showcasing remarkable films that have secured victory in their respective categories. Our Film Festival Screening Event will take place in the prestigious Bristol Aquarium – a state-of-the-art cinema with a substantial seating capacity of 300 people!

Prepare for a day immersed in the world of cinema, with the unique chance to meet the creative minds behind these films – the directors, crews, and casts.

Our festival will also feature engaging Q & A sessions with the filmmakers themselves. This is your golden opportunity to delve deeper into the art and craft of filmmaking, gaining fascinating insights into the journey behind each masterpiece.

There will be an award ceremony at the end, where we will recognise and honour the outstanding contributions of these remarkable filmmakers. Join us for an exceptional evening of film, creativity, and celebration.

We look forward to enjoying a day packed with brilliant films, artistic discussions and surrounded by many talented individuals.

You can book tickets with the link in our bio!

Our 2023 Online Event starts now! 🎬

Join us from October 20th to October 27th as we celebrate this year’s award-winning projects. Get ready for an incredible cinematic journey right from the comfort of your own home. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic of storytelling through the lens of talented filmmakers.

On each film page, you’ll find a treasure trove of cinematic delights! Explore the film itself, watch the captivating trailer, and delve into the film’s synopsis to get a taste of the story. Learn about the brilliant director with their photo and biography. Want to connect with the creators? Find their contact links right there. And for a sneak peek behind the scenes, check out the exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. It’s all here, giving you an immersive film festival experience!

If you would like to access this years Online Event, please contact us!

Get your popcorn ready, and let the show begin! 🍿

www.bistolfilmfest.com

Best Screenplay 'Donavan Emery, The Android & Himself' Written by Jesse Dorian! ✨🎞️

(a contemporary retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde) A good-intentioned and brilliant scientist becomes infatuated with a naive, privileged young man, endangering his own ethics as he invents a custom, one-for-one, prototype humanoid android that can suspend the human aging process for those who reside on the highest levels of the social ladder in a grim, nihilistic, hyper-political society set in a not-too-distant dystopian future.

Writer Biography - Jesse Dorian ✍️

ADD/bipolar screenwriter/actor/editor/film director/songwriter/composer/musician, community college dropout, with dumb little gothpop music project on the side; also (as of 2022) newly a small e-commerce business owner, and apparel designer (LostScorpion/LostScorpion Apparel).

Had one full-on manic episode/nervous breakdown in 2012… years later, came out on the other end with an unfinished, 95% completed feature film/directorial effort that never saw the light of day-- plus, 5 separate story ideas that in 2021, would be revised competently into 5 different, coherently-readable documents... er, better yet-- 5 professionally-organized feature-length film screenplays.

Endgame is to station in Los Angeles and focus on acting and music. Would also excel as a writer/actor, and would ideally fit in writing/producing/directing independent projects for distributors A24, NEON... with long-time mainstream prospects including creation of/writing/producing/directing franchise and world-building feature film projects for Universal Studios.

Has 2 rescue cats named Fred and Caramels.

Best Foreign Film 'Headshot' Directed by Niko Maggi! ✨🎞️

A mysterious group called Deep Oblivion organizes "Headshot", a live action recreation of a death match inspired by a video game The participants are 8 gamers, each with a customized suit of armor and an air gun All are equipped with body cams to broadcast the show live on the ZZIP platform What appears to be a competition of cunning and action becomes a fight for survival when the gamers discover that there is a vicious killer among them.

Best Animated 'Full Moon' Directed by John Vo, Ken Yoffe and Ellen Weisberg! ✨🎞️

Full Moon tells a story about a little girl and her big sister celebrating Halloween. The little girl wonders about the man who she believes lives on the moon, who she also believes might need her help. Her big sister helps the little girl carry out her well-intentioned deed.

Director Biography - John Vo, Ken Yoffe, Ellen Weisberg 🎬

Ken Yoffe is a pediatrician (Chelmsford, MA). He also holds a doctorate in genetics. Ellen Weisberg is a cancer researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Principal Associate in Medicine at Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA), with a doctorate in pharmacology.

Ken and Ellen are part-time children's book authors. Publications include short stories and poetry published in PKA's Advocate (bimonthly literary publication), The Writing Disorder (quarterly online literary journal and print anthology book), Bewildering Stories, and Natural Solutions (holistic health magazine). Ellen's cancer memoir, "From Both Sides," which received the 2019 Mariner Award from Bewildering Stories, describes one person, two perspectives: that of the cancer researcher and that of the cancer patient. Ken and Ellen have also published several children's geography books, readers, an anti-bullying book and a multicultural picture book, and two novels through small independent presses. Their YA book, ANGEL ROCK LEAP, received a positive Kirkus review and other editorial reviews, and was selected for the Goodreads List of Best Women's Contemporary Fiction. Their children's geography book, ALL ACROSS CANADA, and their anti-bullying children's book, FRUIT OF THE VINE, received positive Kirkus reviews, Readers' Favorite, and other editorial reviews.

John Vo, founder of Lonely Lane Productions, is an executive specializing in finance and operations for content and creative startups. He has over eleven years of experience running a creative agency as CEO, COO and Head of Finance, as well as commercializing content properties. He has had a hand in producing content totaling over one billion views.

Best Feature Documentary 'Savage Waters' Directed by Mikey Corker! ✨🎞️

How far would you go searching for something that may not exist?

A 19th century treasure-hunter’s journal inspires a captivating journey to seek out and surf a mythical, never-ridden wave in some of the most remote and dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

For renowned skipper, Matt Knight, sailing to unpredictable and uncharted regions is impossible to resist. As a lifelong thrill-seeker, he is constantly testing the limits of what’s possible, something world-class big wave surfer Andrew Cotton has also built his career on.

Director Biography - Mikey Corker 🎬

I began my professional life as a camera assistant on feature films. Although I’d gained a vital foundation in the technical aspects of film production and a hunger for becoming a director and cinematographer in my own right, there was also the realisation that within that environment it would be ten years before I’d have the chance to call the shots.

So I bought a camera, taught myself to edit, and began telling the stories of the people around me whose lives I found inspiring. Fifteen years later, that’s what I’m still doing. Just with better cameras.

I have a long-term love affair with the ocean, and a fascination for those who understand its brutal power and yet are unable to resist its lure. Time and again my focus returns to the sailors and surfers who are willing to do things that most of us – me included – would be too scared to contemplate. I find myself awestruck by their courage and spirit, and by the magnificence of the gravity-defying waves that fill my viewfinder.

I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to create numerous award-winning short films for clients such as Red Bull, and I worked with HBO on their recent landmark documentary series, ‘100 Foot Wave’. But Savage Waters is my first feature length documentary and it’s a privilege to be able to share the stories of these remarkable individuals and the jaw-dropping seas they are setting out to conquer.

Best LGBTQ+ 'Requiem' Directed by Emma Gilbertson! ✨🎞️

Requiem is set in 1605, against the backdrop of the witch trials. It's a coming of age story, following Evelyn as she engages in a game of cat and mouse against her father, Minister Gilbert, in order to be with Mary, the woman she loves.

Director Biography- Emma Gilbertson 🎬

Em J. Gilbertson (they/them) is a writer/director from Liverpool, working across film, television and music videos. Em is represented by Independent Talent and is a recent graduate of the prestigious NFTS' Directing Fiction course and a Channel 4 Scholar. Their graduation film "Requiem", starring Bella Ramsey, won for Best Postgraduate Drama at the Royal Television Society Student Awards 2022 and has been selected for multiple BAFTA qualifying film festivals. Since graduating, Em has done some second unit directing on BBC's "Silent Witness" and ITV's "Malpractice". Previously, Em shadowed BAFTA nominated Phil Barantini and the legendary Mary Harron. Em has also directed multiple music videos that have featured on MTV and in Kerrang!

Best Actress - Bethan Waller - 'Caretaker' Directed by James Hood! ✨🎞️

In this exploration of identity and existence, a young woman finds her reality start to fracture around her as she attempts to reconnect with her withering Mother.

Director Biography - James Hood 🎬

James Hood is an English filmmaker from the South West. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a bachelors degree in Film, Television and Digital Production along with a prestigious scholarship from Academy Award Winning Producer David Puttnam. James is inspired by the filmmaker of the past such as Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman and Dario Argento. His three favourite genre's are Horrors, Musicals and Westerns. James aspires to make films of an ethereal nature which reflect on his own personal life exercises whilst making deep connections with audiences.

Best Short Film 'Lunch with Hi**er' Directed by Christopher Grant Harvey! ✨🎞️

A fearless group of young women fulfil their duty as taste testers for Adolf Hi**er.

Director Biography - Christopher Grant Harvey 🎬

Christopher Grant Harvey is a writer & director born in Johannesburg, South Africa. At 16, he began his film career in the back garden, making short films with friends. The early 2000's digital revolution allowed many filmmakers to shoot on miniDV tape, allowing many weekend "backyard" projects to get off the ground cheaply. These backyard projects showcased a knack for kinetic cinematography and inventive editing techniques to make the most of scant production values. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Film & Television Production from the Motion Picture Academy of Pretoria. After international film festival success with his short film Tears In The Rain (2017), he has continued his intense desire to tell engaging stories.

Best Music Video 'Promises' Directed by AboveGround! ✨🎞️

“The song mocks pseudo-artists who talk more than work, have little experience but want everything here and now. It also speaks to those who like to publicly praise their own work,” — says the Frontman and song author of “ba.” Benas Aleksandravičius.

The video for “Pažadai” starts with a quote: “the walls were shaking, the dogs were barking, the children were crying.” This is an excerpt from a news report that aired on Lithuanian television in the summer of this year, just after the end of “ba.” concert in Vingis park in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The idea of making the video for the single was cherished in a bar in Vilnius. The director Aboveground, who lives and works in London, gave his word to make one by the end of the year. To ensure that these promises are not just empty words, as sung in the new single, he kept his word.

“We associate empty promises with rubbish, so the main video location was on the landfills,” briefly explains the director whose creative style originated in New York.

Director Biography - Aboveground 🎬

The work of experimental artist, photographer, and director AboveGround strikes a balance of creative freedom and gritty glamour; an honest eye, capturing the singularity and individuality of underground culture.

Shooting mostly on 35mm, the photography of AboveGround reflects the world around him, from dimly lit subway tunnels, to cityscape rooftop views. A practice that plays off the unplanned nature of analogue film.

AboveGround developed his style in London but fully bodied it in New York, becoming heavily involved in the city’s underground and hip-hop scenes. Embracing a docu-street aesthetic, the concept of which has evolved and become more versatile, and has seen the artist working on music videos and live shows for 6lack, Burnaboy, Dj Premier, Method Man, Da$H, etc.

AboveGround is currently based in London.

Best Student Director ‘Sunday Roast' Directed by Lukas Steinmaier! ✨🎞️

The Wheldon family sure loves to celebrate their holy Sunday. As for the family tradition, the parents Frank and Molly are preparing a splendid roast chicken. But their daughter Laura knows all too well that this is just their way of settling their differences. As the food is served and the alcohol flows, the seemingly civilised lunch quickly descends into a downright war.

Director Biography - Lukas Steinmaier 🎬

Lukas Steinmaier was born in Rosenheim, Germany and started filming at the age of 14. Soon after high school he worked several internships as assistant director, editor, production assistant in TV, feature films and theatre. In 2015 he started studying theatre, film and media at in Vienna and continued working on different film projects on the side. After working as an assistant director for French director Marc Fitoussi and German director Holger Barthel, he moved to Britain to study at Bournemouth Film School in the UK, specializing in Post Production and Directing. He is currently working as an editor in London for Netflix.

Best Animated 'Yellow Dove Aftermath' Directed by Rony A. Abovitz! ✨🎞️

The surreal experiences of Yellow Dove in his bunker within the world of Hour Blue

Director Biography - Rony A. Abovitz 🎬

Rony has been a technology and visual pioneer for a number of years, creating companies such as Magic Leap and MAKO Surgical. He is applying his blend of tech and creativity in Sun and Thunder, developing the Hour Blue Storyworld and animated films that express that world.

Best Short Film 'Dark Cell' Directed by Jean-Michel Tari! ✨🎞️

Two convicts in an orbital prison are doing what they usually do, which is to say, not much.
Suddenly, two panicked guards armed to the teeth burst into their cell. The guards tell them that the orbital prison has just been invaded by blood-thirsty zombie-type creatures.

If they want to survive, their only solution is to eject their cell and return to Earth.
But when the ejection order is entered into the computer, it refuses it. The cell, designed for two occupants only, now holds four people.
There can only be two lucky winners… and there’s not much time to pick them.

Director Biography - Jean-Michel Tari 🎬

Jean-Michel first worked as a creative in advertising in Nice (France). Then he was hired by the famous video game company UBISOFT where he stayed for about fifteen years. He worked in Montreal, Shanghai, Hong-Kong, Tokyo and finally Paris in 2007.

But, passionate about cinema, he left Ubisoft in 2013 to create his own special effects and production company, AJM STUDIO.

He produces special effects for many French feature films and television programs. He also writes and directs several short films that won many awards around the world.

Dark Cell is his last short film because he intends to move on to feature films or series. For the record, the feature script of "Dark Cell" is already written.

Best Soundtrack 'La Línea Imaginaria' Composed by Marcel Barsotti! ✨🎞️

LA LINEA IMAGINARIA is a short film about a 10 year old Boy with the name of SAMUEL who has to come to terms with the fact that his dear fisherman father-MATEO- will soon pass away. MATEO, on his dying bed with Leukemia, gives SAMUEL a seashell necklace which SAMUEL should "return" to the ocean as his last life wish. SAMUEL has to decide whether to follow his dads wish or challenge the laws of nature. The short film interweaves shots of MATEO on his death bed with flashback sequences of MATEO virile and healthy giving SAMUEL lessons of life while fishing. The short film has a surprise ending with the Ocean as its natural backdrop.

Artist Biography- Marcel Barsotti 🎬

Award winner film composer Marcel Barsotti composed the music for more than 100 international movies like „Pope Joan“, „The Miracle of Bern“, „The Sea Wolf“ or „The Bible Code“. His musical spectrum ranges from electronic scores, ambient soundscapes, minimal, jazz and underground, polka & traditional, tekkno, to orchestral film and chamber music. During these years he worked with famous directors and producers like Sönke Wortmann, Günter Rohrbach, Caroline Link, Luc Besson-Production, Carl Schenkel, Josée Dayan, Eberhard Junkersdorf and Paul Hills. In 2010 Barsotti received the German Record Critics` Award and the Director’s Choice Gold Medal for Excellence for Pope Joan. He was also nominated in 2010 by the Verband der deutschen Filmkritik and by The Score of the Year 2009 for Pope Joan. Barsotti gots three nominations by the German Television Award and he won the Award for best Commercial 2005. He is also contributing to the worldwide ethnic Sample Library Ethno World. In 2017 he founded the production music company Tunesformovies and he was nominated for German Music Author Award.

Best Student Documentary 'I Am More Dangerous Dead' Directed by Majiye Uchibeke! ✨🎞️

"I Am More Dangerous Dead" is a poetic tribute to the indomitable spirit of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Nigerian writer and activist who valiantly fought against the destructive oil industry in his beloved homeland. Through lyrical storytelling and metaphorical imagery, the film portrays his unwavering determination, the price he paid for his convictions, and the enduring legacy he left behind.

Director Biography - Majiye Uchibeke 🎬

Majiye Uchibeke is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker hailing from Nigeria. Born and raised in a culturally rich environment, Uchibeke developed a deep appreciation for storytelling. Fascinated by the power of film as a medium for social change and cultural exploration, he embarked on a journey to pursue his passion for filmmaking.

Uchibeke's artistic pursuit led him to the prestigious University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts in the MFA Film and Television Production program, where he honed his skills and expanded his creative horizons. Immersed in an environment that fostered innovation and collaboration, Uchibeke thrived, pushing the boundaries of his craft and embracing diverse storytelling techniques.

Best Director 'The Exchange' Directed by Marco Berger! ✨🎞️

Mateo and Lucas, best friends, go out to party in a hot summer night. Mateo meets Lucia, and Lucia commits an act that will change their lives. From there, Mateo and Lucas will begin a search, both physical and personal.

The Exchange exposes s*xuality without fear, without labels, without holding back. It is the discovery of something that somehow touches all of us, regardless of our s*xual orientation or gender identity.

A film that shows the beauty of s*x, love, friendship, and innocence.

Director Biography - Marco Berger 🎬

Marco Berger is an Argentinean film director and screenwriter born December 8, 1977. He studied at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires and made his directorial debut in 2007 with the short films Una última voluntad and El reloj. His first feature film was Plan B, which was presented on a number of film festivals (Buenos Aires, Rome, London). But it was with the film Ausente (Absent) that he won "Best feature film" for what the judging committee said was "an original screenplay, an innovative aesthetic and a sophisticated approach, which creates dynamism. A unique combination of ho******ic desire, suspense and dramatic tension."

Best Experimental 'The Night Jaguar' Directed by Robert Zimmer, Jr. ✨🎞️

Inspired by true events in Mexico, and by the Mayan legend of a shapeshifting Night Jaguar, this short film is at once an erotic fever-dream and an anti-patriarchal allegory. Guadalajara and Tulum are the backdrop for a doomed four-way relationship, framed by shared lust for prestige and carnal delight. In this post-modern telling of The Night Jaguar legend, we join two couples, one American, one Mexican, both addicted to fame and power, as fools’ gold seduces them all. Their penchant for Faustian transactions invokes the anger of the gods, where the price of art becomes the soul itself.

Director Biography - Robert Zimmer, Jr. 🎬

Robert Zimmer, Jr. is an award-winning creative executive, screenwriter, and producer who got his start working for legendary producer Aaron Spelling. He has worked on such feature and short films such as the Oscar-winning The Usual Suspects, Half-Life (Sundance, SXSW), A Portrait of James Dean: Joshua Tree 1951 (Frameline, Outfest), and No Woman's Face Remember (Cannes). He has also worked on iconic TV shows such as Star Trek: Voyager, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and 7th Heaven. The Night Jaguar is his first short film as a director.