Our Shorts Session has been a much talked about event during our previous festivals and for 2015 we decided to welcome submissions from international filmmakers.

Bedford Film Festival’s Shorts Session is free to attend, however
we do ask that you consider making a donation to
charity if you have enjoyed the films.

As well as submissions from local filmmakers we received over 1300 short films from all over the world, giving us an unprecedented number of films to choose from. We really do wish we had more time to have chosen more than five local and five international films, however we’re sure you’ll agree the list for this year shows how many talented film makers there are out there, both overseas and right on our own doorstep.

Bedford Film Festival invites the makers of all the selected films to attend the Shorts Session, giving film lovers and fledgling filmmakers a chance to network with those who are already making waves in the industry.

We were also pleased to offer a ‘prize screening’ for the ‘Sense of Change’ competition.

‘A Sense of Change’ was an exciting free film and animation competition for young people between the ages of 7-19 (up to 25 with special educational needs), living in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex and North Kent. The competition was developed by Royal Opera House Bridge, was supported by Elstree Studios and Into Film, and delivered by Elstree Film Design. Its aim was to encourage work in collaboration with students, schools and community groups.

Confidence by Youth Connexions Hertfordshire (Winner of Best Sound):

Confidence is a film that explores how having self-confidence and displaying a positive attitude can transform a person’s life. Set in a café, the film is split into two parts. The first half shows a young girl who is new to the area, and struggling to make friends. She walks into the café, looks enviously at a group of girls sitting in the corner of the room, and wishes she could share their friendship and camaraderie. Instead, she is alone, sitting in the corner of the room, hoping that they will notice her. Her loneliness and lack of confidence is evident. The second part of the film shows this same young girl entering the café – but this time her whole demeanour is different. Rather than wait to be approached, she decides to pluck up her courage and go to join the group instead. She orders a coffee and walks over to them – hoping for the best. Her confidence is rewarded and the group are immediately welcoming to her. She is soon sitting with them, chatting and laughing – now on the inside of the group rather than outside looking in.

The Little Things by The Elstree UTC (Winner of Best Look):

An experimental poetic short exploring the change in behaviour two friends endure to maintain their friendship.

Undifferent by Hemel Hempstead School (Winner of Best Story):

Undifferent describes the story of young 14-year-old Adam Waters, exploring the issues of growing up with the disability ‘Phocomelia’. The narration is accompanied by street interviews about beauty, and has an artistic embedding of photography to bring out people’s realisation of beauty about themselves and their own experiences. This short documentary film serves to bring awareness that everybody should be treated as individuals, but the beauty we share changes with age and life experience. We see a contrast between Adam’s innocence and the adults’ knowledge of the world.

How Much Change? by St. Matthew’s Primary School (Winner of Best Idea and Best Film):

Kenza lets her mind drift into the world of her imagination as she thinks about all of the changes she might face.

The rest of the short film submissions were as follows:

Bedfordshire Films

A Slice of Cake

Director: James Mann

Genre: Comedy Budget: £0

Language: English Year: 2015

Duration: 5 mins

 

After the recent death of mob leader Ron, the gang set about planning the funeral arrangements in a local café. While Frank tries to take control of the situation the rest become embroiled in an unlikely disagreement.

Beyond Redemption

Director: Andrew Gilbert

Genre: Thriller/Drama Budget: £7000

Language: English Year: 2015

Duration: 30 mins

 

Jake is woken every night by terrible nightmares, seemingly reliving his past filled with acts of pure evil. By day he tracks down and murders fresh victims but are these victims as innocent as they seem? And how much longer can he hide his actions from those closest to him?

Akin

Director: Robin Harvey

Genre: Thriller/Drama Budget: £30

Language: English Year: 2014

Duration: 5 mins

 

Propaganda, violent acts and powerful authority figures turn a protest into an uprising and a rebellion. The two protagonists find themselves pulled by uncontrollable forces to opposing sides of the conflict and further and further from their true identities.

The Hunt Ends

Director: Dan Davies

Genre: Historical/Action Budget: £4000

Language: English Year: 2015

Duration: 30 mins

 

A violent Viking horde stumble across two Saxons on a winter’s afternoon. Our hero Ryce is low born Saxon but trained to fight from a young age. He is faster, stronger and a better fighter than any man, and his years of training have prepared him fully as he seeks vengeance for the death of his father and grandmother from the invading Vikings.

International Films

Available Light

Director: John Edwards

Genre: Documentary Budget: £1000

Language: English Year: 2015

Duration: 9 mins Country: UK

 

Available Light is a portrait of Peter Anderson: Rock and street photographer. In this film Peter Anderson talks about his approach to combining street and portrait photography, while we follow him through his printing process.

La Veilleuse

Director: Joan Borderie

Genre: Romance/Comedy Budget: €3000

Language: French (English subtitles) Year: 2014

Duration: 13 mins Country: France

 

Pierre can’t sleep anymore. He decides to hire a young woman who becomes his night-light, to help him to sleep again.

Sormeh

Director: Azadeh Ghochagh

Genre: Drama Budget: Undisclosed

Language: Persian (English subtitles) Year: 2014

Duration: 10 mins Country: Iran

 

During Iran’s 1979 revolution, an Iranian family is getting ready to attend a wedding. As she puts on her make up, the woman realizes she has run out of Sormeh (an Iranian style eyeliner) and so goes to borrow some from a neighbour. But while leaving the house she faces a runaway rebel.

5 Ways 2 Die

Director: Daina Papadaki

Genre: Comedy Budget: €20,000

Language: Greek (English subtitles) Year: 2014

Duration: 15 mins Country: Greece

 

Suspecting his wife is having an affair Makis explores different ways of suicide, struggling to achieve the most ideal result. But perhaps fate will have a way of helping Makis get what he wants in a way he’d not considered.

What Day is Today

Director: Multiple

Genre: Animation/Documentary Budget: Undisclosed

Language: Portuguese (English subtitles) Year: 2015

Duration: 12 mins Country: Portugal

 

This powerful documentary was made by the youth of the Portuguese city of Montemor-o-Novo. It tells the story of those who witnessed the Estado Novo dictatorship, and celebrated its end, but who now see oppression and society manipulated by democracy and capitalism.

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