Lancaster Film Society (LEAF)’s first annual film festival, hosted at the Nuffield Theatre, has been deemed a “smashing success” by LEAF treasurer James Daly.
The festival displayed twelve student films which addressed a wide variety of issues and varied in length from a two-minute stock animation to a fifteen-minute short film. The audience consisted of not just students but members of the public.
The process began with workshops to help inspire prospective filmmakers and to help those who already had some ideas. The students that took part ranged from having film making experience to those who wanted to learn some new skills and follow their passion for films.
From there, the Film Society Exec members helped in the pre-production stages, the filming and the post-production process to ensue a high standard of films would be displayed on the night. The Society offered classes and support to anyone wishing to make a film, including non-members.
The festival involved three guest judges: Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) academic Bruce Bennett, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Assosciate Dean Professor Chris May and LUSU Vice President (Media and Communications) Matthew Power, who were given the task to select three winners from the films that were shown.
May said that, “the standard of films submitted was very high leading the judges to have a difficult time deciding which films deserved prizes and thus we introduced an extra category of the judges’ special commendation as a runner up for each of the prizes.”
The winners, listed below, will be available to view via YouTube in the near future.
After presenting his award, Bruce Bennett commented that this year’s films were of a “high standard, both technically and conceptually [and] the whole spectrum of human experience was addressed.”
The festival was hosted by this year’s current Film Society Exec, Nadina Osmani, Cameron James King, Charlotte Machin, James Daly, Jessica Barrett and Mark Harris, of which Power remarked: “the Exec should be very proud of all their hard work.”
It was clearly an emotional moment for the Exec, who announced that they were devastated to leave and they will be back next year to see the festival. The pressure is definitely on for next year’s Film Society Exec; Kieran Foster, Selim MacLean, Kirsty Lee, Chris Porter and Mark Harris, to produce and uphold the reputation of this festival.
– LUSU Favourite Award (awarded by Matthew Power): Jack Filmore & Selim MacLean for ‘Terra Firma’.
– FASS Favourite Award (awarded by Chris May): Tom Worgan, Harry Worgan & Jack Filmore for ‘Time Lapse’.
– LICA Award (awarded by Bruce Bennett): Cameron James King for ‘Cognition’.
