THE ABSENCE OF HEAT
During a drive, an engaged couple engage in a lighthearted conversation that subtly reveals the dynamics of their relationship.
Directed by Harding & Young
Written by Dave Harding
During a drive, an engaged couple engage in a lighthearted conversation that subtly reveals the dynamics of their relationship.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Harding & Young, a director duo born and bred in East Sussex, with backgrounds in commercial and corporate documentary filmmaking, David Harding and Thomas Young seamlessly transitioned from documenting real-world stories to crafting fiction, thriving on small teams and modest budgets. Their commitment to creative storytelling shines through in every project.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH DAVE
Tell us about the genesis of The Absence of Heat.
The Absence of Heat was born from an evening of doom scrolling. I (Dave) came across a video of Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about how cold doesn’t actually exist. Me and my partner almost never argue and if we do it’s always over the most mundane things. She often remarks on how I can look a little too deeply into the wording of things rather than the actual subject we’re arguing about. I usually see the humour in these arguments before they’ve even finished, much to her enjoyment.
The combination of these two things led to the bulk of the dialogue being written very quickly in my notes app. A quick polish, plus the fact I’d always wanted to shoot a driving scene, and we basically had a full script the next day.
My friend Zach is an amazing filmmaker and a big car guy so it felt like an obvious collab. We put his dad’s beautiful old car on a trailer on the back of Zach’s van and rigged the camera up. We did a few drives down one of our favourite hometown roads during golden hour and had the whole film wrapped in an hour, thanks to the absolute pros and real life couple Ed and Lily.
The edit also came together super fast the next day, along with writing and recording a short piece of music. It’s probably the quickest and most seamless anything I’ve created has ever come together!
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
So far we’ve only shared it on YouTube, but we’re hoping to have it screened at some festivals over the summer.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Based on our experience of this film, I’d say look for something you notice in the everyday that you find some sort of humour, enjoyment or fear in, and write a small, contained moment in a character’s life. Try to keep it in one location and as simple to shoot as possible.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just written a new, longer short script which totally ignores all of the advice above. It’s a lot more ambitious and is going to take a while to get into production but I’m very excited for it!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
A hugely underrated favourite of mine is A Ghost Story.
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NOW THAT YOU’RE BACK
After losing a childhood friend to suicide, Connor and Liam reunite for the painful task of choosing his burial clothes — a moment that forces old wounds and unspoken truths to surface.
Written & Directed by Seth Hope Barnard Chodzko
Produced by Seth Hope Barnard Chodzko, Cora Needham & Joe Everitt
After losing a childhood friend to suicide, Connor and Liam reunite for the painful task of choosing his burial clothes — a moment that forces old wounds and unspoken truths to surface.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Seth is a writer/director originally from Kent in the UK who studied at the Northern Film School in Leeds, passionate about creating both documentary and fiction films. Through his work’s particular subject matters and forms I hope to raise awareness and provoke questions in the viewer, positively influencing our precarious world. He also likes to blend documentary and fiction, inspired by the stories and people around him, incorporating reality into his narrative projects.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH SETH
Tell us about the genesis of Now That You're Back. Where did the idea come from?
The very initial idea, came to me whilst I was driving on the M62 between Leeds and Manchester, as I often did. It is very scenic and the rolling hills, for some reason, made me think about grief and disconnection, particularly between two men. The first working title was therefore “Rolling Hills” and was about two brothers who had lost their other brother to suicide. Although not directly, suicide has been a consistent event in my life and I have therefore often thought about the culture of it. Further discussing the idea with my mum, she told me about a time she and a friend, had to pick out the funeral clothes for a mutual friend who had died. I found this idea compelling. The unusual process of having to pick out the clothes, to dress a recently deceased loved one. This “task”, also acted as an affective structure for a short film I felt, driving it forward with a clear through line (the task being set at the beginning, and then completed at the end).
How did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
I wrote the script and pitched the idea to my film school (students and tutors) as part of the graduation films that were to be made. Unfortunately, the film was not selected. This was a really important lesson for me, about rejection. I found it difficult at first but in the end, it was a blessing because it gave me more time to develop the script into something, I believe, was stronger. I was determined to make the film and so, thanks to my piers and the Northern Film School, I shot it after everyone had finished their graduation projects! The film would not be what it is, without that initial rejection and extended time to develop it.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
Once the film was finished, I jumped straight into entering it into film festivals. This was mainly done by entering via FilmFreeway. I entered as many as I could afford at the time, but also any free festivals that had a category for our film. Other than that, I tried to push it out wherever I could. I screened it at my film school, in a cinema in my home county of Kent, emailed it to friends and family etc. Of course, I also promoted the film via social media, exposing it to the world and hopefully get audiences interested in seeing it!
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
1. This one is very cliche, but the biggest lesson I learnt with this film is, believe in your idea, even if it gets rejected. That was a big one for me. Take it on the chin and move on with pursuing it! No matter what, you will learn and benefit from making the film.
2. Try not to be precious with your script, even from early development. Share your ideas and drafts with the people around you, including non-film buffs! Have conversations about it. Anything I have made has been strongly influenced by the feedback I get from the people in my life.
3. Start your short film right in the action, and set up the narrative as early as possible. Draw the audience into the world immediately. Let them know what it is roughly about, early on, to keep them engaged, and want to see what happens at the end. In short film, you don’t have time to beat around the bush (in my opinion!).
What are you working on now?
I am writing two short film scripts whilst I travel around South America, which has been a massive privilege. I work in the film industry as a runner back home and it’s really difficult to find the time to work on my own stuff. Both scripts are dramas and will be around 10 pages long. I hope to make them soon after I get back to the UK!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I’m going to try recommend something that hopefully hasn’t been seen by that wide of an audience. Since we’re talking about short films, I would recommend a short by one of my favourite filmmakers, Abbas Kiarostami, called “The Bread And Alley”. It’s simply about a young boy who meets an aggressive stray dog, on his walk home. It forces him into a new situation that he has to deal with on his own. It is such a simple concept yet it takes you through an array of emotions, and is ultimately a great coming of age story! This short, for me, encapsulates exactly what a “strong” short film is, simple and effective in addressing a wider concept/idea.
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STORM CLOUDS
An identical twin takes on his dead brother’s identity to evade responsibility to the family business, which is controlling the weather via masturbation.
Written & Directed by Adrian Delcan
Produced by Henrik Larsen & Adrian Delcan
An identical twin assumes his dead brother’s identity to evade the responsibility involved with his weather-controlling gift; the centerpiece of his family’s business.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Adrian is a writer and director from Southern California. He worked as a writer on Judas, the latest game from BioShock creator Ken Levine. He directed the short film Animal Behavior, which screened at festivals including LA Shorts, NFFTY, and PÖFF in Estonia. He was a YoungArts x Ignite Fellow at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. His debut feature film, Old Man, was released by Gravitas Ventures in January 2025.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ADRIAN
Hi Adrian! Welcome back. Other than making Storm Clouds, what else have you been up to since we featured your previous film Animal Behaviour?
Hi Dustin! It’s a pleasure to be back, thanks for having me. Since we last spoke I’ve moved back and forth between Los Angeles and New York City a few times for work. I’m in New York now. So other than packing and unpacking I’ve been spending my time writing. I’ve actually been working on a feature adaptation of Animal Behavior.
I also completed another short film; that one is titled Early Human Media. It’s a comedic and surrealist take on a guy going up to a girl’s apartment for the first time. It will be premiering at a festival this March.
Your work in general has absurd comedic tones with quite dark sharp edges. It's akin to the work of Aster and Lanthimos, yet unique in its own right. How would you classify your style? What are some of the main influences on your style?
I love the work of Ari Aster and Yorgos Lanthimos, they’re absolutely influences so I’m flattered by the comparison. If I had to point to our shared interest it would probably the be the concern for comedy. I really love going to the movies to laugh, and sometimes the best laughs are the ones that make you second guess if you should’ve at all. I often feel that way watching the movies of Aster and Lanthimos, it may be a performance choice or something deeply disturbing. They’re always heightening the reality in ways I couldn’t have expected but never enough to alienate me, and I think that’s because their stories are anchored in deeply relatable characters. These are things I constantly aim for in my writing and directing.
I would say that I make character-driven comedies, often blending thriller, sci-fi, or crime elements.
Tell us about the genesis of Storm Clouds. Where did the idea come from? How did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
I’m a big fan of science fiction and have always tip-toed around it in my own work, but it wasn’t until I started reading more Stephen King did I feel like there was a way to do it that was true to me. This project came on the heels of that feeling. Before writing there were a few things I knew I wanted to explore in the next project, like having a larger cast, lots of moving camera, and I wanted to involve images of the sky. The sex of it all was something that came later. It was important to me how the family created clouds. There’s a much simpler version of this movie that removes all of the sex and just has the family meditating to conjure the rain, but I felt that framing the ability as shameful and disturbing created good tension. I also thought it would be cinematically interesting to sequence clouds forming this way.
I can imagine that the concept of this film would be difficult to pitch. How did you get collaborators onboard? Did any of the actors have reservations? How do you build trust with your talent to know that they're in safe hands despite the more absurd and crude elements of the story?
I felt pretty strongly that the script was coming from an earnest place, with a keen interest in exploring the Fontaine family, and that the crude elements weren’t employed as spectacle. So a lot of my job as the director was communicating this vision to my collaborators, and it was through lots of practical discussions did they understand how we’d be treating the subject matter. We also had an intimacy coordinator that helped us breakdown the sex scenes so that it felt like we were just following a cookbook. By the time we got to set it all became very technical: you go there, open the window, put your hand in your pants, and the camera will track with you whenever you’re ready.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences? Did you experience much festival rejection? If so, how did you overcome that?
We had Storm Clouds screened at Whammy in Los Angeles and at the Laugh After Dark Festival in Las Vegas. However, the 24 minute runtime and heavy subject matter definitely made it a difficult short to program at festivals. As much as I tried, I never had a chance at getting this movie under 20 minutes. There was a 50 minute cut, 18 minute cut, 10 minute cut, but in the end the story decides how long it should be, and for us that was 24 minutes.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
There’s so much to learn in challenging yourself to make an extremely short cut of your movie, even if you immediately revert back to the original version. The search for the most distilled version of your story reveals who you are as a filmmaker. The elements you can’t bear to lose, the ones that make your stomach turn when they’re not in the movie, is your voice speaking.
What are you working on now?
I have a new short film titled Early Human Media that will have its festival premiere this March 2026!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I’ve recently come into the movies of American filmmaker Joseph Losey: The Prowler, The Servant, and many other incredible works of his from the 40s and 50s. If you have a blind spot for this era of cinema, please do yourself a favor and start with his movies.
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STILL GOT IT
A cheeky Grandpa seizes a moment of freedom while the nurse is out.
Starring Ronald Pickup & Jackie Howe
Written & Directed by Miles Dickinson
Produced by Sam Simmons-Betts & Matt Ashworth
A cheeky Grandpa seizes a moment of freedom while the nurse is out.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Miles Dickinson is a Leeds based filmmaker with a background in commercial production across branded content, TV commercials, radio and social campaigns. He currently works for the University of Leeds as a Production Lead in their Digital Education team.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MILES
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Thank you for having me. My name is Miles Dickinson and I’m a UK-based filmmaker. It feels strange to describe myself like this because it’s been so long since I last made a film, and so much of my life has changed since I shot this back at the start of 2019. I started out making short films and music videos after graduating from university in 2015. Over time, I slowly moved away from narrative filmmaking and into agency life, working in commercial production across branded content, TV commercials, radio and social campaigns. During the pandemic, my wife and I relocated from London to Leeds, and sadly the filmmaking side of my life gradually faded away.
Short films have always been a really important part of my development, though, and I’ve often said that one day I’d return and make another short. Some of my best memories are scraping money together and working with friends to create something we felt was worth sharing with the world. That’s exactly what this film is. A passion project made between friends, and at the time it was an opportunity for me to continue honing my writing and directing skills. I made Still Got It over seven years ago, but it genuinely feels like yesterday. Making short films gave me the freedom to experiment with tone and storytelling, while also focusing on performance, pacing and visual language, all without the pressure of scale or commercial clients.
Tell us about the genesis of Still Got It. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
The idea came from spending time with my grandparents and noticing how much of their identity had quietly faded from view as they got older. You meet someone late in their life and you rarely get any sense of who they were before age, illness or routine took over. I kept thinking about how many elderly people are walking around with entire histories, passions, talents and stories that never get acknowledged. With Still Got It, I wanted to tell a story that reveals that hidden inner life in a playful way, rather than something overly sentimental or bleak.
Once I landed on the idea of an older man secretly dancing, the rest of the film grew quite naturally around that. The relationship with Karen, his daughter and carer, became the emotional framework. She isn’t a villain; she loves him. But her care has become controlling. This dynamic gave the film both its humour and its heart. The film I made before Still Got It was called Orchid, which also featured an elderly character. That film was much more serious in tone, exploring grief. After making these two films, it became clear to me that I’m drawn to hidden stories and the emotional depth that comes with ageing and having most of your life behind you. I’m drawn to themes of nostalgia, memory and past experience. You learn things about yourself when you make films!
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Still Got it and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges was working with an elderly lead and building a physically demanding dance sequence around him. Ron Pickup was extraordinary, and it was an absolute privilege to work with such an established actor, especially at that early stage of my career. Ron did'nt have to say yes to this film. He chose to do it purely to support me as a young filmmaker, and he did so with immense generosity and kindness. He worked without any ego, without expectation, and with total commitment to the story. Over the course of the shoot, Ron and I became genuine friends, and that trust was fundamental to how the film came together.
Because of his age and the physicality required, his safety was always the priority for us. We approached the dance sequence with careful planning, rehearsal and flexibility, adapting the choreography and coverage to suit Ron rather than forcing the performance to meet a preconceived idea. That allowed the scene to feel joyful and liberated while remaining safe and respectful.
Still Got It became one of Ron’s final screen performances before his tragic passing, which makes the film incredibly special to me. He was a kind, gentle soul, and I feel truly honoured that I had the opportunity to work with him and to capture such a beautiful, playful performance so late in his life.
Another major challenge for me was working with a Director of Photography whom I’d not worked with before, whose creative approach was different to mine. Due to scheduling, I hadn’t been able to spend much time with him prior to the shoot, as I normally would with DoPs I’d previously worked with. On set, we had different ideas around framing, blocking and action, which threw off my process. I’m not taking anything away from his clear talent and all of his ideas were strong, but in my inexperience I didn’t know how or when to push back on those differing opinions. It was a valuable learning experience because, ultimately, I do wish that I’d held firm and stuck to my storyboard. You live and learn!
There were also the usual short-film realities: an extremely tight budget, limited shoot days and a small crew. But we were lucky to have an incredibly committed team who genuinely believed in the project. That belief made a huge difference, and everyone went the extra mile to make sure the film felt polished and emotionally honest.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights?
We didn't screen the film at any festivals. Mainly due to financial restrictions! It's amazing that the film is now starting to be seen all these years later.
We understand that you've sat on this project for quite a while before releasing it online. Would you mind telling us why?
Yes, it's been in a metaphorical dusty box for many years! In all honesty, for a long time I really wasn't proud of this film. I must stress that my disappointment is not a result of any lack of talent or ability in my crew. Far from it. I was blown away by the quality of work they brought to this. I was just disappointed in the decisions I made during the creation of the film and the direction I took it. I felt for a long time that it didn't represent my original vision, and I was frustrated that I'd decided to take a departure from a style of filmmaking I'd worked so hard to hone in my other works.
Letting it breathe allowed me to gain some distance from it and start to appreciate it for what it is, rather than constantly thinking about what I would have changed. All these years later, I now smile when I watch it because these are great memories for me, and I really am now proud of what we achieved with it. Yes, it's not exactly how I'd imagined it, but it has plenty of charm, it looks beautiful, and it's an entertaining short film – in my humble opinion, of course!
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Great question! My advice would be to work with people more talented than you. When you find them, reach out, be genuine, meet with them, become friends, and make sure that you're creatively aligned. Don't be afraid to send scripts to agents, ask for favours, and wheel and deal. So many of my opportunities came from this way of thinking. I learned so much by surrounding myself with people who were better than me, who had more of an education in the arts than I did. I desperately wanted to study Film Directing at the prestigious National Film and Television School. I applied every year for about five years and heard nothing back. So instead, I decided to work with alumni from the school on many of my short films – what's the difference?
What are you working on now?
Nothing at the moment! Who knows, being selected for KINO's Weekly Pick might bring my inner filmmaker back to the surface. Maybe it's time to dig out some of my old scripts and go again...
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I've been out of the game for a long time now so nothing hot off the press to recommend. But, doing some digging back through my old liked shorts on vimeo I've found a couple worth mentioning here. Hala (2016) by Minhal Baig is fantastic. I absolutely love Mixtape Marauders (2018) by Peter Edlund. Milton (2019) by Tim Wilkime is great fun too. My good friend Mark Van Heusden makes great films too.
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CRUSTS
Words and sandwiches are shared round a grave as an Irish family tries to grieve the untimely death of a loved one.
Directed by Alfie Dale | Written by Ben Ferrity
Produced by Archie Sinclair, Chuckie McEwan, Ben Jacob-Smith & Ben Ferrity
Words and sandwiches are shared round a grave as an Irish family tries to grieve the untimely death of a loved one.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Alfie Dale is an award winning director from London. He is drawn to character driven films. Alfie’s last short was 'My Brother Is A Mermaid' premiered at the BAFTA qualifying Iris Prize Film Festival, where it won Best British Short Film, the Audience Award and the Youth Jury AwardThe film went on to win the main prize at the BAFTA qualifying Norwich Film Festival, received a Special Mention at Academy Qualifying Flickerfest, and won Best Short at The Casting Director’s Association Awards. The film received nominations at over 15 other BAFTA/Academy qualifying festivals, and played at over 50 other festivals globally, picking up several more awards, before being picked up online by Director’s Notes and Omeleto.
Ben Ferrity - Born and bred in Belfast, Ben is a Northern Irish Writer-Producer with a passion for using comedy drama as a means to explore painful and sensitive issues. Outside of writing, Ben develops and script edits TV dramas and feature films as a Development Executive for Working Title Films. His credits include The Iron Claw (A24), The Zones of Interest (A24), Sherwood (BBC1), Six Four (ITVX), and the hit true crime documentary series Accused: Guilty or Innocent (A&E Networks).
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH BEN
Tell us about the genesis of Crusts. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
Crusts was inspired my (Ben's) family's experiences with grief and loss. Before I had ever been to a wedding I'd unfortunately been to too many funerals to count and I always found myself remembering the awkward mundane chatting over shitty sandwiches after the burial rather than any of the service or outpourings of grief and I thought there was something profoundly funny and sad about that - about getting emotional remembering an egg and cress sandwich as a touchpoint for someone's funeral.
Northern Ireland has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and if you speak to anyone there they've likely experienced it or know someone closely who has. Grief is always experienced individually and it's particularly stark after a suicide. The characterS in Crusts are loosely based off members of my own family and their reactions to a tragic death. Some prefer to go into overdrive with busying themselves rather than sit with their pain, others like to make light of tragedy as a shield, some are angry at the circumstances of the death, and others may just be too young to fully process things.
I wanted to combine these two elements - the banality of some our rituals surrounding death and the individual grieving processes of others that sometimes collide - into a snapshot that captured how I felt when a family member of mine tragically passed away and that's when I came up with the idea and setting for Crusts. I got emotional once walking through a graveyard on my way back from work eating a crappy meal deal sandwich. It made me remember my uncle for some reason and I knew there and then what the final scene of the film would be. Eating and crying. It's oddly cathartic.
Once you had the script how did you go about finding your key collaborators
Alfie and I met at one of CenterFrame's networking events and together pitched the film to a community of filmmakers who then voted to allocate funding.
I was aware of Alfie’s commercial work and the success of his previous BAFTA Long listed short MY BROTHER IS A MERMAID. After securing funding with CenterFrame, Alfie introduced us to Grey Moth who have a brilliant track record of producing some of the UKs top short films. That's how we met Archie and Chuckie - such a pleasure to work with and bring on as producers. Their relationships with crew, kit houses, and post production facilities was instrumental and they were just a delight to have on board throughout!
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Crusts and how did you overcome them?
Honestly, the weather. We wanted to strike an beautiful, slightly jarring, slightly ethereal aesthetic for the film and once we found the church in Ballintoy it was clear that we needed to shoot there at whatever costs. Unfortunately, up on the North Coast of Ireland, one moment you've got thick fog where you can't see a metre in front and then next it's splitting sunshine as we encounter. Makes continuity a nightmare but in the end it was differently worth it for the scenery!
The other big obstacle was cast. We were so drawn to Claire, Anna, Louis, and Riona as performers that once we'd seen their tapes we would have moved heaven and earth to make sure their availabilities all matched up. Especially with Louis and Riona, who play the younger characters Fergal and Sorcha, you need actors with such incredibly maturity to pull off those complex emotional shifts and so we felt very lucky to have found such rising stars.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
We couldn't have done as well as we have on the festival circuit without the support and knowledge of Grey Moth Films who have had such success with their other short films, and of CenterFrame, who have boldly reframed how short films can secure funding.
The funding from CentreFrame enabled us to apply to a substantial number of festivals (and make the film itself!) which, combined with Grey Moth's understanding of the market, enabled to screen the film in numerous countries, at Oscar, BAFTA, and BIFA qualifies across the world, pick up several awards, and have the film Longlisted for the British Independent Film Award for Best Short. All of that helped us secure a final home for the film on Omeleto which we couldn't have been happier about and it's been amazing to see online audiences engage with the film and comment such lovely feedback to us!
A festival highlight would have to be Fastnet Film Festival in Cork. They turn the whole village into a cinema, with pubs, churches and even farms putting up screens. It's also a complete laugh with everyone at the pub in between screenings, whether you're Paul Mescal or a first time filmmaker!
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Keep your short short! There are times when shorts need be over 15 minutes but most of the time you're going to better retain your audience (and likely have better success with festival programmers) when they're under that runtime. If you can spare it, a little payment for the crew - even if it's symbolic - across the board can go a long way to creating a fun, productive atmosphere on set. Oh and make sure you don't skimp on catering!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I love shorts when they have a sense of scale - whether in the backdrop, genre, or ambitious premise. Some of my favourites are below:
- Meat Puppet by Eros V
- The Golden West by Tom Berkely and Ross White
- Le censeur des reves by Leo Berne
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The World Beyond Me
In the unforgiving world of Kamathipura, Mumbai’s notorious red-light district, a young woman clings to fragile moments of hope while trapped by sex-debt bondage in the grip of her ruthless pimp.
Written & Directed by Ashwin Agrawal
Produced by Julia Verdin
In the unforgiving world of Kamathipura, Mumbai’s notorious red-light district, a young woman clings to fragile moments of hope while trapped by sex-debt bondage in the grip of her ruthless pimp.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Ashwin Agrawal is a Mumbai-based indie filmmaker. He studied filmmaking at the Sundance Collab Program and Raindance Film School, and is currently mentored by Peter Markham, the renowned filmmaking coach from the AFI Conservatory.
His first short film, Crossroad, won numerous awards at international film festivals. His debut feature, Broken Mirror, received recognition at the Los Angeles Film Awards in 2024. He also won the Audience Choice Award for his short film Half a Bite at the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival in Canada, a Canadian Screen Award-qualifying festival.
As an independent filmmaker, Ashwin often seeks collaboration to reduce the cost of production while building meaningful creative connections. He believes filmmaking is an multi-functional craft, where every person involved is essential to the life of the film.
Under Peter Markham’s mentorship, Ashwin has delved deeply into the craft of cinematic storytelling—studying the rarely taught discipline of narrative point of view and its articulation on screen. His work explores the flow of energy within a film, the resonance of images, tonal shifts, and the shaping of theme through cinematic language.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ASHWIN
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I am an acting coach and film director based in India. I began my filmmaking journey in 2022 with my short film Crossroad, which I wrote and directed, casting my own students in the lead roles. The film performed well across several smaller festivals and marked the start of my directorial path.
Following that, I directed my first feature film, Broken Mirror, a story centered on body dysmorphia. The film reached the final stages of consideration at Directors’ Fortnight but, though it did not make the official selection, the experience deeply shaped my artistic growth.
I went on to direct The World Beyond, and soon after, I joined the Sundance Collab program for film directing. There, I met my current mentor, Peter Markham — a former AFI Conservatory coach and teacher of acclaimed director Ari Aster. I have been training with Peter remotely for over a year now, and his guidance has significantly refined my craft and cinematic vision.
Most recently, I directed a poetic short film titled Where the Waves Forget. Peter Markham loved the film and is serving as its Creative Consultant, continuing to mentor me on the project’s artistic development.
Tell us about the genesis of The World Beyond Me. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that’s now made its way out into the world?
One ordinary day, I parked my car near Mumbai’s Kamathipura at 4 PM and noticed a sex worker standing by a wall. When I returned at 8 PM, she was still there—her face weary, her expression sombre, untouched by the passing hours. That moment struck me deeply. It wasn’t just her exhaustion; it was the realization that her world and mine, though physically separated by mere steps, were universes apart. While I could move freely, she seemed confined to those lanes, locked out of the life many take for granted.
This haunting realization gave birth to The World Beyond Me. I wanted to go beyond the surface, beyond what society sees and labels. Who was she behind the Prostitute Label, behind the weary face and the stereotypes? What were her dreams, hopes, and desires?
Too often, filmmakers dehumanize sex workers, portraying them as mere objects, stripping away their dignity and identity by using derogatory terms like “whore”. I wanted to change that narrative. The World Beyond Me tells the story of Sangam, not as a victim but as a person a woman with a longing for freedom, for something beyond the confines of her world.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making The World Beyond Me and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was balancing authenticity and sensitivity. We were very mindful of how we portrayed trauma and violence—most of it is conveyed through close-ups of Sangam’s face, focusing on her emotional state rather than the physical acts. Working with a low budget and ensuring that we did justice to the complexity of Sangam’s story also posed logistical and creative challenges, but it was a deeply fulfilling experience.
Another challenge was changing weather we were shooting at the end of rainy season so there was a lot of inconsistency in the lighting conditions.
The budget forced us to get creative. For the crucial beach scenes, our crew stripped down to just the essentials: me on camera, my assistant, and our lead actress. It was a marathon of multitasking—directing, operating the heavy gimbal, and problem-solving with a team of three. We captured the magic, though I felt the strain in my back long after the shoot wrapped.
I did the color grading of the film instead of spending money to hire a color artist and I believe I did pretty good job on that.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
The Jorney was difficult at first some top channels rejected the film and it left me disappointed and then there was this shortframe channel in UK they accepted the film and also Klipist another good platform in UK and recently I released it on my own channel and it seems to be doing pretty good for the start.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
The biggest advice I’d give to short filmmakers is: let your film begin as soon as possible skip long opening credits. Don’t make the audience wait to enter your story.
Another common misconception is that you need a “hook” at the beginning. Many filmmakers fall into this trap and end up diluting the authenticity of their work. If you watch Miller & Son, the Oscar-winning short by Asher Jelinsky, who also happens to be my coach there’s no flashy hook. It simply begins with a man going about his daily routine in his father’s garage, yet it pulls you in through truth and tone.
One of the most important yet overlooked aspects of directing is understanding the Narrative Point of View (NPOV) who is taking us through the journey, the emotion, the experience of the story. Sometimes it’s a single character, sometimes two (as in buddy stories), or even an ensemble.
The character we’re aligned with should guide the camera its movement, lens choice, and proximity/distance, sound mix, editing. For instance, in a film like American Honey, the NPOV is with Star, the lead girl. It’s what’s called a “Follow and Accompany” NPOV — the camera travels with her, not just after her.
Another great example is in Blue Valentine: when Ryan Gosling’s character pleads not to break up, he’s shot in a close-up — we’re emotionally close to him. Michelle Williams, however, is framed in a medium-wide shot, distancing her both emotionally and visually. Their differing shot sizes express their relational distance.
There’s a lot more to explore in understanding NPOV — it’s one of the most powerful tools a director has to make the audience feel exactly what they intend.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Miller & Son – Short film – Student Oscar winner – Helps understanding how tonal shift happens in film
Contrapello – Short film – Oscar Nominee – Helps understand how simple story with 2 simple location can carry so much depth
Roma- To understand NPOV – 3 rd person objective and 3 rd person intimate only it never shifts to other NPOV styles like first person or other.
Nomadland- Amazing acting great microstories on face and blend of documentary fiction storytelling.
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THE PEARL COMB
In 1893, a fisherman’s wife becomes the first person to cure someone of tuberculosis. A doctor, intent on proving a woman’s place is in the home and not practising medicine, investigates - only to discover the source of her unearthly power.
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Written & Directed by Ali Cook
Produced by Ross Williams & Matthew James Wilkinson
In 1893, a fisherman’s wife becomes the first person to cure someone of tuberculosis. A doctor, intent on proving a woman’s place is in the home and not practising medicine, investigates - only to discover the source of her unearthly power.
ABOUT THE FILM
The Pearl Comb was an Official Selection at our 2025 BIFA Qualifying Kino London Short Film Festival, having been nominated for 6 awards, and winning Best Production Design and Best Cinematography.
It premiered at FrightFest and Tampere, making quite a dent in the festival circuit. Highlights include winning a Méliès d’Argent Award – Best European Fantastic Short Film at Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival, winning Best Cinematography & Best Horror Short at Flickers Rhode Island’s Vortex, winning Best After Hours Short at Cleveland International Film Festival, and many, many more…
The film was recently Oscar Shortlisted and BAFTA Longlisted.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
The Pearl Comb follows Cook’s BAFTA-longlisted short The Cunning Man, which screened at 88 international festivals, including Cinequest, FrightFest, Cleveland, and the BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying Norwich Film Festival, winning 33 awards and earning a Méliès d’Argent nomination.
Cook first broke out as a writer-performer with seven of his own comedy series, including Channel 4’s Dirty Tricks, which was nominated for a British Comedy Award. As an actor, he is known for playing Sgt. Paul McMellon in the BAFTA-nominated Kajaki and as series regular DCI Simmons in Ragdoll for AMC/BBC One. He will soon appear as Ben in Channel 4’s Falling, written by Jack Thorne.
Cook’s next directorial project will be the feature The Grimoire, co-written with Eric Garcia (showrunner of Netflix’s Kaleidoscope) and produced by Chris Curling at Zephyr Films. Curling has produced more than 60 films, including Oscar-nominated The Last Station, starring Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and James McAvoy, and The Miracle Club with Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ALI
Hi Ali!
We're excited to be featuring The Pearl Comb as our Weekly Pick. Not only because it's Oscar Shortlisted and BAFTA Longlisted, but because it's a film that we believed in even before its recent success.
Can you tell our audience a bit about yourself and all the hard work tha’s led to this point?
Originally, and for a long time, I was a professional magician. I was very lucky to be on TV as a magician, which is like the holy grail for most of us. I ended up making seven TV series for a company called Objective Productions. My old boss there was Andrew O’Connor who famously invented Peep Show; he’s a very clever TV producer. One day whilst we were making a TV series, he said: “You know I think you’d be a good actor.” And the cameraman said: “I think you’ve got a good face to be a villain”. These comments kind of stuck with me so I started acting, kept writing and here I am.
Tell us about the genesis of The Pearl Comb. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that’s now made its way out into the world?
I’ve always wanted to portray mermaids authentically, as brutal killers like in the original folk tales, not as Disney princesses.
Then I heard the true story of the Edinburgh Seven: The first seven women to qualify as doctors in the UK. The medical profession did everything they could to stop them from practicing and the female doctors of that time had to come up with inventive lies to justify the work they were doing by claiming to be midwives or natural healers.
It felt like the right time to bring these stories together - especially now, when there’s a bigger conversation happening around gender, power, and the way women have historically been overlooked, misunderstood, or even seen as threatening or strange, just for being different.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced during the making of the film?
Creating a convincing mermaid on screen!
Also, the mermaid shooting out of the water during the boat scene springs to mind. It’s such a pivotal scene and the sequence was shot in a studio, with all the water effects achieved digitally. The challenge of creating that moment, making the digital effects blend seamlessly with the performance, gave me a whole new appreciation for how visual storytelling can transform a scene.
How did you overcome them?
It took months of discussion and inventive work with the SFX and VFX teams. I had to trust my imagination and the brilliance and experience of the team. When you believe in your instincts and you surround yourself with people who bring their own spark, the work starts to flow naturally.
Can you talk a bit about your process and how you balanced your performance with your role as director?
Preparation was crucial for me so that once I was in front of the camera, I could fully focus on the performance. I also found it invaluable to have someone I trust watching the monitor and giving me feedback, which I did.
Being an actor myself, I know how vulnerable it feels when all eyes are on you. Therefore, I know the best approach is to constantly reassure your actors and give them encouragement. Strangely, being in the ring with the other cast makes it feel more like a team effort for me, as if we’re all in it together. It really works well.
Who was the first collaborator to come on board the project and how did their early adoption help propel you forward?
Our storyboard artist Daniel O’Donnell-Smith and Koala FX.
We knew from the outset that the project would involve a significant amount of VFX, so it made sense for us to get to grips with this early on. Having a tight shot list allowed us to have conversations with Koala at an early stage and work out how to approach the work as economically as possible while still giving the story what it demanded.
Can you chat about your producers Ross and Matthew, how they came aboard the project and what they brought to the table?
I first met Ross on a short film I wrote called The Cunning Man. He did such a fantastic job that I knew I wanted to collaborate with him again on this project. When Ross had to jump on to the series Funny Woman, Matt Wilkinson came on board.
I’ve known Matt for years and have acted in several of his films. Even though this project was a short, he treated it the same as a feature and held me accountable to a tight shoot and post-production schedule. It really felt like I was responsible for delivering and that was a good push.
If I’ve done my research correctly, I believe you premiered at FrightFest, yes? How was that experience?
Yes, FrightFest was our first screening and UK premiere. Being recognised by one of the world’s top-reviewed genre festivals means so much. Genre films often push boundaries and take risks, and to have our work acknowledged in that space was so exciting.
At the same time, we premiered at Tampere Festival in Finland which is known for high-end art-house cinema. So, it was an honour to play both on the same weekend.
A lot of filmmakers believe they need to hit the world’s top festivals first. They often blow their submissions budget in the Sundance level festivals, and they wait to submit to (or skip altogether) second tier/genre/community festivals. But that doesn’t seem to be the approach you took.
The Pearl Comb has played quite a range of festivals, almost like working your way up the circuit. Can you chat about the approach you took to festival submissions?
I worked with Rebekah at Film Festival Doctor and trusted her strategy. We mainly hit the genre festivals first. When we started getting reviews that this is just as much a drama as a fantasy, we showed it to the drama festival organisers to expand the range of festivals. We just wanted to get it as far and wide as possible. Anything else was a bonus.
The festival circuit is a whiplash whirlwind - doldrums of rejection vs peaks of awards.
Most filmmakers can’t help but to compare themselves to their peers since we all advertise our successes on social media, but oftentimes keep our struggles hush-hush.
During your festival journey, what has been the hardest pill to swallow, and how did you keep going despite that setback?
I’m also a stand-up comedian, and the experience of trying out brand-new material is very similar and can feel quite scary! Ultimately, you have to say that new joke on stage and the audience either love it or they don’t. It’s the same with a short film. The overall motivation to keep going is that when it does kick in, it’s the greatest feeling in the world!
And now the question everyone has been waiting for... How did you manage to get your film released on Disney+ in multiple countries?
By the time the film had built momentum on the festival circuit, we already felt very happy with where things were. Then I came home one day to an email with an offer to stream on Disney which was completely unexpected. All interest is fantastic, but this was especially exciting.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing emerging filmmakers at the moment, and as someone who’s been able to cut through the noise, what advice would you give to those hoping to follow in your footsteps?
My advice would be to get the story right first within the genre you are trying to master. Even if it’s a film you make on your iPhone with a budget of £500; if it’s a great story with great dialogue it doesn’t matter. The number one issue is people often shoot something where they have a premise or a theme, but no real story or ending.
What aspirations do you have for what’s next?
I have a supernatural horror feature, The Grimoire, in pre-production with Zephyr Films so we’re heading full steams towards that!
How helpful has The Pearl Comb been in getting you on a trajectory of being able to actualise those aspirations?
This was the first film I’ve directed, and pardon the pun, I threw myself in at the deep end by taking on a high-end project with a lot of VFX. I wanted to see if I could handle that level of pressure. Now that I have that experience behind me, and with the encouraging response the film has received, I feel reassured both in myself and in showing others that I can do it again.
FOLLOW ALI COOK ON INSTAGRAM
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Dear Departed
A girl who recently lost her Grandfather discovers a hidden post office where you can send and receive letters to a loved one who has passed on, but… she receives the wrong letter.
Written & Directed by Lauren Sims
Produced by Louise Dennett & Richard Sims
A girl who recently lost her Grandfather discovers a hidden post office where you can send and receive letters to a loved one who has passed on, but, she receives the wrong letter.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Lauren Sims is a writer, director and editor residing in Hampshire. She graduated last year from Ravensbourne University with a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Film Production. She has recently founded her production company 'Blue Bucket Productions' with her family.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH LAUREN
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I’m Lauren and I am an independent filmmaker from Alton.
I am one of the founders of the production company Blue Bucket Productions and the writer/director and editor of Dear Departed. I am a huge film nerd and would live in the cinema if I could. I also love to play the piano, I composed most of the melodies used in the film that our talented composer, Gary Bamford, turned into the beautiful score that it is.
Tell us about the genesis of Dear Departed. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
The whole genesis of Dear Departed is a letter that I wish I could send to my Grandpa. We lost him almost 3 years ago. There is so much I didn’t get to say. I was on a train thinking about what I would say to him if I could write him a letter that he could receive. Any one who knows me, knows that I am constantly creating stories in my head and looking for the film in everything. So I thought, no one is going to watch a short film about me writing and receiving letters from my Grandpa, where is the story? So I came up with the main protagonist gets the wrong letter and two families are entwined. The floating letters was one of the first things I came up with. I made a pitch deck and pitched it to my dad. I had magical post office stills and The Grinch post office for inspiration. Now, in our family, they will give me their honest opinion. So when my dad told me he loved it I knew I had something. Dear Departed was really born when my grandma said let’s do it. Then we started this magical and crazy whirlwind.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Dear Departed and how did you overcome them?
One of the main obstacles was making a fantasy world with floating letters on a budget. My mum and I sourced props all over charity shops and a family member even found the golden letterbox whilst on a trip in yorkshire. My dad and boyfriend made the post office door and my sister, who also plays the lead, painted it.
I also had a very delicate subject matter in which it was a year since he passed and the main character, Paige, is based on my sister and myself. The funeral scene was done in one take, from a director’s point of view, it was a perfect take because of the raw emotion. But from a sister’s point of view, it was heart breaking. I was quite distanced emotionally from the reality of the story because I had written it and had created the world. But moments like that affected me massively on set. We overcame this as a team and a family.
Time for shooting the post office was also a big obstacle over two days. the original idea was to wallpaper the whole room, then our DP, Scarlett, came up with the amazing idea of rotating the set 90° for each angle we needed, so the four walls you see of the post office, is the same wall!
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
We’ve had the most incredible journey of getting our film to audiences and I am so so grateful. We had the premiere at the REEL cinema in Farnham where we celebrated with cast, crew, family and friends from all over. The fact that everyone was there that evening to support us overwhelmed me in the best way. You can tell I had the best time beause I barely took any pictures! I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of submitting to film festivals through FilmFreeway. Some of my favourite highlights is definitely attending Wellsboro film festival in America. Ollie, my boyfriend, and I went there for a few days where I got to be with my people. Talking film all weekend was a dream and you could tell the festival organisers truly cared about independet film. Being nominated for Best Indie Short Film at the Cannes Film Awards in Nice this year and attending the Birmingham Film Festival gala where I was nominated for Best First Time Filmmaker was also a whirlwind. Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton were also amazing to attend and run by truly passionate organisers. A big highlight for me was when a woman at the Crystal Palace film festival came up to me after our screening and said how moved she was and said ‘I’m going to go write my letter when I get home’. Getting the film on Amazon Prime Video was also a very proud moment!
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
My advice is use who you know. I used my whole family; from my dad being executive producer to my mum being script supervisor and props master. What locations do you have access to? Our local bookshop, Goldfinch and St.Peter’s church, where I attended at primary school, were all a huge help and we used my families house for many scenes.
Use creative ways to screen your film. We used the church we filmed in for a screening and Q&A and opened it up to the public.
BTS is golden. We made a bts film that we showed at our premiere, audiences want to see how you made it and you need stills for promotion.
Prep prep prep and know what you want. If you don’t have the answer, communicate and say you’ll get back to them when you know.
Never keep your actors in the dark, go straight up to them after a scene.
Just reach out to people, what’s the worst that can happen?
Never stop developing your craft and learning, my friend and I went to the Raindance Saturday Film school a few weeks ago and we left so fired up that we’ve now written a short film we’re co-directing and producing together early next year!
I was made to make movies and want to keep making them, so please feel free to reach out as there are movies to be made!
Any film recommendations?
Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’ was a big inspiration for me. The black and white scene with Margot Robbie pulls at my heart strings through the beautiful score and symmetrical camera shots and I wanted to convey the same feeling in my film.
Films that have stuck with me over the years have been ‘A Promising Young woman’, ‘The Iron Claw’, ‘Anora’ and ‘The Brutalist’, I think everyone should watch them.
I recently watched ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ and how did I wait so long? It’s brilliant and I can’t wait to watch it again.
‘Sinners’, ‘One Battle After Another’, ‘Weapons’ and ‘I Swear’ have been my highlights in cinema this year.
I personally think that last year was outstanding for movies and I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.
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Kino Short of the Week - Best of 2025
In 2025 our Kino Short of the Week series featured shorts of all genres ranging from drama to comedy, from fashion films to documentaries and more.
We continued to feature films on a non-exclusive basis, including distributing films via our own channel and, to help maximise viewership for filmmakers, helped support releases from Omeleto, Dust, and Directors Notes as well as those filmmakers who chose to self-distribute on their own channels.
We of course think every film we selected is worth a watch, but here’s 10 films from our online distribution platform that stood out this year!
10. MILKING THE DOG
Directed by Joe Murphy
Produced by Joe Murphy & Clare McCahery
Phil Rochester battles to conquer Manchester's toughest standup contest, revealing the relentless drive of an artist to perform - even when he's not thanked by audiences for doing so.
9. BUSY
Written & Produced by Megan Smith
Directed by Jane Moriarty
Emma-Leigh and her friends decide to put their next date in the diary, but it proves harder than they anticipate.
8. PLOP
Directed & Produced by Darius Shu
Written by Arron Blake
A desperate woman from the society of rejected singles, known as the Leftovers, takes a bold leap of faith on a revolutionary new dating app, risking everything for one last chance at love.
7. FREEDOM TO BE ALONE
Written & Directed by Alexandre Laurent
Produced by Maël Hajos
Jade opens up through a poem, sharing her story of an intense relationship with a former lover, marked by a toxic hold fuelled by stereotypes and the societal pressure to avoid being alone. Their breakup, far from being a tragic end, becomes a liberation a journey back to herself where solitude emerges as a soothing and healing remedy.
6. DECKSDARK
Written, Directed & Produced by Kane Wilson
Co-Produced by James Freeman
In a dystopian realm where consciousness is encased within neural implants, Logan, a solitary Decksdark, finds himself intertwined with an ethereal entity.
5. AMIGO
Directed by James & Harrison Newman
Written by James Newman & Tom Waterhouse
Produced by Guy Lindley
'Amigo', the rent-a-friend app has taken London by storm. An unfriendly Amigo's life comes crashing down when he finds out his life is a lie.
4. FLORESCENCE
Written and Directed by D I • A L (Alice Gatti & Diego Indraccolo)
Produced by Peter Wilson
A visually stunning and thought-provoking exploration of the cultural, biological, and symbolic roles that flowers play in our understanding of gender and sexuality. Blending elements of a fashion film, short documentary, and experimental visual essay, Florescence dismantles the simplistic, often gendered associations that flowers have been assigned throughout history.
3. CONTEMPORARY
Directed by Zaeem Asad
Produced by Emma Raz
This short documentary explores the transformative power of art through the stories of three groundbreaking UK-based artists—Denai Moore, a vegan Jamaican chef revolutionizing cuisine; Mr Cenz, a graffiti artist reshaping urban landscapes; and Bimini, a drag performer pushing the boundaries of identity and performance.
2. SATISFACTION
Directed by Bailey Tom Bailey
Written by Christopher Buckley
Produced by Marek Lichtenberg & Nathan Craig
Georgian England. A society lady raises her pistol to duel with her aristocratic mentor over a grave insult.
1. ALONE ACROSS GOLA
Written, Directed & Produced by Jude Kriwald
Edited by Christian Burnett
This gripping short documentary follows Jude’s extraordinary solo journey through Liberia's dense Gola rainforest - a landscape uncharted by roads or paths, where every step meant battling through thick undergrowth with nothing more than a bicycle and a tent.
SHORTS CLOSE TO HOME
Kino is of course run for the benefit of filmmakers, by filmmakers.
While it didn’t quite feel right patting ourselves on the back for our own work by including these in our Top 10, we’re proud of our Kino Original work from festival director & CEO Dustin Curtis Murphy, the work of our Senior Festival Programmer Gillian Harker and Festival Programmer Mark van Heusden.
JINX
EVERYTHING IS OUT TO GET ME
I UNDERSTAND
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Decksdark
In a dystopian realm where consciousness is encased within neural implants, Logan, a solitary Decksdark, finds himself intertwined with an ethereal entity.
Written, Directed & Produced by Kane Wilson
Co-Produced by James Freeman
In a dystopian realm where consciousness is encased within neural implants, Logan, a solitary Decksdark, finds himself intertwined with an ethereal entity.
ABOUT THE FILM
DECKSDARK first came across our desk when it was in post-production and seeing completion funds via our Short Film Fund. We shortlisted the projected, and while it did not win the funding, we screened the film at the 2025 edition of our BIFA qualifying film festival as part of the Lovers & Ones That Got Away screening block which featured exclusively films either produced via our fund (a.k.a. “Lovers“) or shortlisted for our fund (a.k.a. “Ones That Got Away“).
Other festival highlights include winning Best Short Made in Wales at the BAFTA-qualifying Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, winning several awards at BIAFF, and winning the Big Picture Film Festival. It was nominated at SCI-FI LONDON, the BIFA qualifying Sunrise Film Festival, Waco Independent Festival, Northampton Film Festival, and a Smei-Finalist at Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. The film was handpicked and given 5 Stars at Short Films Matter.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Kane Wilson is a filmmaker from rural Leicestershire, England. Growing up surrounded by open landscapes and quiet spaces shaped his sensitivity to mood, silence, and human behaviour. He began making films as a teenager, quickly gaining recognition for his experimental approach to storytelling and earning Student of the Year in college.
Kane’s films inhabit dystopian worlds that feel uncomfortably close to our own. His work examines how technology reshapes intimacy, memory, and identity, always anchored by an emotional core.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH KANE
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I’m a UK-based writer and director who came into filmmaking in a fairly hands-on way. I started making shorts young, mostly through trial and error, and that process of experimenting and learning by doing has stuck with me. Early on I realised I was less interested in polish for its own sake and more interested in mood, character, and what sits beneath the surface of a story.
My work often leans toward dystopian ideas, but it’s really about human connection within those worlds, how people cling to intimacy, routine, or escape when systems start to fail them.
I’ve just finished a new film called We Dream in Colour, which has been an incredible experience to make. It pushed me creatively and emotionally in ways I couldn’t fully expect, and I genuinely can’t wait for people to see it and bring their own interpretations to it.
Tell us about the genesis of Decksdark. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
"Decksdark" was born out of my fascination with the rapid advancement of AI and the way technology shapes our lives. We live in an era where the world is completely reliant on technology, and our everyday existence is intricately woven with it. This film explores the desire to break free from that digital grip and live off-grid, away from the pervasive influence of a technology-driven society. Decksdark is a future where escaping that control isn’t easy, and Neural Implants become devices of societal oppression rather than tools for human evolution.
In today’s hyper-connected world, we ironically find ourselves more disconnected from each other than ever. Strangers remain strangers, and our ability to empathise and communicate on a deep, human level is diminishing. I see younger generations losing their connection to nature and their belief in the unexplainable magic of the world around us. Through "Decksdark," I wanted to create a beacon of hope, a reminder that true freedom lies in understanding oneself and reconnecting with the natural world, the only reality that cannot be manipulated by technology.
We're of course very familiar with this film as it was also shortlisted for our Kino Film Fund, and although it didn't win the funding in the end, we did feature it as an Official Selection at our 2025 festival. What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Decksdark and how did you overcome them?
The biggest obstacle on Decksdark was fairly simple but significant: we were filming in a very remote part of Wales, and we only had three days to make the film. That immediately shaped every creative and practical decision.
We got through it with a lot of preparation and a genuinely brilliant crew who were ready to adapt to anything the location threw at us. On the creative side, I designed the story so that character and atmosphere could do most of the heavy lifting, rather than relying on scale. In the end, those limitations pushed us to be more focused, and they played a big part in defining the tone and identity of the film.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
Decksdark had a really strong journey to audiences. It began on the festival circuit, where it was fortunate enough to win at a BAFTA-qualifying Welsh film festival, which gave the film an incredible early boost.
As a fitting send-off to its festival run, the film was then selected to be showcased on DUST, the largest online platform dedicated to sci-fi short films. Seeing it reach a wider audience has been hugely rewarding. It’s now passed 80,000 views, which is far beyond anything I initially imagined for the film.
Licensing popular songs for use in a short film is something that's typically unaffordable for most filmmakers, but you have a pretty amazing story about how you got permission to use the Joy Division track. Can you tell us about it?
A lot of filmmakers shy away from using well-known music because licensing can feel intimidating or completely out of reach, which can be true for some films, but with shorts there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
My approach was to take the time to properly understand how music licensing works for film.
It can feel complex at first, but once you get past that initial barrier, you realise there are people on the licensing side who genuinely want to help independent filmmakers, especially when it comes to short films.
Once you’ve made contact, I’d always suggest arranging a quick ten-minute phone call and simply shooting your shot. Speaking to someone directly makes the process feel far more human, and that personal connection often goes a long way in building trust and opening doors.
With Decksdark, I initially secured a licence that covered the festival run only. When the opportunity came to release the film on YouTube, I was worried that extending the licence would come with huge additional costs. Instead, I found the process long, but straightforward, and the agreement could be extended without dramatically changing the deal. That experience really changed how I think about using existing music in independent films.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
I’ve always been drawn to telling stories where the world feels bigger than the film itself, so audiences leave wanting more. No matter where an idea starts, whether it’s a concept, a character, or even a piece of music - my biggest advice is to keep bringing your focus back to character. Ask yourself what you’re actually trying to say to the audience through that character’s journey.
I’d also say: don’t rush casting. Getting the right actor changes everything. When the performance is right, the film opens up in ways you can’t always plan for, and your role as a filmmaker shifts from controlling every detail to discovering new possibilities within the story.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist? Give us one Hollywood feature, one short, and one indie feature.
Go and watch Children of Men if you haven’t. If you have, watch it again. And if you can recite most of the scenes like I can, drag someone along and insist they experience it with you. Who you watch a film with, completely changes how it lands, and Children of Men manages to give you something new every single time.
For a true indie feature that inspired parts of Decksdark, I’d recommend The Survivalist. It uses its environment brilliantly, feels properly lived-in, and features some fantastic performances - including a very early, very memorable Mia Goth.
For a short film, check out Dogbone by Austen Taylor Pease. It’s a film that pulls every possible emotion out of its central character and delivers something genuinely honest. Austen and his team are absolutely ones to watch.
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Alone Across Gola
Follow Jude’s extraordinary solo journey through Liberia's dense Gola rainforest - a landscape uncharted by roads or paths, where every step meant battling through thick undergrowth with nothing more than a bicycle and a tent.
Written, Directed & Produced by Jude Kriwald
Edited by Christian Burnett
Alone Across Gola is an award-winning adventure documentary by debut filmmaker Jude Kriwald. This gripping short film follows Jude’s extraordinary solo journey through Liberia's dense Gola rainforest - a landscape uncharted by roads or paths, where every step meant battling through thick undergrowth with nothing more than a bicycle and a tent.
His clothes drenched with sweat, Jude carried his 53kg bike over fallen trees, navigated ravines with collapsed bridges, and faced life-threatening moments. It’s an adventure that pushes the limits of endurance, self-reliance and the human spirit, and often has Jude asking “is this route even possible”, all whilst filming the endeavour totally unsupported.
The film goes beyond clichés of gnarly adventure to offer a reflection on the struggles of pursuing childhood dreams that often get sidelined by the pressures of modern life. Through moments of profound introspection, Jude’s journey asks: What happens when we step off the beaten track of our careers and everyday routines to follow the dreams we thought we’d left behind?
ABOUT THE FILM
ALONE ACROSS GOLA won Best Micro-Budget Short at our BIFA qualifying film festival this past summer 2025. Other festival awards highlights include winning Best Short Documentary at the London Global Film Awards and Best Documentary at Phoenix Rising Film Festival and Feel the Reel Film Festival. It was nominated for Best Documentary at Cambridge Short Film Festival and selected for the Royal Geographical Society Preview - Explore Symposium.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Jude Kriwald is a first-time filmmaker from Bristol, UK. An experienced explorer, he has recently turned his hand to creating his first short film, a documentary edited by award-winning editor Christian Burnett.
Jude was recently named as Emerging Leader of the Year by the British Exploring Society, in recognition of his voluntary work as Basecamp Manager on their summer expedition. The expedition saw Jude and 11 other leaders guide 30 teenagers and young adults from difficult backgrounds on a life-changing and confidence-building two-week expedition in the Scottish Highlands.
In 2012, aged just 19, Jude cycled from England to India through regions such as Afghanistan and Tibet, whilst enduring temperatures as low as -31c and navigating malaria, typhoid, and being held up at gunpoint.
In 2023, Jude has opened his adventures up to the world. He is the founder of AdventureMentor.org, a service which offers free mentoring for people typically under-represented in the world of adventure. Through Adventure Mentor, Jude offers practical support as well as confidence and mindset mentoring to ensure that lack of knowledge, confidence or privilege should never be a reason someone misses out on the life-changing benefits of adventure.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH JUDE
Hi Jude!
Welcome to our Short of the Week series.
Alone Across Gola isn’t only your debut film, but it was also an Award Winner at our festival this past summer. Impressive debut! Can you tell our audiences a bit about yourself and your background?
I'm an adventurer interested in using challenging trips to explore what drives us, connects us and, sometimes, troubles us. My real passion lies in authentic adventures and I share these through film, public speaking and writing. Alone Across Gola is my first film and has exceeded all my expectations in terms of how much I've enjoyed it and how it's been received!
Let's talk about the genesis of Alone Across Gola.
This is a very personal documentary project. It's more about you documenting your ambitious journey vs scratching a filmmaking desire.
I assume the idea for the trip came before the idea to film it. Can you tell us about how and why you decided to take this journey, and when you decided filming would be a part of it?
Great question! I decided to make the journey through West Africa after ignoring, for too long, a burning desire to get back out in the wild. West Africa seemed like the perfect blend of fascinating cultures, untamed wilderness, and the right amount of large animals to make things exciting. I initially filmed the trip for my own YouTube series that I was editing and producing on the go, from West African hotel rooms. In the end, I got fed up with using my travel time for post production so continued filming and resolved to edit upon returning home.
It was only after having the wild, unexpected and immensely challenging experience on the jungle, the key vehicle of the film, that I decided to create a proper short film.
We usually ask filmmakers what the main obstacles were experienced when making their films, however, in your case the entire journey is one big obstacle that you had to overcome. Maybe you can chat about how documenting this trip added to the challenges?
That was a pretty unique challenge! I was truly alone in the jungle - no crew or fixers of any sort. So after 12 hours of slogging my bike across jungle terrain each day, often progressing only 7km every 24 hours, I'd have to sit up in my sauna of a tent and spend an hour copying files from my SD cards, onto my laptop and then onto my hard drive at night. That hard drive was the only "copy" I had of any of those files, so I always feared losing it.
Then there's of course the challenge of setting up tripods before any tough section of the jungle - essential if I wanted to capture the right footage to share the story back home. There were times when the going was just too tough and I didn't film - safety had to come first!
Let's chat about the editing process. Your film has a longer run time for a short, yet it's captivating every minute without a second of run time wasted. How much footage did you walk away with and what stuff ended up on the cutting room floor?
The best decision I ever made was to work with seasoned editor, Christian Burnett. He not only edited the film but mentored me through the whole post-production stage. I ended up with about 100 clips each day to choose from. There are still whole stories and fascinating sections that have never been seen as we were really conscious to keep the flow tight. We even discussed making it a feature film at the start, there was that much footage. On the other hand, once we had a tight cut, one of my favourite parts was going through and working with Christian to add short bits of space for the audience to breathe - it's such a high octane and emotive film that it felt important to allow people to catch their breath and reflect.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and online release.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short documentary filmmakers?
The festival circuit was such a journey for me! It started with six straight "no"s but, by the end of its run a year later, I was getting almost all "yes"s, even from the big ones. That just showed to me that, rightly or wrongly, many festivals do look at how your film has performed at other festivals, and I had to build up organically. I also changed my film poster after that first run of rejections, working with a pro to make something more reflective of the film itself, which I think made a huge difference.
It's been such a momentous joy sharing it with audiences, and there are too many highlights to properly choose from. Ones that stand out are picking up the Audience Award at the very first festival I attended (English Riviera) - that meant a lot as all the "judges" were sat in the room with me! To finish, Alone Across Gola ended its festival run by showing at the Grand Rex in Paris, the largest cinema hall in Europe - where it also picked up an award - that was a night I'll never forget! As for its YouTube release, that's just been crazy, especially in terms of the viewing numbers - it's so moving to see people from around the world, that I'd never otherwise reach, resonate with the message and share that back to me.
My best tip would be to make sure you're applying to at least some festivals that are very specific for your niche (in my case mountain film festivals). That's where at least 50% of your selections are likely to come from, plus you'll meet people directly involved in your industry or interests. And don't be too perturbed if you get a load of "no"s at the start!
What's next for you, in terms of filmmaking?
Honestly, I'm not too sure. I've grown increasingly aware of how filming myself on adventures can detract from having an authentic adventure. I'm very interested in exploring more analogue adventures (e.g. no GPS or phone, navigating with a compass and the stars), so that would either require someone else to film or, alternatively, maybe I'll write about these explorations rather than make a film, we'll have to wait and see!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Do all you can to see the short film Sand Dancers. I saw it recently at Kendal Mountain Film Festival - it left me inspired, deeply moved and with tears rolling down my cheeks.
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Gone Fishing
Men of a certain age will generally talk about anything other than their mental health. Ben and Pete are no different.. Two middle-aged mates on their first fishing trip since their friend Marko took his own life, a complete and utter shock to them both. Even the crazy stories, dark humour and piss taking can’t stop them opening up in a way they never expected.
Directed by Christopher Deakin
Written & Produced by Paul Ludden
Men of a certain age will generally talk about anything other than their mental health. Ben and Pete are no different.. Two middle-aged mates on their first fishing trip since their friend Marko took his own life, a complete and utter shock to them both. Even the crazy stories, dark humour and piss taking can’t stop them opening up in a way they never expected.
ABOUT THE FILM
GONE FISHING was an official selection at the BAFTA qualifying Bolton International Film Festival, and a Semi-Finalist at our very our BIFA qualifying Kino London Short Film Festival. Other festival highlights include Barcelona Indie Filmmakers Festival, Montpellier Indie Filmmakers Festival, and Madrid Indie Filmmakers Festival. It’s been featured by Film Shortage. Award included Best Actor at Cine Paris Film Festival 2024, Best Short Film & Best Screenplay at Folkestone Film Festival 2025, Best (NW) Short at KINOFilm Manchester International Festival 2025 and Best Director at TMFF.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Paul Ludden is a Writer/Producer from Manchester, he is also the CEO of MancMade Productions. Paul’s third film, Being Billy (starring Con O’Neill) his second with Lee Child as Exec-Producer (they first worked together on The Visit) is currently in post-production.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH PAUL
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
My name is Paul Ludden and I’m the Writer and Producer of Gone Fishing Short. Gone Fishing is the second short film written and produced by me for MancMade Productions. We’ve just finished filming our third short film, Being Billy. That’s in post-production and should be ready for festivals very early part of 2026. In the meantime I’m working on the script for our first feature, inspired by The Visit short film we released a couple of years ago.
Tell us about the genesis of Gone Fishing. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
Gone Fishing is a story that has been running through my mind for a long, long time. It’s actually dedicated to the memory of a friend of mine who took his own life back in the early 90’s. I wrote, produced and directed a “Pod Play” (audio-drama) of Gone Fishing a couple of years ago, released on The Pod Play, a platform I founded to support new writing. The theme was pretty much the same but it was rewritten as a short film because I’m passionate about doing whatever I can to get men to start conversations about their mental health and I wanted to create something that would hopefully resonate with men of a certain “vintage” like me, who are pretty shite about talking about how they feel.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Gone Fishing and how did you overcome them?
As with most short films the biggest obstacle was probably funding. I make sure that everyone involved gets paid a decent day rate. Some people may accept less than normal compared to the bigger productions they’re used to working on, and that was certainly the case for the actors. This was all self-funded and I was also lucky enough to work with partners who were prepared to do whatever they could to work within the budget I had.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
Gone Fishing has had great feedback from festivals around the world. We’re talking about a subject that resonates with lots of people, regardless of language barriers (but with subtitles). The Festival circuit has its issues, no doubt about that. But I’ve found a good few that are absolutely about supporting the films and the filmmakers first and foremost, Kino London Short Film Festival being one, so I recommend those to other filmmakers. In terms of selections there is definitely no exact science but if a festivals heart is in the right place, selected or not, they should be supported.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
My advice to any short filmmakers is always the same. Work with people you want to spend time with and are good at what they do, certainly in terms of crew. Work with different Directors, you can learn something from everyone that will help you. Work with quality actors, don’t just give roles to your mates. Don’t put up with toxicity on any production, life is too short to work with people who are dicks.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Florescence
A Visual Essay and Contemporary Exploration of the Iconography and Symbolism of Plants’ Reproductive Systems.
Written and Directed by D I • A L (Alice Gatti & Diego Indraccolo)
Produced by Peter Wilson
Florescence is a visually stunning and thought-provoking exploration of the cultural, biological, and symbolic roles that flowers play in our understanding of gender and sexuality. Blending elements of a fashion film, short documentary, and experimental visual essay, Florescence dismantles the simplistic, often gendered associations that flowers have been assigned throughout history. The eclectic cast adds a rich layer of contemporary perspectives on gender discourse, anchoring the film’s narrative with authenticity and personal insight.
Crafted with a great amount of practical effects and a bit of old school CGI, Florescence juxtaposes serene beauty with violent transformations—drowning, burning, and battering the flowers—as a metaphor for the constraints imposed by societal norms. This relentless and symbolic treatment of flowers serves as a compelling vehicle to question cultural ideals surrounding gender and identity.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
D I • A L is a directing duo formed by Diego Indraccolo and Alice Gatti in 2015. Alice’s and Diego met on commercial sets. They have covered several different roles in advertising as well as non-commercial productions including producing, directing, cinematography, editing and motion graphics. Their experiences together and the chemistry they have found on set has led them to undertake the roles of “director” together. Their work strives to depict reality in an otherworldly atmosphere. They are also a real life couple and they both share an addiction for "Buffy - The Vampire Slayer".
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH D I • A L
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
We are Diego and Alice, a directing duo working under the name of D I • A L.
Alice: I grew up in a small town near Rome in the late 90s, at the peak of the MTV generation, completely obsessed with music videos.
After studying media design I began working across different roles in production: video maker, editor, motion designer, and assistant director, all experiences that now feed directly into my directing work.
Diego: I was born in Naples, Italy, and moved to London at the age of 18, where I pursued my photographic career.
I worked my way up, from assisting to still photographer, then transition into the video, as a director and cinematographer. While I still work as a cinematographer, I am now focusing primarily on directing work together with Alice.
Tell us about the genesis of Florescence. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
It all started in the simplest way possible. We wanted to do something with a different sensibility from the commercial space we work in.
We love flowers and think they are beautiful. We knew they would make an incredible subject matter, but the more we delved into their biology and cultural significance, the more we realised that we had to layer the project with a sense of significance, something that spoke both to their beauty and their symbolism in a meaningful manner.
The gender and sexual perspective came later on and in hindsight it was inevitable all along.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Florescence and how did you overcome them?
It’s been such a journey.
Funding is always a struggle, which is why we decided to make it into an editorial and self-finance the project. Getting a publication attached means we could have access to models and styling beyond the scope of the project. It also becomes more appealing for getting other professionals involved, both in production and post-production.
Regarding the filming, “Florescence” features many different environments, so one of the main challenges was finding a few locations that could accommodate most scenes without having to move the crew. Aside from the lavender field, we managed to shoot everything in just two locations: one exterior and one interior. We had to get creative and adapt several elements from the original script to make it work.
In the end, every film comes with its share of logistical challenges. It’s part of the game, and also part of the fun.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
Florescence was originally structured and produced to be a fashion editorial for Schon! magazine.
After we started to get an much warmer reception that we had hoped for, we felt that perhaps we had something more powerful in our hands and decided to do a festival run. This again has surpassed all our expectations, not only for the calibre of the festivals we have been shortlisted in, but also for the awards and accolades that it has steadily accumulated.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
That’s really a million-dollar question because we are aware that each path is completely different and impossible to recreate.
Moreover, projects in the “shorts” space are incredible varied and some might require you to look for fundings and would not be possible to produced otherwise whilst others can be done with a tiny crew and a DIY approach.
With this in mind we would only dare to suggest to take the time to understand what makes you happy in the creative process. Do it with love and be nice to people.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
The latest film we watched and loved as we write this is “Steve” by Tim Mielants.
Other highlights from this year’s releases that truly stood out for us include Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and Rose Glass’s “Love Lies Bleeding.”
For those who have the chance to see them, we’d also like to recommend two remarkable Italian indie projects that both premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
“Orfeo”, the debut feature by Virgilio Villoresi, a reinterpretation of the Orpheus myth based on a graphic novel. The film blends stop-motion animation and live action to create truly unique, mesmerising visuals, accompanied by an exceptional original score.
“6:06” from Tekla Taidelli is a fast-paced road movie that follows the journey of a minimum-wage worker struggling with substance abuse, joined by Jo-Jo, a mysterious French girl. The film is infused with surreal moments, raw emotion, and genuine heart.
Both films have limited, niche distribution, but we strongly encourage you to seek them out if you have the opportunity. They’re the kind of projects that can be hard to find, imperfect perhaps, but they leave a mark.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Wolf At The Door
When nine-year-old Jacob is disturbed by a stranger’s knock at the door, his world is plunged into uncertainty as he grapples to hold on to the things he loves most.
Written & Directed by Ricky Allen
Produced by Lindsay Fraser
Nine-year old Jacob has a vivid imagination, spending hours engrossed in his toys. When he’s disturbed by a stranger’s knock at the door, his world is plunged into uncertainty and his home threatened. With emotions too overwhelming to understand, Jacobs' mind quickly spirals as he grapples to hold on to the people and possessions he loves most.
ABOUT THE FILM
WOLF AT THE DOOR was a Semi-Finalist at our BIFA qualifying Kino London Short Film Festival & Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival, and an Honorable Mention at the Beeston Film Festival.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Ricky Allen is an award-winning comedy writer & director who turns the quiet and bizarre rhythms of everyday British life into the absurd. Finding comfort in TV shows such as Father Ted and Spaced from a young age, these early obsessions transported him away from the monotony of eating mince every night, being asked if Ricky is short for Richard (it's not) and waiting for the dial-up modem to connect. His latest comedy short DEATH WISH, about a young girl’s dying wish for her mummy to join her in heaven, won Silver at the Young Director Award in Cannes. Ricky is currently writing a TV pilot about a dysfunctional parish choir and a micro short comedy series 'First in the World'.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH RICKEY
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Hi, I’m Ricky Allen, a filmmaker currently living in London.
My interest in film stems back to my childhood with my dad, where Sunday afternoons were filled with Bruce Lee, Jean-Claude Van Damme and dodgy sci-fi films bought from Poundland. The films were equal parts fascinating and terrifying as I hid behind the couch, peeping over when the blood-curdling screaming had stopped.Making films wasn’t on my radar until my mid-twenties. I dropped out of school at an early age and before I knew it, I was 19, working at the local Odeon, microwaving hotdogs for customers late for their film. But it was great, I made lifelong friends and got to watch a lot of movies.
Fast forward past a few existential ‘I can’t serve Pick ‘n’ Mix all my life, can I?’ moments and I managed to get a place at college studying music. Suddenly, I was at uni. In my final year, I took a real interest in film after studying The Work of Michel Gondry DVD. For my final project, I made a short film about my dad’s struggles with alcoholism.
But after my education ended, so did the filming. It took a couple of years, and my dad’s passing, before I felt the fleeting fragility of life again. I spent most days in libraries reading about filmmaking, fascinated by directors such as Kurosawa. I shot a skateboard film (Whatever the Weather) that got me onto BBC News and cut my teeth making lots of low-budget music videos. I later moved to London and got a job at Sony Music as one of their in-house directors, making videos for all sorts of artists. I then got a place at NFTS studying Directing Commercials - this is where I met Lindsay Fraser (Creative Producer), who was an integral part of making Wolf at the Door, my first funded short, along with the majority of the crew.
This year (2025) I won Silver at the Young Director Award in Cannes for my comedy short Death Wish, and I’m currently writing a TV pilot about a dysfunctional choir.
Tell us about the genesis of WOLF AT THE DOOR. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
WOLF AT THE DOOR would still just be a bullet-point note on my laptop if it wasn’t for Lindsay. She’d found a short film competition funded by a company in Manchester called Doodledo and asked if I had any stories. No stories, but a bunch of incoherent musings.
At the time, I was jobless and finances were becoming critical, which had a big impact on my mental health. So the opportunity to write was cathartic and came as a great distraction.
WOLF AT THE DOOR is like one of those core memories that shapes who you are as a person. You don’t necessarily understand why, but it’s there in the background.
It started when my parents were facing one of many financial struggles, and the family home began to attract a lot of intimidating men showing up at the door. Dad would say, “If anyone asks for me, say I’m not in,”. Being ten years old, that just went in one ear and straight out the other. I would have panic attacks and nightmares about men coming to take away our possessions. I really thought it would be all my fault if I slipped up and said my dad was in
After some research, I was disturbed to find this was an issue happening up and down the country, scaring young children when councils send round bailiffs. There was even a research paper that named it WOLF AT THE DOOR.
From there, I spent many months writing and rewriting my experience, trying to capture the isolation of being at home all the time, and how that home could suddenly feel invaded, both by strangers and by my own nightmarish thoughts.
I’d like to give a special thank you to Doodledo, James Torry, Lucy Smith, Duncan Howsley, Joe Spademan and the rest of the team who helped make this film possible. They were amazing with their continued support throughout the whole process.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making WOLF AT THE DOOR and how did you overcome them?
The main obstacle was definitely the child actor. That was our main concern from the start. How do we find a child actor who can give a mature performance? Luckily, we found Blake Williams, who had featured in a short I had seen from a fellow NFTS student. It was one of those things where it was always going to be him. The film was really blessed to have him in it.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
We premiered at the London Lift Off Film Festival, which was great to be a part of. The film has come very close to some really brilliant festivals, but just missed out, which is a bittersweet feeling - gaining recognition as a semi-finalist at Rhode Island, Kino London and Beeston Film Festival. It’s hard to get noticed and make people love the film you made as much as you do, so when we were told it was going to be on Kino’s short of the week, me and Lindsay were over the moon.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
I would say - just write as much as possible, even if it’s just a few words of an idea, or something you hear in conversation. You’ll be amazed how much inspiration is out there once you start actively engaging with what you experience in life.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Not quite a film, but a series of shorts - Tales of Terror from Tokyo Vol 1. You’ll find a story in there that helped shape Wolf at the Door.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Jinx
An embittered, young woman discovers she has the power to exact revenge on her ex-boyfreind who has the audacity to move on with another woman.
Written, directed & Produced by Gillian Harker
An embittered, young woman discovers she has the power to exact revenge on her ex-boyfreind who has the audacity to move on with another woman.
ABOUT THE FILM
JINX was created for the 2020 Straight 8 competition and placed Top 25. It also won Best Celuloid at Film Only Festival, was an official section at Tweetfest 2020, and was selected by Shiny Network for the New Directors Programme 2021.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Gillian is an award-winning writer and director, recognised by Shiny Network as one of the ‘best new directing talents worldwide’. She is a member of Directors UK and specialises in bold, character-driven storytelling.
Her latest short film, Strip the Peacock Bare- starring Abigail Hardingham, Jess Douglas-Welch, Andre Flynn and Simon Phillips- is currently in post-production. Her previous short film, Tackling, premiered at the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival in 2022. As a writer, she reached the quarter-finals of the Outstanding Screenplays TV Pilot Competition (2024) with her debut pilot script, 'Blooming Elle.'
Gillian’s debut short, Cross, starring Ryan Hayes, won multiple awards, including Best Male Actor at the BIFA-qualifying Little Wing Film Festival 2019 and the Audience Award at the 20th Keswick Film Festival 2020.
Her Straight 8 films Jinx and Day 60 were selected for the 2020 and 2021 competitions by a judging panel that included Academy Award-winners Asif Kapadia and Robbie Ryan. Her 2021 film Feast screened at several UK festivals, including BIFA-qualifying Little Wing and Kino: The People’s Festival, and was nominated for Best English Short Film at the British Short Film Awards 2021.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH GILLIAN
Welcome Gill!
You’re no stranger to Kino. A few of your shorts have been Official Selections during the early years of our festival, we’ve featured Cross as a previous Short of the Week, and you’ve been programming for KLSFF the past three years.
How has your experience as a film programmer informed your own filmmaking?
My experience as a film programmer has definitely informed my filmmaking, though the influence is sometimes more instinctive which I find harder to articulate. After three years programming at Kino, I’d say I've developed a much sharper sense of what doesn’t work in a film and a real appreciation for not wasting a single second of screen time. The opening has to be strong and decisive, of course, but it also needs a distinct tone, whatever the genre. How to achieve that is the challenge every filmmaker wishes they had a blueprint for. Whether I'm able to harness that understanding and apply it to my own filmmaking remains to be seen! No film is ever perfect.
Programming has also reinforced something I've felt almost allergic to: films that lean too heavily on style over substance. I want every creative choice- the aesthetic, the costumes, the production design, etc...- to feel rooted in the world of the story, not just a “let’s make it a bit Wes Anderson here”. Finding your own distinct voice is hard, and trusting it without being swayed by what looks “cool” is even harder. When I made my latest short, Strip the Peacock Bare, I was really conscious of staying anchored in the roots of the story when making stylistic decisions. Part of the fun for me is always asking why: Why do they wear this and not that? Why does the scene take place here and not somewhere else? Why this choice over that one?
I’d also hope my experience as a programmer will make rejection a little easier to swallow, because I’ve genuinely seen how often we have to make really tough decisions. We’ve rejected films that one (or more) of us have absolutely loved, for reasons completely beyond the filmmaker’s control. Having said that, I don't feel like rejection is ever palatable!
You’ve also been quite heavily involved with the Straight 8 community, and Jinx was created specifically for their competition. Can you tell us a bit about the competition?
I love the Straight 8 competition and I love talking about it. I’ve recommended it to so many people, especially emerging filmmakers, I feel like I should be on commission! In a nutshell, you shoot on a single roll of Super 8, which gives you around 2.5 to 3 minutes. Only in-camera editing is allowed, and there’s zero post-production. The sound and score have to be created separately and then synced at the lab, so nailing the timing is everything. It’s really challenging. But so, so fun! It's a wonderful community of filmmakers and I've been so incredibly inspired by many of the Straight 8 films I've seen.
Sounds quite challenging. How did you find the process, and any tips & tricks for filmmakers looking to try Straight 8?
I absolutely loved making Jinx. Hard to believe it was over five years ago now. It was my first time doing Straight 8 and also my first time working on celluloid, and the process ended up teaching me a huge amount, especially about “show, don’t tell.” Because syncing dialogue is so difficult in Straight 8, I decided early on to make it a silent film, which pushed me to think in a much more purely visual way. With only one roll of Super 8, every frame had to matter and every moment had to move the story forward. Oddly enough, those limitations were incredibly energising.
Acting in it myself added another layer. I felt that in past projects I had been a bit vague with my character intentions, but Straight 8 leaves no room for that- there’s no rescuing a performance in the edit. I had to be very precise about what the character wanted in every single take. And honestly, I loved the chance to lean into something a bit heightened; Super 8 can really embrace slightly over-the-top performances.
Because you only get one take per shot, rehearsal became a crucial part of the process. I adore rehearsing with actors anyway- it’s where the magic happens- but for Straight 8 it’s basically essential. That would be my number one tip to someone looking to make a Straight 8 film. Rehearse!
To help with the musical score sync, I also shot and edited a rough proxy version on my phone, which acted as both a storyboard and a pacing guide. It was incredibly useful, and I’d definitely recommend that to anyone attempting Straight 8 for the first time. My 1st AD was really dilligent with helping me keep the pacing accurate for each shot. The whole process is challenging, but if you embrace the constraints, it becomes really fun.
What’s the inspiration behind Jinx? Would the themes & characters you explore in Jinx have manifested themselves in a digital short had you not done the Straight 8 competition or is there something specific to this story that you felt needed to be told via an 8mm format?
One of my favourite short stories is Thomas Hardy’s 'The Withered Arm'. The ostrasized protagonist learns her ex-lover, and father to her illegitimate child, has just got married to a beautiful, younger woman. Her curiosity and jealously of the new bride quickly becomes a dark obsession and the story takes a gory, supernatural turn with devastating consequences. It's incredible. The seeds of Jinx came from a really and truly dreadful short script I had written based, very loosely, on this brilliant Hardy story, but in a contemporary setting. I soon abandoned that version but the themes of jealousy- particularly between women- loneliness and obsession present in 'The Withered Arm' was something I wanted to keep exploring. I also loved the supernatural element in the original story.
I did feel Super 8 was naturally suited to a tale with gothic undertones. Its texture and moodiness complement that world beautifully. And, as I mentioned before, Super 8 also lends itself to slightly heightened performances reminiscent of the silent era, which fit the tone of the film perfectly.
The idea for the doll came from exploring and researching folk magic and witchcraft in Old England. 'Poppets' were dolls made to represent a person, for casting spells on that person- sometimes love spells, but often harmful, vengeful spells. I quite liked the idea of exploring the reasons for wanting to use one of these dolls on someone, and it was particularly fascinating to think about its use for revenge. I wish I had a more scholarly answer as to why I was interested in exploring themes of revenge and jealously at that time, but I had just come out of a long-term relationship so I thought maybe it would be best to channel my heartbreak in a healthy, creative way!! I also wanted to find the dark humour in it all, and hopefully that translates in the final film.
The characters actually did manifest themselves more becasue of the 8mm and competition restraints. Everything had to come down to the aesthetic. My mood board for this film was an eclectic mix of visuals. I was really drawn to the work of Edvard Munch too, not just The Scream, but his other works which all depict mental illness, self-loathing, isolation and loneliness in such vividly harrowing, heart-breaking ways. The raw, devastation leaps off the canvas and I wanted to capture some of that in my film. I was really struck by the iconic images of Heath Ledger as The Joker with the smeared red lips, which I echoed for the first moment of possession. I hoped to evoke from that a sense of madness, unbalance and the thirst for violence the protagonist has. For the choreography and movement visuals, we looked at moments from The Exorcist, and images of contortionists to try to evoke the feeling of violence being inflicted on Maddy's character, and the fear and pain she would be in having been possessed.
As a short film programmer, what pieces of feedback do you find yourself giving to filmmakers most consistently? How can filmmakers looking to make moves in the short film space avoid common mistakes?
I don’t really know if I give advice. I think most filmmaker can sense what works and what doesn’t when they watch something but it’s much harder to apply to our own work. I would say that the opening few moments in a short film really do matter. If other programmers are like me, they’ll be watching your short on their laptop with a bunch of other films waiting to get seen. I would definitely watch lots of short films, not just features. Watch some early short films from filmmakers that you are inspired by. I think it’s important to watch the early stuff because in most cases you can see the spark but without the finesse which can perhaps be intimidating to grassroots filmmakers.
You’ve recently wrapped your next short, the ambitious period drama Strip the Peacock Bare. How did production go & can you give us a sneak peak?
I’m really excited to get Strip the Peacock out there. It’s an idea that’s been brewing for about a decade but lay dormant for many years. Production went (mostly) really well. There were really stressful moments at the time, but I look back now and think how much luck was on our side. In terms of a sneak peak, I can't share anything just yet other than a still from the film, but what I will say is that the actors are astonishing. I think we have something really unique to show people. I'm a little apprehensive to talk about it becasue I don't want to 'jinx' anything!!
Recommendations to add to our watchlist? Give us 1 short, 1 Hollywood feature, & 1 indie feature.
This is tough, but as we're talking about a film I made on film, I thought I would recommend films also shot on film.
1 Short:
I’d definitely recommend browsing the Straight 8 website as they’ve got a great selection of past films. One of my favourites is Crumbs, which you can find there. It’s a perfect example of how inventive filmmakers can get within the Straight 8 constraints.
1 Hollywood Feature:
Since it’s currently in cinemas, I’d suggest One Battle After Another. It’s bold, beautifully crafted and dizzyingly exciting. It's definitely worth seeing on the big screen.1 Indie:
Bait by Mark Jenkin. I adore this British indie, shot on 16mm. It’s a brilliant example of a filmmaker with a truly distinct voice- someone who isn’t swayed by trends or what’s considered “marketable,” and instead commits completely to the aesthetic and storytelling style that serves the film. I also think its trajectory is incredibly inspiring for grassroots filmmakers.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Amigo
'Amigo', the rent-a-friend app has taken London by storm. An unfriendly Amigo's life comes crashing down when he finds out his life is a lie.
Directed by James & Harrison Newman
Written by James Newman & Tom Waterhouse
Produced by Guy Lindley
'Amigo', the rent-a-friend app has taken London by storm. An unfriendly Amigo's life comes crashing down when he finds out his life is a lie.
ABOUT THE FILM
AMIGO was an Official Selection at the 2025 edition of our BIFA qualifying Kino London Short Film Festival. Other festival highlights include the BAFTA qualifying Bolton International Film Festival & Aesthetica Film Festival. It also played at Discover Film Festival, Indie-Lincs Film Festival, Northampton Film Festival, and Cardiff Mini Film Festival. It was released online by Directors Notes.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
James Newman is an award-winning writer-director from Reading, Berkshire, specializing in comedy. With 7-8 short films and an award-winning feature screenplay under his belt, Newman has quickly become a rising force in British independent cinema.
Starting as a runner in Soho’s production companies, he’s since earned 2nd place at Slamdance’s Short Film Screenwriting Competition, 2nd place in The Pitch Film Fund, a British Short Film Award for Best Comedy, and Best Short at our very own Kino London Short Film Festival.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH JAMES
Welcome James!
You’re no stranger to Kino. Your film Viskar I Vinden won the 2022 edition of our festival, which awarded you our film fund to help make Do Not Touch - your first collaboration with comedian Sean Walsh. Now you’ve teamed up with Sean once again on your latest film to have just come off the festival circuit, Amigo.
Can you talk about how you came up with the idea for Amigo and how it was initially developed as series, and why you decided to pivot to make it as a short film instead?
So initially, it was about a prostitution app like Uber, and the lead would have been a male prostitute. We wrote that as a TV pilot around 5 or 6 years ago. But we pivoted as the storylines we came up with were about people being lonely and not using the app for sex, but for companionship. And then we thought that there was something in that—the core of the idea is about lonely people desperate to connect with someone. The most valuable thing I’ve learned from going to short film festivals is that all cinema and media which involves storytelling is about human connection, or the lack thereof.
Currently, you’re branching out as you gear up to make another short, The Ladder. You often co-direct. Will this be your first time solo-directing a short?
This isn’t my first time solo directing—I directed my first short, Viskar I Vinden, on my own. But I have co-directed recently on The Pitch’s new comedy short, Kitty, with Lizzie Hart, which I didn’t write. It was incredible to come in on a project that I hadn’t been involved in the writing process for. It’s so far away from what I normally do—it’s super duper charming and sweet. It was really nice to play in someone else’s really well-constructed world.
Join us for a sneak peak at THE LADDER
We’ll screen the key creative team’s previous works + do a public table read of upcoming work in order to get audience feedback.
All proceeds to go directly to topping up production funding for The Ladder, shooting early 2026.
In the past, what has been your motivation to co-direct in most instances & what excites you about helming the director’s chair solo this time around?
The motivation to go back to being solo is that I really enjoy the full responsibility of the film. I want to become a better director, and I think the way to do that is to be fully responsible for all areas of the production rather than delegating between two people. With Kitty, I was more of a conduit for the crew and technical aspects than the actual story and world, whereas I want to stretch myself and get out of my comfort zone to do things that I’m creatively excited about. With the rise of AI, I think we need to tell more human stories and have choices that the characters make that an LLM won’t agree with but makes sense to humans.
The Ladder will be another Kino Original, making you the first filmmaker in Kino’s history to have been granted funds twice. What’s your secret to closing deals to secure funding?
I think the key is to try to outwork your competition. Enter everything, as I think it’s a numbers game. Do your research—what are they likely to commission? I think the key is to write things that interest you rather than trying to win the fund, otherwise people will be able to sniff it out, especially when it’s made and screening at festivals.
The Ladder has also been shortlisted for several other funds including Slick Films, From The Silver Screen, First Flights & more. Can you talk a bit about your funding strategy?
To be honest, I’m very surprised we’ve gotten into the finals or been longlisted for like 75% of the funds we’ve gone after. I think it’s actually quite bizarre. I’m not sure if it’s the subject matter or that it’s quite relatable and speaks to something people are feeling at the moment? But I think the strategy is: package it nicely, reach out to talent and get them attached. I think the goal is to make an undeniable film where everyone can see it doing well on the festival circuit.
Many short filmmakers struggle with even getting in the room to pitch, so well done on making it the room so many times. What do you think within your work and your funding application materials has made the difference to get such positive reception?
I think the subject matter of the housing crisis and intergenerational inequality is something I’m quite angry about, and it’s blended with real experiences with a bailiff. And it’s from lived experience of being really poor in London that I don’t think sounds like a repurposed Guardian article. It helps having producers like yourself and Guy Lindley on board, and a great creative team with Nathan Claridge. I think what’s helped me was going to a webinar with First Flights about what they care about in a funding application, and that helped. I think they have some resources on their website. But I think having a story that connects and characters you care about are crucial, because if you don’t have that, you don’t have a film, in my opinion.
Recommendations to add to our watchlist? Give us 1 short, 1 Hollywood feature, & 1 indie feature.
Short: The Farm
Feature: Bugonia
Indie feature: Grand Theft Hamlet
Interested in getting your work selected?
High Beams
In the early hours of the morning, two best friends must journey home from a party off the M25 amidst a visitation from the past which tests their limits and their friendship.
Written & Directed by Flora Scott
Produced by Diana Amado, Flora Scott and Charlotte Favre
In the early hours of the morning, two best friends must journey home from a party off the M25 amidst a visitation from the past which tests their limits and their friendship.
ABOUT THE FILM
HIGH BEAMS premiered online with Girls in Film and was a Semi-Finalist at our very own Kino London Short Film Festival. Online festival & screening highlights include Minute shorts, Somesuch Director’s showcase, and Filmfiles Emerging Filmmakers showcase. It also screened at The Photographers Gallery in July 2024 for the exhibition ‘Meditations on Love’ and was a special selection at Women winemakers Biennale.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Flora Scott is a photographer and director born, raised and based in Hackney, London. After picking up her dads old camera at the age of 16, Flora began capturing the lives of the people around her, exploring how family can be formed outside of the traditional sense of home.
Flora has exhibited at The Photographers’ Gallery London, and been published in Women CineMakers Biennale 2024, Guap Mag, 6 FT Zine and online at I-D, Dazed and Vogue.
Flora is currently freelancing with the long terms of directing feature films.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH FLORA
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Thank you for having me and High Beams! This is my debut short film, finished in early 2024 with a debut performance from Connie Swift who plays Dani in the film and has never been on screen. My filmmaking background was birthed as an only child left to their own devices - watching countless films on my own. I came to understand early on what I loved about a film is its uniqueness, especially across drama, horror and sci-fi. Over time and after attending Ravensbourne’s Foundation diploma specialising in film and a BA at London College of Communication in Film Practice, making films became more tangible.
Tell us about the genesis of High Beams. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
High Beams is heavily inspired by experiences of my own as a young person in tandem with some of the things I was witness to in my friends’ lives - I wanted to write something that could speak from the point of view of a young woman grieving whilst also the friend on the other end trying their best to be there. It felt important to me to make both points of view feel felt. It also felt important for my first short to be grounded in my own experiences. The rave scene at the beginning is directly inspired by a squat rave we attended as 15/16 year olds off a motorway in Barnet.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making High Beams and how did you overcome them?
My producer unfortunately fell ill (she is ok now!) a week prior to filming was to commence and as she was in Portugal, was unable to come back for shooting. As you can imagine, this made me panic slightly, but in the end we were still able to make things work. Instead for our two days of filmmaking we had two PM’s to save the day - Leyla and Alicia. Aside from that, typical filmmaking travails ensued - we got locked out of a van hired to transport kit, working with a horse for the first time (Ember the horse was very patient) and a super tight window to shoot. All in all I think we did pretty well aside from this!
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
At the moment, although it is now available to watch online at Minute Shorts and Girls In Film we are still submitting for more festivals. We were lucky enough to be a semi-finalist for this years Kino fest! I think our main challenge with this has been the price point of submissions, I’ve taken it as a learning curve to ensure for us to budget appropriately for festival fees for the next one! However, High Beams has screened at some wonderful places so far including The Photographers’ Gallery, for Somesuch’s new director showcase at the Curzon Shoreditch and with Filmfiles at their emerging directors showcase. As this is my first short, I’ve definitely had a welcomed lesson in making sure that the festival side of things is thought about from the inception of the film.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
1. Stay true to your vision.
2. Collaboration is the root of a film
3. Look at art outside of cinema
4. Welcome the mistakes, they are inevitable and can lead to better creative solutions
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Baghdad Cafe, Atlantics, We The Animals, McQueen (2018) - All not to be missed.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Diary of a Ghost
After the loss of her first love, a young woman keeps a diary to process her grief, blurring the line between reality and imagination.
Directed by Caroline Hajny | Written by Maren Koenigs
Produced by Sophia Ogilvie, Caroline Hajny
After the loss of her first love, a young woman keeps a diary to process her grief, blurring the line between reality and imagination.
ABOUT THE FILM
DIARY OF A GHOST was a Semi-Finalist at our very own Kino London Short Film Festival and won Honorable Mention at the BIFA Qualifying Brighton Rocks Film Festival, as well playing as an Official Selection at the also BIFA Qualifying Sunrise Film Festival Lowestoft. It was longlisted for the 225 Film Club, and longlisted for Best Director and Best England Film at The British Short Film Awards. Other festival highlights include: North East International Film Festival (BIFA Qualifying), Fastnet Film Festival, Fine Line Film Festival, Ealing Film Festival, and Australia Independent Film Festival.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Born and raised in Germany, Carrie relocated to London to pursue a career in film, where she has been working across fashion, music and commercials since. Her previous ventures into fashion photography and documentary filmmaking continue to influence her aesthetic and approach to working with talent. Since then, her distinct style has led to collaborations with brands and artists such as Puma, Vinted, Dua Lipa, Red Bull Racing, Barbour and Amazon.
Her first short film ‘Last Dance’ premiered at the 2019 BAFTA qualifying Underwire Film Festival, where it was nominated for best U25 production. 'Diary of a Ghost', a short drama exploring grief and mental health, stars Genevieve Chenneour (Bridgerton), Alfie Noble and Mia Rodgers (The Sex Lives of College Girls). Her latest film, ‘Requirements’, a political science fiction drama set in a near future dystopia, is currently in post production.
Carrie has been curating film screenings at Sarah Kravitz Gallery and Southampton Film Week and served as a judge at Fine Line Film Festival in Serbia and the BIFA qualifying Sunrise Film Festival. She is also the co-founder of CHERRYPICK.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CAROLINE
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Thanks so much for having me and Diary of a Ghost! I’m a German director based in London and I work across fashion, commercial and narrative projects. I started out as a camera trainee - a friend of mine took me under his wing and opened the door to the ‘real’ industry for me after I dropped out of uni. I always wanted to be a director, but working on set as crew was a great way to learn how the industry works, what different departments do, meet people and observe other directors work. I took whatever job came my way, a lot of running, PA’ing, assisting, BTS taking, you name it! Simultaneously I worked as a photographer shooting mainly fashion and live music - I enjoy photography a lot, and it helped me find a style I enjoyed, however for me it was always a tool to meet people: designers and artists I could hopefully direct a campaign or music video for. That’s how I built a reel which allowed me to move into commercials. I often get the sense that in the narrative world commercials are looked down on - for me they’ve been such an invaluable training ground! Over the years I’ve been able to build relationships with crew and actors, which allowed to shift focus on narrative projects.
Tell us about the genesis of Diary of a Ghost. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
Diary of a Ghost was written by my wonderful friend Maren Koenigs and was loosely inspired by her witnessing a close relative experiencing prolonged grief disorder. Her relative struggled to cope with the loss, slowly distancing themselves from the rest of the family and losing themselves in an imaginary world in which the person they lost was still around. Luckily, the family managed to intervene, but Maren took the idea and ran with it, asking herself what might happen to someone who doesn’t have a support network. The film was originally written to be a feature and Maren then turned it into a short!
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Diary of a Ghost and how did you overcome them?
I’m definitely not the first person to mention budget and finances here, but as a self funded project we definitely had to get nifty and call in a lot of favors to make this film happen. We almost lost our main location less than a week before the shoot due to my producer’s grandma’s superstitions, getting a bullet hole into a piece of glass might have involved some dodgy business (we’re not sure ourselves) and filling two notebooks with hundreds of diary entries for authenticity within a few days causes serious hand pain.
We shot the film over the course of 2 days, in 4 different locations - some in central London, but most in Surrey - so I’d say one of the biggest challenges was probably to fit everything into the days, getting everything we needed while still allowing some room for exploration and play and keeping the shooting hours sensible for our crew. Diary of a Ghost explores incredibly sensitive topics and as a director it’s so important to create an environment in which the actors can be vulnerable - however, when working on a super tight schedule that can be tricky.
For example, the second to last scene of Sage and Riley in the living room was shot in only an hour - it’s 6 or 7 minutes long and it’s the emotional climax of the film - but because we had some delays earlier in the day and we needed to leave the location, we had to somehow squeeze everything into the last hour of our final shoot day. It wasn’t easy to hide how stressed I was at that point, but I knew if I didn’t, it would sabotage the performances.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
It’s been really lovely sharing our film with audiences - this was my first ‘proper’ festival run, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but ultimately we make films for the big screen, so it’s always special to see them projected in a cinema to an audience. It’s been lovely to see the passion and interest for short films - we’ve been asked such thoughtful questions at Q&As or after screenings about the story, themes and process of making the film, sometimes people have come out of the screening in tears and that feels like the ultimate compliment to me.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Your team is everything, so make sure you find a crew that shares your vision and enthusiasm for the film. Great HoDs can make or break your film and will hopefully elevate whatever it is you had in mind.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
The Lives of Others, The Florida Project and Thelma & Louise
Interested in getting your work selected?
On Purple
Seeking constructive criticism, a couple shares their poetry with each other. But it turns into a condescending competition of who’s the better poet.
Written & Directed BY Joe Quartararo
Produced by Thomas D White
Seeking constructive criticism, a couple shares their poetry with each other. But it turns into a condescending competition of who’s the better poet.
ABOUT THE FILM
ON PURPLE was a Semi-Finalist at the past edition of our very own Kino London Short Film Festival. It’s also played at the New York Short Film Festival and online with Film Shortage and Short Films Matter.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Joe Quartararo is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and graduate of the film program at the School of Visual Arts. He has been making films professionally through his production company Lakhota Film for over a decade. Joe grew up on Long Island and before going to film school worked as a truck driver, delivering furniture and granite while pursuing filmmaking. His films focus on social class and ambition.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH JOE
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I am a Brooklyn based filmmaker. I have worked, and continue to work in the film industry both in production and adjacent in presentation. Whether it is handling film, 70mm, 35mm and now Vista Vision, or shooting film both digital and analog formats. I am always interested in helping others create and produce their work, in addition to my own creative pursuits. I've been fortunate to be part of a great collective of filmmakers and crew members in NYC, who helped produce "On Purple," as well as many others projects.
Tell us about the genesis of On Purple. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop that idea into the short that's now made its way out into the world?
The idea for On Purple, came from wanting to explore the idea of indirect communication and the dysfunction of relationships. Poetry felt like a fitting device for the characters to use to build off of and illustrate the marital discord without being too heavy handed.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making On Purple and how did you overcome them?
Many of the obstacles we would've incurred on this shoot were mitigated by the technical strengths and expertise of the cast & crew we were very fortunate to have. We shot the interiors of this film in one 10hr day with exteriors shot the morning after for a few hours. The amount of material we were able to cover in a single day of shooting without compromising setups & script is uncommon, and that's coming from experience. Because of their collective preparedness and professionalism we were able to maximize the effect of the film.
The score does a really good job elevating and supporting the film, as well as set the tone. Can you tell us a bit about the process of working with your composer on this?
Really glad you asked that question. I was very happy to have connected with Sam Carey, to compose the music for this film. While editing the film, I felt strongly that we would need an original composition to help elevate the material and Sam excelled at capturing the tone of the piece. He developed a musical contrast for the individual poets, to shed light on the subtext of their characters and importantly guide the viewer. Whereas one poet was erratic and angry, the other was elegant and grand. The associated instrumentation was a deliberate mixture of piano, violin and electronics that said a lot about the ebb and flow of their relationship. I had a great collaboration with Sam on this project, I think we both understood that music could help with detailing that mysterious, cryptic and unspoken thing between the two dueling poets.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
We are screening in person in New York next week, and have had multiple online releases (Film Shortage, Short Films Matter, and now Kino). Online releases have been very helpful in that you can reach such a wide audience quickly, although we are excited about screening in person next week, so we can meet and engage with New York filmmakers & producers.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Write within your means, write from experience and what you know. If you are passionate about making films, then be around the process of filmmaking as much as you can be. It will not only make you learn to be a better filmmaker, but it will introduce you to the network of people you will need to collaborate with. It truly is a group effort to make a film. Be positive, helpful and resourceful and your film will be better for it.
Interested in getting your work selected?
Also Resisters
Also Resisters considers solidarity across generations and geography. Adapted from a 1968 essay by the gay American socialist David E. McReynolds, the short archival film takes the images and sounds of the American war in Vietnam to reflect on the feedback loop between militarism abroad and at home — and the people who resisted it.
Directed & Produced Christina D. Bartson
Narration by Sonia Desai Rayka
Also Resisters considers solidarity across generations and geography. Adapted from a 1968 essay by the gay American socialist David E. McReynolds, the short archival film takes the images and sounds of the American war in Vietnam to reflect on the feedback loop between militarism abroad and at home — and the people who resisted it.
ABOUT THE FILM
ALSO RESISTERS premiered at the Big Sky Film Festival. It also played at Mountainfilm, Mimesis Film Festival, Sarajevo Film Festival, SFFILM Doc Stories, DOC NYC, and was an Official Selection of The Smalls.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Christina D. Bartson is a filmmaker and archivist based in London with roots in the American Midwest. Her work explores the political economy of media and how narratives of conflict, social movements, and land are mobilized—and often metastasized—through archival materials.
Her work has been supported by If/Then Shorts and Field of Vision, Arts Council England, 2024 NBCUniversal Original Voices Accelerator Fellowship, 2023 Global Research Initiatives Fellowship (New York University), 2023 Moore Research Fellowship (Swarthmore College), and more. She holds her M.A. from New York University where her graduate research focused on critical media theory, ethnographic cinema, and war media, and her B.A. from Emerson College.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINA
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Thank you so much for sharing Also Resisters as part of this series—it means a lot to be among many talented filmmakers.
My name is Christina, and I’m a filmmaker and archivist based in London, with roots in the American Midwest. Like many of my peers, I came to film in a roundabout way. My first love has always been dance, and I think that sensibility—an attention to rhythm, gesture, movement—still shapes the way I approach storytelling.
Film came later, after years of working as a journalist and researcher, while secretly harboring a desire to put images, words, and music together on screen. At 25, I began working in documentary production and quickly found myself drawn to archival research, which has since become my professional home. My practice as a filmmaker is entirely animated by the archive and my fascination with questions of inheritance, collective memory, and how we can mobilize materials from the past to resist violences, shatter our psychological complicity, and reveal our porousness to others near and far.
My academic background is in journalism and media theory, and my political grounding comes from a Marxist critical media practice. Anti-imperialism, solidarity, mutual aid, and civic engagement are inseparable from my practice. Editing my own work during graduate school was the first time I felt I’d finally found the right form to express, and deepen, these commitments.
I live in archives and libraries, constantly encountering materials that surprise me and move me. Years ago I began keeping a spreadsheet of the gems I found, and eventually started cutting small experiments. That process grew into Also Resisters. Editing has become the heart of my practice—the challenge of assembling disparate fragments into something whole is endlessly compelling to me. I love it.
Because I come to filmmaking with what might seem like a random, patchwork background—dancer, journalist, academic, activist—it may not make sense on paper. But when I sit down to edit, it really clicks. For me, filmmaking is a way of locating myself and others in our complex, confusing, joyous, and heartbreaking world. It’s a way to feel less lonely when we’re puzzling the big questions and trying to metabolize a world that often doesn’t make any sense. Today, I see myself as an artist who is equally devoted to the archive, to writing, to dance, to political organizing, and to my friends.
Tell us about the genesis of Also Resisters. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop it?
The film began with a book I stumbled upon: We’ve Been Invaded by the 21st Century, a 1968 collection of political essays by the American socialist and nonviolence activist David McReynolds. I fell in love with his voice—flawed but deeply moral, incisive, and resonant with my own experience of being politicized by living in the heart of the very violent and undemocratic empire called America. For David, it was the American war in Vietnam; for me, it has been Israel’s genocide in Palestine. He was a twenty-something in New York protesting daily; I was a twenty-something in New York protesting nightly. Reading his work was a way of locating my grief and rage in that of another generation.
While researching David, I discovered Googling him one day that he was also a gifted photographer. I found a website showcasing his images and sent over a message to the email listed asking about the archive. Then something totally odd happened. A woman named Ruth responded – she is an activist and an old friend of David’s who worked for many years with him at the War Resisters League. It turns out that Ruth holds his archive and lives just blocks from my old home in Brooklyn. She invited me over to her house the next day. That encounter sparked one of the most extraordinary friendships of my life with Ruth and her husband Ed, both longtime activists. I spent much of 2023 and 2024 sprawled across their living room floor, sifting through David’s images while having the most incredible conversations about politics, war resistance, cats, art, love, and everything in between. They are still dear friends and when I go back to New York for DOC NYC this November, they’re among the people I am most excited to catch up with.
At first, I imagined the film might be biographical. I even spent time at David’s archive at Swarthmore College as a research fellow. But gradually it became clear that what I wanted to explore was solidarity, especially intergenerational solidarity. So I returned to the essay that first drew me in. My best friend Sonia – who is also the greatest artist I know – recorded herself reading a passage, and I began cutting archival footage to her voice. The first sequence I assembled became the center of the film, and it’s remained virtually unchanged since.
The film is ultimately about how young people locate themselves in histories of resistance—because David believed, rightly I think, that young people not only have a strong moral compass but act on it. That belief runs through the film’s images and sounds. And actually, I should mention that all of the images at the end of student protests are photographs taken by other student photographers.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making also resisters and how did you overcome them?
Audio turnover. Honestly, audio turnover is excruciating. I watched probably dozens of YouTube tutorials and phoned my best friend Elisa, who’s an incredible editor, whenever I got stuck.
The bigger, recurring obstacle was the research itself. When you’re working with archives, the temptation is to never stop—there’s always one more box, one more reel. Part of the discipline is knowing when to step away and start shaping what you already have.
I’m drawn to archival footage precisely because it forces us to confront what we’ve inherited. The archive is both a repository of history and a technology of power. I’m always asking: What do we do with these materials? How do they locate us in history, materially and emotionally? How do images make us confront our complicity within structures of violence and resistance?
For me, it isn’t about making new images but about resurfacing existing ones and asking what they mean in our present. It’s about using images as a site of power analysis: what’s inside the frame, and just as importantly, what lies outside it—the institutions, money, and politics that shape what we see. That’s also why the Department of Defense footage is so interesting to me. It is shocking and dizzying to see these young men running around with really nice government issued cameras filming mundane things, but also literally filming their participation in war crimes.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights and/or online release.
The film premiered at Big Sky in February 2025, just weeks after a really big life rupture. Standing on stage during the Q&A, experiencing an audience engage with this piece of my heart and mind, really reminded me what cinema is all about: the desire to be moved and to exchange these fragments of our humanity. It marked the beginning of a year of wild connection, of returning to myself by opening up to others.
One highlight was screening in Sarajevo. Afterward, a young activist and filmmaker approached me. We went for coffee the next day and talked about her studies, growing up in the Balkans, and why art is so central to resistance. That conversation remains one of the most meaningful parts of this whole journey.
Cinema, at its best, is resistance to apathy. In a world that numbs and pacifies us, film insists on feeling—on mobilizing our emotions toward solidarity. The process is necessarily vulnerable, and that’s what makes it so precious.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Watch everything you can. Cultivate deep, beautiful friendships with other artists—these are the most sustaining relationships in life. Stop judging yourself. And always keep your heart on your sleeve. That, to me, feels like the most important thing.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Scenes of Extraction by Sanaz Sohrabi
Soundtrack for a Coup d’État by Johan Grimonprez
My Name Is Oil by Igor Smola (I’m working on a new project about oil, so I’ve been immersed in these works)
Everything by Agnès Varda, Chris Marker, RaMell Ross, Elizabeth Lo, and Sierra Pettengill
And one reading recommendation: Hanif Abdurraqib. He recently quoted Lester Bangs writing about Richard Hell in 1977: “The only questions worth asking today are whether humans are going to have any emotions tomorrow and what the quality of life will be if the answer is no.”
That line has stayed with me. As Hanif puts it, the work—whether art, writing, or filmmaking—only matters if it deepens our solidarity and our friendships. If your heart isn’t growing, it’s atrophying. And once it atrophies, it’s nearly impossible to retrieve.