Now that the dust has settled and the accolades have been dished out, it’s time to take a look at highlights of the British Shorts 13th film festival.
Founded to celebrate and promote cinematography from the United Kingdom and Ireland, the screenings of the acclaimed film festival were impressively diverse and filled with stunning examples of the craft. As always, indieBerlin was on the scene to attend the screenings, which were beyond rich both in terms of the genres they touched on and their innate quality, and took place at several unique venues around the city. Here is the verdict from our very unofficial jury.
Festival Opening Screening / Thu 16.1 City Kino Wedding
The 13th film festival kicked off with a captivating compilation of short films of various genres, that drew together disparate themes from Brexit absurdity to the Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling contest. Both the British Shorts Audience Award 2020 and the honourable mention of indieBerlin’s jury go to short films shown in the opening screening. The official winner being Let’s Roll, which tells an amusing story about a small town’s dangerous tradition. Mercury, which is a powerful deconstruction of, “female friendship and thwarted motherhood, facing up to choices made earlier in life and growing up,” on the other hand took our jury’s fancy.
Documentary Special / Fri 17.1 Sputnik Kino
This thought-provoking screening, solely comprised of documentaries, was met with much approval by indieBerlin’s respectable jury. The comprehensive screening that painted a simultaneously poignant and hearty picture of human experience, left us with an utterly unique feeling. Portrayals of a young male-offender nurturing sheep and a brain injury patient “caught in a perpetual loop of joke telling”, truly stood out amongst the selection.
The comprehensive screening that painted a simultaneously poignant and hearty picture of human experience, left us with an utterly unique feeling.
Homage to Kate Dickie / Sun 19.1 City Kino Wedding
The festival’s homage screening was dedicated to the Scottish actress and keen supporter of the short film format, Kate Dickie, who, “has a preference for extraordinary roles.” Her phenomenal character portrayals in the award-winning films she is starring in truly are exercises in craftsmanship. Especially the touching yet disturbing films British by the Grace of God and Operator, which stayed with us for a while. All in all, the screening was a moving tribute to the actress’s exceptional penchant for short film performances.
The screening was a moving tribute to the actress’s exceptional penchant for short film performances.
If you missed the festival or are longing for more British cinematography in the aftermath of Brexit, check out the cost-free British Shorts Photography exhibition at Sputnik Kino!
Pictures: British Shorts
