The TriForce Short Film Festival 2015 (TFSFF) last night announced the shortlisted films to be screened at this year’s festival, at an exclusive launch at the BFI. TFSFF this morning announces the four finalist films, which have been selected by a panel of industry judges including Noel Clarke and Marianne Jean Baptiste, and will be screened at the red carpet Gala at BAFTA on 5th December.
With a focus on recognizing and supporting emerging diverse talent, the TriForce Short Film Festival, now in its fourth year, was set up to showcase talent in short film production, helping film-makers access opportunities to further their careers. The 16 shortlisted films are screened at BAFTA to an audience of peers and key industry representatives, with the winning film-makers earning career development prizes as well as a cash prize to contribute to their next project.
Selected from a shortlist of sixteen films, the first finalist for this year’s festival is the powerful campaign film Could You Be My Match, directed by Maddie Gatabaki and produced by Jordan Cushing, which appeals for bone marrow and blood donors for the charity ACLT.
The second is Family Reunion, a film produced by David Kitchen and Karen Bryson, and directed by Kitchen, which depicts a family drama of betrayal, secrets and lies. Also in the running to win is Prey, a film directed by Sunny King and produced by Stefano Moses, which tells the story of a young woman who is stalked by a psychopath in car park. Completing the finalist line up is Vintage Blood, directed by Abigail Blackmore and produced by Ed Barratt, a film which tells the unnerving tale about the owner of a quirky vintage shop who discovers that her fiancé’s life is in danger when a cursed Ouija board comes into her possession.
The diverse range of UK filmmakers behind this year’s shortlisted films is reflected through the high number of BAME and female producers, directors, cast and crew across all the shortlisted films.
Some recognizable faces appear in a number of the shortlisted films, including Bradley Walsh (Coronation Street, Law & Order: UK) and Indira Varma (Luther, Game of Thrones).
The four final films will be screened and the Best of the Fest announced at a red carpet gala event at BAFTA on Saturday 5 December, the Audience Choice Award and Best Documentary will also be announced on the night. The festival also partners each category screening of the 16 shortlisted films across the day with seminars led by leading industry professionals focused on current issues within the TV and film industry and career development. Tickets for the festival are available via the website at www.tfsff.com.
Jimmy Akingbola (Arrow,Rev, Esio Trot) actor and co-founder of TriForce said; “The standard of entrants this year has once again been outstanding, which has meant it has been a difficult job choosing a shortlist and even more difficult to choose the four finalists. We are proud to be spearheading a movement for greater diversity of experience on screen and behind the camera in both TV and film-making. It’s hugely important for the industry that voices from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to be heard and that is what we strive to achieve through the Triforce Short Film Festival.”
TFSFF boasts a wealth of high profile patrons which include Homeland actor David Harewood, writer, director and sometime actor, Kathy Burke, The Walking Dead star David Morrissey, Broadchurch’sMarianne Jean Baptiste, actor David Oyelowo (Selma, Nightingale), actress Kacey Ainsworth, (EastEnders, Grantchester), producer Hilary Bevan Jones (The Escape Artist, Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot), Oscar winning director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play), actor, writer and director Noel Clarke (Star Trek Into Darkness, Kidulthood), Nicholas Pinnock (Top Boy, Fortitude), Zawe Ashton (Dreams of a Life, Fresh Meat) and award winning writer Roy Williams OBE.
TFSFF, which is a career development focused initiative, has also secured a number of high profile companies and organisations as partners for this year’s festival, including Channel 4, M.A.C, Creative Skillset, MAMA Youth Project, BFI NET.WORK, Duchess St Productions, Red Planet Pictures, Shiver, Shorts TV, the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, the National Film and Television School, BAFTA Guru, Trainee Finder, 4Talent and Century, who will be providing seminar speakers, prizes, opportunities and guidance to entrants and attendees, as well as sponsoring seminars, awards and the industry expo room at BAFTA.
All shortlisted films for The TriForce Short Film Festival 2015 are as follows:
In the Microshorts category (a free to enter category for films under 5 minute long):
- Missed Call, directed by Mat Laroche and produced by Suxy McClintock
- I’m Homeless Not Useless, directed and produced by Teddy Nygh
- The Devil On Your Back, directed by Haritz Zubillaga and produced by Gotzon Aurrekoetxea
The Microshorts category finalist is:
- Could You Be My Match, directed by Maddie Gatabaki and produced by Jordan Cushing
In the Children of Men category:
- The Lights, directed by Lucy Barrick and Kieran Grant and produced Andrea Farrena and Sophie Reynolds
- The Amy Winehouse Foundation Appeal, directed by Teddy Nygh and produced by Alex Simpson
- A Man Called Dad, directed and produced by Cherish Oteka
The Children of Men category finalist is:
- Family Reunion, directed by David Kitchen and produced by David Kitchen and Karen Bryson
In the You Don’t Know Me category:
- Mm-Hm, directed and produced by Michele Austin
- Crack, directed by Peter King and produced by Joseph TaussigPrey, directed by Sunny King and produced by Stefano Moses
- My Beautiful White Skin, directed and produced by Stuart Gatt
The You Don’t Know Me category finalist is:
- Prey, directed by Sunny King and produced by Stefano Moses
In the Things We Do For Love category:
- Gracie, directed by Matthew Jacob Morgan and produced by Markus Meedt
- The Roaring, directed by Amy Thompson and produced by Thomas Clarke and Katrina Teobald
- White Awake, directed by Alex Kyrou and produced by Clare Shields
The Things We Do For Love category finalist is:
- Vintage Blood, directed by Abigail Blackmore and produced by Ed Barratt
Links to view all shortlisted films are available on request.