Posted in: Movies, Recent Updates | Tagged: aardman, bristol, encounters, film, film festival, jeremy thomas

Encounters – From Aardman Chatter To The Unhappiest Person Of The Month

Patrick Dane writes for Bleeding Cool

Last week I had the pleasure to be at Bristol's 18th Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival. Over the last few years, it has become one of my personal annual highlights; not only for a great chance to spend some time in one of the most interesting cities in England, but because it's just a bloody good festival too.

As far as short films go, this festival acts as an important precursor to The Academy Awards, BAFTA and the EFAs and the quality of work was wonderful and incredibly varied. While I would love to see more 'genre' pieces at the festival, the current selection didn't leave too much wanting. I'll share some capsule reviews of a few of my favorites.*

When Rabbits Fly was a hilarious black comedy about a family forced to live on a high rise roof due to a father's consistently bad decisions. Set across the Reykjavik skyline, the laughs work because the film is almost always playing it seriously. The film went on to win the audience award, which is a true testament to the work by co-directors, Helgi Jóhannsson and Halldór Ragnar Halldórsson.

Notes From Underground was a real standout. A story of child entrapment and paedophilla, Isabella Eklöf's film was considered and clinical in it's execution. Its use of a bright, milky colour palette and slow burning pace helped create an unsettling experience that enraged, saddened and drained me like nothing else this year.

Grzegorz Jaroszuk's Frozen Stories is a comedy about two utterly boring and depressing people who are the worst employees at their local superstore. Told by their boss that they can keep their jobs if they can find a goal in life, they decide to take part in a TV show called The Unhappiest Person of the Month. The preponderance of cold colours and single note performances showed an utter commitment to the film's monotone world, and that's where most of the comedy came from.

Some other very decent films that caught my eye were, Yuri Ancarani's The Chief, Adrian McDowall and Finlay Pretsell's Cutting Loose, and Antti Heikki's Say Yes and Dance. As you can probably guess, I thought the Nordic countries really ran away with the festival.

While the Brief and Animated Encounters film programmes provide the staple fare of the 6 day fest, you could actually see nothing from of them and still have a very enjoyable time. Workshops, panels and networking opportunities pop up daily.

A conversation with producer Jeremy Thomas added some real gravitas to the festival. Hearing stories of how he produced films like Sexy Beast and The Last Emperor let us in on his understanding of filmmaking craft, sharing insights that the crowd found both engaging and informative.

Aardman in Conversation was a rare chance to hear about the inception, process and direction of the animation company with its three captains, Nick Park, David Sproxton and Peter Lord.

And then a screening of Paranorman and Q&A with co-director Sam Fell also added a truly world-class feel to the festival's animation program.

But these examples are only scratching the surface of what the festival has to offer outside of its main film programme. I was never, ever lost for something to do.

However, the main reason why Encounters is always worthwhile is that it is a filmmakers festival. While at bigger festivals, there are press, movie stars, organisers, employees and the public running around everywhere, Encounters is a festival where the filmmakers are favoured.

Spending five days with these creatives brought me into contact with some of the most exciting talent from around the world and I came out of the festival with business cards bursting from my pockets. If one is making, planning or want to learn how to make films, it is the perfect environment to grow a little black book.

Short films are the medium where you will often see more experimental use of film craft. Free of the restrictions of a feature, from the financial expectation and audience attention span, a short can allow filmmakers to try new ideas and actually play with film. Encounters' extensive coverage of the best short films acts as a central hub to see these ideas in one place. To quote the Head of Programme, Mark Cosgrove:

In this digital era talent no longer needs to gravitate to the centre – long gone are the days when pounding the streets of Soho was part of a filmmakers apprenticeship – to get a foot in the film industry door. In the new digital landscape talent can appear anywhere.

With the relative ease in making a film nowadays, talent most certainly can appear anywhere but Encounters presents lots, in one neat package.

Thanks again to all at Encounters for their hospitality.

*I by no means caught all of the films. I am sure there were plenty more good ones I simply didn't see.

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