DigiCult Production ‘Go Home’ plays Safar Film Festival’s Future Shorts programme in London this month (July 2022). Writer/Director Razan Madhoon will be representing the film and taking part in a Q&A after the film screens at the London Barbican.

SAFAR Futures Shorts Programme

EIGHT SHORT FILMS FROM
SCOTTISH FILM TALENT NETWORK FILMMAKERS
TO SCREEN AT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018

Diverse and Ambitious Slate, 50% From Women Filmmakers

 
© Copyright Edinburgh International Film Festival

EDINBURGH – Showcasing exceptional new and emerging talent from Scotland, eight short films will screen in the Shorts Strands of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival: Shorts – UK1: Firecracker, Shorts – UK2: Kaleidoscope and The McLaren Award: New British Animation 1. Commissioned and produced by Scottish Film Talent Network, the Shorts will screen between 23^rd and 27^th July as part of EIFF’s thrilling showcase of the finest brand-new short films from across the globe.

Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the BFI (British Film Institute), the Scottish Film Talent Network (SFTN) is a consortium made up of Centre for Moving Image, DigiCult, and Hopscotch Films, offering new and emerging filmmakers significant support for individual film projects (shorts and features) and a range of professional development opportunities. The talent development programme is targeted at Scottish based writers, directors and producers with the imagination to create engaging stories to share with international audiences. Commissioned short films receive funding of between £15,000 and £25,000, and can be enhanced by partnership funding and through crowdfunding initiatives.

With filming and the majority of post-production taking place in Scotland in 2017-18, this year’s Scottish Shorts programme demonstrates the depth and breadth of Scottish film talent, across an impressively wide range of genres and visual styles:

Bunny – heart-breaking fantasy-drama exploring mental health, with young Govan model Connor Newall making his acting debut.; 12 Point Kill – taut domestic thriller starring Shauna Macdonald, set in a remote ‘off-grid’ community;Widdershins– animated steampunk action-adventure exploring the impact of AI and robots on day-to-day life, featuring the voice of award winning Scottish actor, Brian Cox; None of the Above – hard-hitting tragedy delving into the effects of social media on interpersonal relationships, shot on iPhone 7+ featuring Holli Dempsey; Lift Share – a pan-European adoption drama starring Ana Ularu and Mark Rowley; I Was Here – Traverse playwright Morna Pearson’s blackly comic story of a young Elgin girl struggling with her adult responsibilities; My Loneliness is Killing Me – LGBQTI focused exploration of modern love framed by technology and late night online encounters; Tomorrow Might Be the Day – unsettling, mysterious story of one man’s unwavering faith in a supernatural force.

Five of the ten projects on SFTN’s current production slate are directed by women. In addition to the eight SFTN films in EIFF’s programme, another two films written and directed by women are currently underway, resulting in a 50/50 gender split across the fund’s short film output this year.

SFTN has a track record of nurturing and developing new and emerging talent in Scotland. Commissioned in 2016, Director Gordon Napier’s short film, 1745, screened at EIFF 2017 and played in competition at a number of international film festivals. The film also received BAFTA Scotland and BIFA nominations for Best Short Film. The success of the film helped to elevate Napier’s profile and he is now represented by national and international agents including CAA in LA. 1745 screenwriter and actor Morayo Akandé signed to prestigious talent agency, Casarotto Ramsay, as a result of her work and is now developing a feature based on the short with SFTN.

Paul Welsh, Executive Producer, SFTN (for Digicult), said: “With the launch of Creative Scotland’s Screen Unit and the changes at BBC this year, we finally have a chance to radically alter the landscape of drama production in Scotland. SFTN’s slate at EIFF is indicative of the wealth of talent this country possesses. It’s now time to back this talent with the level of resources required to take the step into long form drama and first features. We will need to be courageous and willing to take risks just like the talent, but that’s how great work is ultimately made.”

Ross McKenzie, Screen Officer at Creative Scotland, said: “Creative Scotland and our partners at the BFI are delighted with the progress of the Scottish Film Talent Network. Our industry partners CMI, DigiCult and Hopscotch Films have worked hard to identify the very best emerging Scottish filmmaking talent, bringing a diversity of voices to the screen. With half of the projects on the new production slate being realised by women; films such as 1745 (2017) acknowledging Scotland’s historical links to the slave trade; and Bunny (2018), which explores mental health, we are closer than ever to reaching a point of equality, diversity and inclusion for new and emerging filmmakers entering the  film industry in Scotland.

Carolynne Sinclair Kidd, Executive Producer, SFTN (for Hopscotch Films), said: “The talented Scottish based writers, directors and producers who have been making short films with the SFTN, developing feature scripts, and/or attending the various talent labs and training initiatives we support, are now ready to step up and make feature films that will travel internationally, representing the best of Scotland in the world’s cinemas.  It’s not easy to get yourself noticed in a crowded short film market, where everyone who has access to a mobile phone can make a film.  But our filmmakers are making stand out work that connects and moves and has something important to say about this confusing state of being human: they are winning awards internationally, and they are now starting to get the recognition they deserve, with several of our alumni now working with major feature film financiers. There is, of course, still much to be done to create a vibrant feature film industry in Scotland, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we are laying incredibly strong foundations.”

The SFTN short films will screen as follows:

Shorts – UK1: Firecracker
SATURDAY 23 JUNE – 15:55
Bunny by Shaun Hughes/UK/2018/18 mins
12 Point Kill by Iain Mitchell/UK/2018/14 mins
None of the Above by Siri Rødnes/UK/2018/16 mins

Shorts – UK2: Kaleidoscope
WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE – 18:20
Lift Share by Virginia Heath/UK/2018/21 mins
My Loneliness Is Killing Me by Tim Courtney/UK/2018/16 mins
I Was Here by Joe Carter/UK/2018/11 mins
Tomorrow Might Be The Day by Joséfa Celestin/UK/2018/20 mins

The McLaren Award: New British Animation 1
WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE – 15:35
Widdershins by Simon P Biggs/UK/2018/10 mins

Alumni of SFTN’s New and Emerging Talent Shorts Commissioning and various development programmes, will participate in this year’s EIFF Talent Lab. Screenwriters: Michael Lee Richardson (My Loneliness Is Killing Me, SFTN 2018); Writer/Directors: Joséfa Celestin (Tomorrow Might Be The Day, SFTN 2018), Iain Mitchell (12 Point Kill, SFTN 2018), Gordon Napier (1745, SFTN 2017), Tom Nicoll (shortlisted for Scottish Shorts, 2018), Kevin Pickering (Close to The Bone, SFTN 2017); and Producers: James Heath (shortlisted for Scottish Shorts, 2018), Margarita Veberaite (Tomorrow Might Be The Day, SFTN 2018), Lewis Wardrop (Close to The Bone, SFTN 2017).

For accredited delegates interested in learning more about SFTN or speaking with the team, there are a number of opportunities to attend and participate in networking events, across the festival:

FRIDAY 22ND JUNE
Meet the NETWORK (16:15 – 17:00, Traverse Theatre 2)
BFI NETWORK Roundtables: Shorts Formula (17:15 – 18:30, Traverse Theatre 1)
Early Doors… Networking Drinks (18:30 – 19:30, Traverse Bar Café)

SUNDAY 24TH JUNE
25/7 NETWORK (17:15 – 18:30, The Lyceum Rehearsal Room)
Early Doors…Networking Drinks (18:30 – 19:30, Traverse Bar Café)

For delegates interested in learning more about the process of optioning and developing a literary work, SFTN’s Paul Welsh of DigiCult will be participating in a panel discussion on this subject, on Friday 29 June.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival takes place from 20 June – 1 July. For event information and tickets, visit: https://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/

Scottish Shorts 2018 – Shortlisted Projects 

Following a great response and tough selection process, we’re pleased to confirm the 13 projects shortlisted to participate in the 2018 Scottish Shorts programme.

The teams, selected from a strong field of submissions, will attend a series of workshops throughout May and June to develop their short film ideas from outline to polished script.

In July all teams will pitch to an industry panel made up of representatives from the Centre for the Moving Image, DigiCult, Hopscotch Films and Creative Scotland. Six projects will then be selected to go into production, each receiving a budget of £15,000.

The filmmakers and projects selected for Scottish Shorts 2018 are:

• BROTHERS (drama)
  Co-Writer(s)/Co-Director(s): Alasdair Bayne & Marina Notaraki
• CHINA PANDA (comedy/drama)
  Writer/Director: Yvonne Zhang
• CHUB ISLAND (animation)
  Writer/Director: Ben Cresswell; Producer: Jamie Fraser
• DARK ROAD (drama)
  Writer/Director: Rory Gibson
• DO NO HARM (comedy/drama)
• Writer: Rosy Barnes; Director: Douglas King
• DUCK DAZE (comedy)
  Writer: Julia Taudevin
• EDUCATED (drama)
  Writer/Director: Tom Nicoll
• EXPENSIVE SHIT (drama)
  Writer/Director: Adura Onashile; Producer(s): Ciara Barry & Rosie Crerar
• HEN HOUSE (comedy)
  Writer/Director: Niamh Mckeown; Producer: Alexandra Porter-Smith
• I WANTY GO HAME (black comedy)
  Writer/Director: James Price; Producer: Dave Gillies
• LUCKY STAR (drama)
  Writer/Director: Russell Davidson; Producer: David Neilson
• SCUM (drama)
• Writer/Director: Sean Dunn; Producer: Alex Polunin
• THE SONGSTRESS OF THE MOUSE FOLK (animation)
  Writer/Director: Josephine Self

Edge City Films documentary Lost In France releases in UK and Ireland with a special event screening hosted by Glasgow Film Festival on Tuesday 21st February. Simulcast live from Glasgow’s legendary venue O2 ABC, the night starts with a screening of the film, followed by a one-off performance by acclaimed musicians Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), RM Hubbert and Emma Pollock & Paul Savage (The Delgados).

Lost In France explores the rise of Scotland’s independent music scene in the 90’s, led by cult label Chemikal Underground, the Delgados, Bis, Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand, Arab Strap and other seminal musicians and bands.

The O2 ABC event has sold out but you can still grab tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event at the following cinemas:

• 21 February – Curzon Aldgate, London
• 21 February – Curzon Bloomsbury, London
• 21 February – Picturehouse Central, London
• 21 February – Crouch End Picturehouse, London
• 21 February – Stratford Picturehouse, London
• 21 February – Odeon Holloway, London
• 21 February – HOME Cinema, Manchester
• 21 February – Exeter Phoenix
• 21 February – Duke of York’s Picturehouse, Brighton
• 21 February – Picturehouse at FACT, Liverpool
• 21 February – Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle
• 21 February – Dundee Contemporary Arts
• 21 February – Empire Newcastle Upon Tyne
• 21 February – TramShed Cardiff
• 21 February – Cameo Picturehouse, Edinburgh
• 21 February – Odeon Edinburgh Wester Hailes
• 21 February – Odeon Glasgow Quay
• 21 February – Empire Clydebank
• 21 February – Odeon Braehead, Renfrew
• 21 February – Irish Film Institute, Dublin
• 21 February – Light House Cinema, Dublin
• 21 February – Triskel Arts Centre, Christchurch
• 21 February – Eye Cinema, Galway
• 21 February – Movies @ Dundrum, Dublin 
• 21 February – Movies @ Swords, Dublin
• 21 February – The Gate Cork

Lost In France is an Irish-UK co-production funded by Irish Film Board and Creative Scotland and directed by Niall McCann. It was produced by Nicky Gogan at Still Films, and Paul Welsh through DigiCult’s sister company Edge City Films. The film will be released theatrically in the UK and Ireland by Curzon / Artificial Eye from 24th February.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LostinFrance
TW: @LostFranceFilm
INSTA: lostinfrance_film

Cat Bruce’s No Place Like Home scooped the Animation award at the 2016 British Academy Scotland Awards 2016 on 6th November.

The ceremony took place at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu Hotel and was hosted by Edith Bowman. The Awards celebrated the very best in film, television and games produced over the last year in Scotland.

No Place Like Home was one of six New Talent Short films commissioned by the Scottish Film Talent Network in 2015. The SFTN consortium comprises the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), DigiCult and Hopscotch Films.

Congratulations to Cat Bruce, Neil Jack and the rest of the team!

Developed and produced through

Martin Smith’s Seagulls won a Golden Reel award for Best Short Children’s Film at Tiburon International Film Festival. It took home the prize last Friday (17th April) at the festival’s closing party.

The 14th Tiburon Internation Film Festival ran 9th-17th April 2015 in Tiburon, California. It is an annual event showcasing independent feature and short films from around the world.

Congratulations to Martin, producer Sarah Drummond and the rest of the crew involved!

Developed and produced through

Full guidelines and application forms are now available for First Feature Development, Emerging Talent Shorts and Professional Development  Talent Programme Bursary awards.

First Feature Development

SFTN are offering opportunities for emerging talent to develop their first feature project and want to talk to you to help identify the best routes, activities or funding that are available for you.

Emerging Talent Shorts 2015

Short film production funding is being awarded to Emerging Talent on a rolling basis. This programme is designed to run in conjunction with the First Feature Development programme and aimed at emerging Scottish Talent who would benefit from making another short before embarking on their first feature.

Professional Development

Talent Programme Bursary

The Talent Programme Bursary is designed to support writers, directors and producers to attend development programmes and talent labs. Recognised talent labs and development programmes include, but are not limited to:

Berlinale Talents | Rotterdam Lab | Reykjavik Talent Lab | Sundance Lab | TIFF Talent Lab | Torino Film Lab

Further information can be found on each individual page along with the downloadable forms and guidelines. Please head to the SFTN Contact page to get in touch if you wish to discuss your project, or for help to identify the best way we can support you.

Proud to be a partner of 

Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments has done it again! The animation has won the Channel 4 Innovation Award for Storytelling, a new prize at the Glasgow Short Film Festival.

The jury said the following:

“This intricate combination of stop motion, live action and 3D animation transported us into a singular, surreal environment. Seeing the world through the eyes of a confused – and somewhat deluded – primate, elicited deep emotional responses from the jury.”

The award was made at the closing event of the festival on Sunday 15 March.

Most of the Scottish Shorts 2014 slate competed this year at GSFF – Ian Waugh’s As He Lay Falling, Martin Smith’s Seagulls, Rory Alexander Stewart’s Wyld and Monkey Love Experiments. Last year, Cara Connolly and Martin Clark’s Exchange and Mart won the GSFF Audience Award.

Congratulations to  Ainslie, Will, Cameron Fraser of Ko Lik and the rest of the crew involved!

All shorts developed and produced through

Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments has won another award! The film nabbed the award for Best Animation at the London Short Film Festival on Sunday 18th January.

This follows its BAFTA nomination earlier this month, and its BAFTA Scotland win for Best Animation in November.

Also, Ruth Paxton won Best Woman Director for her work on Pulse, a short commissioned via the NEW MUSIC BIENNAL / COMMONWEALTH GAMES by the ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY and produced in association with DigiCult’s sister company EDGE CITY FILMS.

This comes four years after Ruth’s DigiCult film Paris/Sexy won Best British Short Film at LSFF 2011.

The 18th London Short Film Festival ran from 8th – 18th January 2015.

Congratulations to all the winners!