Introducing the South West’s latest BFI NETWORK funded film projects
Following BFI NETWORK’s Autumn 2020 call for applications for Short Film and Early Development funding, we are pleased to introduce the selected projects from the South West – and the teams behind them.
About a Video
When Rita is exposed in a sex-tape scandal, her mother Sonali and grandmother Babisha are forced to confront their own hidden sex lives. Babisha is a widow, who has only ever experienced love by way of an arranged marriage. Sonali decides to confess that she was not a virgin before she married and in sharing her secret, feels relieved of a sense of guilt and shame. Rita is forgiven and Babisha, who is infatuated with her next-door neighbour finally finds the courage to accept her own sexual desire.
Paul Thomas (Producer) is an award-winning producer and founder of xFilm and Nine of his films have been selected for Oscar- or BAFTA-qualifying festivals. His co-produced feature, RADIATOR, screened in Picturehouse cinemas nationwide to great acclaim, and his first feature documentary, THE CLIMB, premiered at LFF in 2017.
Rajinder Kaur (writer/director) is based in Bristol, exploring female-led narrative within a British- Asian context. She has worked on a number of short films as producer/production manager, gaining a BAFTA nomination. Rajinder has collaborated with a diverse range of directors, and assisted Gurinder Chadha for several years, working for Bend It Films as a talent scout. Her first film as a writer/director Girl Like You was commissioned by Film London.
Hats
Hats is a comedy-drama about a black, British woman who explores her relationship with her ailing mother in a care home, through an assortment of hats, revealing some culturally complex emotions.
Michelle Pascal (Director) is Bristol born and bred and currently works as BBC director making factual programmes. Before this Michelle trained as an onscreen journalist and reported on daily news at BBC Points West. Now she has written and will direct her first drama short.
Euella Jackson (Co-Producer) is an award-winning presenter, content creator and creative producer based in Bristol. She works as the Engagement Producer at Rising Arts Agency that advocates for young creative talent. Euella is a writer and film-maker and sits on the board of Encounters Short Film Festival.
Ann-Marie McCormack (Co-Producer) is a producer, director and writer. She’s written for BBC’s Doctors, Irish Film Board, been an EKRAN participant and directed ITV drama/documentaries. Ann-Marie self-produces shorts under AmmA Films and Productions, produces a podcast series Tell Me About…, presents on BCfm and is a senior lecturer at Bathspa University
Re-Live
RE-LIVE is a heroine’s journey honouring how a young woman processes her survival of an assault that occurred whilst out running: Fragile and fragmented, Amy is trapped. Her gritted determination to push past the trauma following the assault, takes Amy step by step, closer to become whole again. How will she learn to heal and recover in order to reclaim her body?
Lotus Hannon (Writer/Director) last short film, UNSEEN screened at LFF and was broadcast on ARTE TV.
Alongside RE-LIVE, Lotus is developing her directorial feature debut, a gripping, visceral thriller, ORION’S BELT with Christine Alderson and Katie Hodgkin at Ipso Facto Productions. She’s also selected for this year’s BBC Directors Scheme.
Agent Mark Casarotto at Casarotto, Ramsey & Assoc. Twitter / Instagram / Website
Chi Thai (Executive Producer) is an independent producer who works across features, documentary, animation & immersive. She has been a Cannes Lions finalist three times, listed in Creative England’s Top creative companies & a recipient of the prestigious BFI Vision Award. She is an invited voting BAFTA member. Website / Twitter
Kay Loxley (Producer) is a producer of independent short films. With a passion for storytelling, Kay throws herself into projects that stir emotions, inspire, resonate, change perspectives. Her short documentary ‘Ending Violence’ shot in Botswana was selected for a special screening at the United Nations Committee for the status of Women.
Seagull
Seagull is a petty criminal, recovering drug addict and recently turned Vampire, who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Dean Puckett (Writer/Director)is a Writer & Director, based in the South West. After working in documentaries, Dean moved into fiction, creating three short horror films that have gained worldwide recognition – The Sermon, Satan’s Bite & Circles. He is working on a slate of features including Bankside represented folk-horror MAGPIE.
Rebecca Wolff (Producer) formed Grasp The Nettle Films with writer/director Dean Puckett, the company is based in Devon and London and is a Creative England CE50 company. She has produced a number of BFI funded shorts. She is working on a slate of short and feature projects across documentary and fiction.
Simeon Costello (Producer) is a Devon-based producer and one half of Spinning Path. Simeon has produced many award-winning short films, including sporty comedy-drama ‘Shuttlecock’ and ‘Rhapsody in Blood’. Both have received critical praise. Shuttlecock won BFI London Film Festival’s Best Short Film Award and is currently playing on BBC iPlayer.
Services
Sunday 5 pm Chieveley Service Station: As separated parents ‘child-swap’ for the week ahead, two strangers, an isolated grandfather, WALLACE and angry teenage son, JOSH, bond through comical commentary on the scenes of broken family chaos they witness through the window, while indirectly sharing issues of their own.
Freya Billington (Director / Co-Writer) is a Bristol-based Filmmaker / Lecturer, Freya’s films include Bread & Butter, Not Waving (iShorts), How? Lucky and Terminated:Teeth&Tinder (C4) as Boyandbear Films and BAFTA-shortlisted Window Shopping. Previously an editor (BBC4, BBC2, OU) and Post Production Supervisor (BBC) she is an NTF and has just set up a new Film Degree launching this September.
Katriel Costello (Co-Writer) is a scriptwriter in short film, radio and theatre. Three of her plays have been performed at Theatre West, Bristol. She’s written for Hollyoaks and has been developing her radio play with BBC Radio 4. As dramaturg, she’s worked with a dance artist on a short film.
Tamsin (Tiggy) Wiley-Scott (Producer) started her career with Collision Films, producing 40+ music videos (inc The Killers, Elbow, Goldfrapp, McFly). Having moved into TV commercials (25+ campaigns) she now works in Features, as Line Producer on ‘Crowhurst’, Co-Producer ‘The Ballad of Billy McCrea’and Associate Producer ‘Fear the Invisible Man’.
Molly Denton (Producer) has experience across short films and music videos. Her storytelling interests centre personal, biographical and woman-led projects. Since graduating, she has taken part in The Network, Edinburgh TV Festival’s Talent Scheme, produced films for BBC’s New Creatives and recently participated in the BFI Network’s Producers Lab.
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Film Hub South West &
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are part of the BFI Film Audience Network, supported by The National Lottery.
