On Friday 15th March, my mates and I headed into Manchester for a short film screening, Filmed Up. The screening happens once every three months, and showcases emerging talent from the North West. The genres of the films are varied, from experimentalist art films to apocalyptic dramas to a man with a bunch of clay on his head.
We opened the screening with drama Symmetry Day. It was great to see the actor from our film 'Four Nerds And A Bird', Joe, as it made me realise how professional the actors were. While I enjoyed this film, it wasn't one of my favourites from the evening. Guy's Guide to Zombies was - it had some brilliant animation and was also very funny. It was a pastiche of 1950s public service announcements and was very clever in it's style. Another favourite of mine was comedy Inertia. It was based around the exploits of two guys returning one of their ex's belongings, and while not as rich in substance as the others, was an absolute joy to watch. Finally, the one I voted for as the audience choice, Shelter, was a poignant documentary about the increasing homelessness on the streets of Manchester. It brought many people in the audience to tears, and even if it didn't, was a deeply moving piece of work.
I thoroughly enjoyed the event, especially the social aspect. People could chat to the film makers about how they made their film - we spoke to the director and star of Release, and when we were having a meal in the Cornerhouse afterwards, the waitress who served us told us that she had directed Say To Me. This was an element that I hadn't seen before in other festivals and screenings that I had been to, and made the screening all the more involving. It's really inspired me to try and enter my next short into Filmed Up - I'm not sure if it will get in, but I might as well give it a shot!
