BIFF | 2022
Abbeygate Cinema, Bury St. Edmunds | June 9th, 10th & 11th
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This year we are finally back in person and thrilled to be welcoming our filmmakers to the beautiful Bury St. Edmunds to celebrate!
The Festival aims to promote and support independent filmmaking. The Festival provides opportunities for independent filmmakers to have their films screened at great red carpet-style venues to a passionate audience of film professionals, film students, journalists and the general public.
There are a number of awards up for grabs at the Festival, including the prestigious British Lion Award for Achievement in Film on a Low Budget.
The Official Selection
The Gold List
The Film Festival Guild Gold List is for screenplays of outstanding quality. These projects are up for the title of Best Unproduced Screenplay.
Short Film Screening #1
Thursday, June 9th | 6:00pm
Embers
(Tom Ganley, 20m)
Alice sits alone at a restaurant, waiting for her date to arrive...
Lady Brently's End
(Sam Baron, 6m)
A comedy about a liberated woman in Victorian England who must convince her newly widowed sister that life is worth living.
The Flexed Arm Hang
(Findlay Brown, 6m)
A boy attempts to get a silver medal in the most daunting of gym class challenges, the flexed arm hang.
The Gossip
(Rolfin Nyhus, 13m)
A young woman's self-esteem shatters when her best friend launches into a tirade.
Set in Margate, a coastal town in the South East of Britain, The Gossip explores the moral and interpersonal effects of gossip between two best friends.
The War Behind the Door
(Tom Whitworth 10m)
Leaving his fiancé for a last minute work trip, a businessman has his passport stolen in a Laotian quarantine hotel. With paranoia on the rise he sets out to reclaim his identity.
Tinnitus
(Lucas Bosch-Coubris, 11m)
A man suffering from tinnitus has a hard time dealing with his daily environment. He will reach a point of no return...
UNSEEN
(Ian Robert Smith 13m)
Whilst photographing those struggling with their mental health, renowned photographer Suzie Larke has an emotionally difficult year witnessing her father’s slow death. Will he still be alive for her exhibition and what will pull her through?
Feature Film Screening #1
Thursday, June 9th | 8.00pm
Rudy
(108m)
Director: Shona Auerbach
Writers: Shona Auerbach & Diane Allton
Producers: Shona Auerbach & Graeme Dunn
Cast: Esther McCormick, Kanune Morrissey & Darren Day
Set in the heart of rural England, Rudy finds her relationship with her father being tested. Stuck as a proxy parent to her younger siblings and dealing with a recent loss, she feels increasingly pushed out when her home gets opened up to a paying guest. Through a newfound friendship with a boy from Coventry, Rudy discovers fun, freedom and autonomy, but is it at the sacrifice of unspoken family wounds?
A poignant insight into love, loss and moving on.
Short Film Screening #2
Friday, June 10th | 6:00pm
Big Ears
(Sam Baron, 13m)
A struggling actor finds a lump on his testicle and is forced to confront his life choices.
Life Skills
(Gino Evans, 5m)
Life Skills tells the story of Nathan, a former soldier who is struggling with life after serving in the armed forces. When Nathan’s world is collapsing and he is at his lowest point, he seeks respite by taking a unique path to try to overcome his problems.
One Man, Two Feet,
Three Peaks
(Chris Baker, 38m)
One Man, Two Feet, Three Peaks documents one man’s attempt to run more than two marathons a day and complete the entire National Three Peaks Challenge on foot.
Tony Riddle was born with clubfoot and experienced traumatic treatment as a child. He has subsequently dedicated his life to seeking freedom through natural movement - becoming an ultra-endurance athlete at 44 years old.
One Shot
(Robin Mason, 14m)
Richard is excited to tell his house guest about his life, his musical aptitude and how a TV talent show is going to change his circumstance.
Undressed
(Elina Street, 10m)
Cléo is a struggling actress. She finds it difficult to communicate her new found activity to her girlfriend even though she is empowered by it.
Feature Film Screening #2
Friday, June 10th | 8.00pm
MEDUSA
(86m)
Director & Writer: Sophie Levy
Producers: Franck Annese & Brieux Férot
Cast: Arnaud Valois, Roxane Mesquida & Anamaria Vartolomei
Romane and Clemence are between 25 and 30 years old, they are sisters and live together. Romane has to look after Clémence, who is disabled since they had a car accident, when teenagers. Romane was not hurt, but Clemence had a cerebral vascular accident which lets her completely unable to speak and to walk in a normal way.
One night, while Clemence is asleep, Romane decides to go out. That night, she will get back home late with Guillaume, her new boyfriend. Day after day, Guillaume will gradually feel invested in a duty : make Clemence recover her speech and the use of her legs. But over the days, the complicity between Clemence and Guillaume will become more and more unbearable for Romane.
Short Film Screening #3
Saturday, June 11th | 10:00am
A Whispered Hope
(Samantha Locock &
Katie Loughrin, 5m)
Told through the eyes of a mother, A Whispered Hope shows her realisation of the impact that climate change will have on her son by focusing on their relationship, as well as their relationship to nature. The film is based around a letter the mother has written to her son apologising for having not done more to stop the climate crisis and from trying to hide it from him.
Áine Rose Daly - Places
(Jordan Cox, 4m)
A music video exploring Anxiety in a surreal way.
Gates
(Josh Pickup, 30m)
After disappearing from their broken home three years ago, Grace appears in her sister’s life in an attempt to protect and make amends with a less than cooperative Ella.
Grace and Ella trek the beautiful countryside of Kent, but there is nothing blissful about their time together. Past trauma and unresolved tensions simmer below the surface and as the days pass by, the safety and sanity of both sisters will be tested.
Mother Tongue
(Floris Ramaekers, 13m)
A benefits claim appointment spins out of control when Candide, 23, borrows her sister’s baby and strangely pretends like it’s her own child. A suspicious Martijn, the caseworker, attempts to unravel her lies accusing Candide of fraud. But behind her charade lies an unexpected secret.
One Last Spin
(Ross Donald, 30m)
An unflinching look at gambling addiction through the eyes of recovering addicts. One Last Spin explores the environments that condition people to gamble and the devastating effects it has on their lives and communities.
The Dealer
(Jamie Swaby &
Kenton Thomas, 7m)
When the wold shut down due to a global pandemic, Anton lost his job, his partner and any way of paying rent.
Lonely, and desperate to leave his house, he discovers a new way to make money and meet new people.
Dealing.
His products are tiny pieces of happiness in the form of written affirmations. He gives them to other lonely souls, people suffering mentally, and anyone in need of a kind word from a stranger.
Short Film Screening #4
Saturday, June 11th | 1:00pm
Dennyiah - RECALL
(Erik Jasaň, 6m)
An oppressed woman, living in a poor village in eastern Slovakia, where alcohol is cheaper than regular food, tries to find her son after he runs away from home. If she decides to resist her husband, she may never find her son. Can such a woman stand up to her husband?
Keep Off The Grass
(Francis Rudd, 10m)
The pitch is no place for love. When young Sunny Cooper, an amateur football player, struggles to come to terms with his sexuality and as the final game of the season approaches, tensions rise. Sunny and love interest Josh, can't bring themselves to embrace their connection in this environment. Sunny will have to fight not only for what he wants on the pitch, but also off it.
Made With Love
(Calum Macdiarmid, 9m)
the incredible (true) story of a young dancer's kidnap and subsequent escape from two criminals who wanted to learn how to dance.
My Favourite Place
(Kristy Philipps, 8m)
My Favourite Place is a story of how painful it is to say goodbye to your first love. A year since their separation, we watch Alex and Sally reunite in their favourite place. The laughter and chemistry is still there, but the pain and betrayal is quick to come to the surface as they battle to make sense of what happened. A heartbreaking story of love and loss with childhood sweethearts struggling to come to terms with a life apart. The tragic story unfolds as these soulmates say goodbye for the last time.
Roy
(Ross White, 15m)
Trapped in a lonely existence, reclusive widower Roy (BAFTA Winner David Bradley) passes the days by cold calling strangers from the phone book, looking for brief moments of companionship. But when he accidentally calls adult hotline worker Cara (Oscar® winner Rachel Shenton), an unlikely friendship is born that will help them both rediscover the joy of life.
The Secret Life of Bees
(Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar, 5m)
Have you ever wondered what happens inside a beehive? This is your chance to get up close and personal with one of nature's hardest little workers - the honeybee. The Secret Life of Bees is an intimate journey into the inner workings of a honeybee colony. By shooting entirely on iPhone, the filmmaker had unobtrusive access to the hive, offering us a unique perspective into this incredibly intricate super-organism. Follow the life of a worker bee from birth to cleaner, natural air conditioner, to an undertaker, acting as security and then finally leaving the hive to forage for nectar and pollen. You’ll never look at a jar of honey in the same way again.
We are not dead yet
(Joanne Rakotoarisoa, 34m)
As they spend one last summer night together, a group of young Ukrainians shares their hopes and dreams for the future.
But one of them must choose before the sun rises: reporting to the draft office calling him to war or fleeing the country?
Short Film Screening #5
Saturday, June 11th | 3:30pm
An Irish Goodbye
(Alexandra Ford, 23m)
Set against the backdrop of a working farm in rural Northern Ireland, 'An Irish Goodbye' is a black comedy following the reunion of estranged brothers Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) following the untimely death of their mother (Michelle Fairley).
Harry The Hamster
(Lewis Reeves, 7m)
A young boys day out to see Grandad and Grandads beloved pet Harry the Hamster suddenly sours as a dramatic death and an unexpected revelation occurs.
Maya Yenn - How Much Sadness Can You Swallow?
(Maya Yenn, 3m)
The “How Much Sadness Can You Swallow” official music video follows the story of a woman hell-bent on ending an alien invasion as she sprints through the English countryside towards a crash-site where something strange has fallen to earth. Struggling to resist an onslaught of psionic weaponry as her reality is distorted and her memory is eroded, she eventually makes it to a mysterious diamond that has appeared on the horizon.
Nobody Listens Anymore
(Leo Bill, 19m)
Nobody Listens Anymore tells the story of a woman, suffocated by the safety of middle class life, who, at a dinner party, recounts a potentially disturbing event that leaves her friends questioning her sanity.
The Third Solar Term
(Zhanfei Song, 20m)
During a short spring break after The Third Solar Term
(惊蛰 jīngzhé), Qizhe returns home to visit his mother. After meeting a man from the internet, he began to lose control of his double life. One that was living true to himself and the other, pretending to be the perfect son.
Feature Film Screening #3
Saturday, June 11th | 6.00pm
THE LAST HEIST
(86m)
Director Coz Greenop
Cast: Terry Stone, Rachel Warren, Emily Wyatt & Josh Myers
After a bank robbery goes sideways, the four thieves bound by honour meet back at the place it all began: the local. Drink, barbed jokes, and reminiscing, you would think this was a standard night in any South London drinking establishment. However, beneath the banter lies a dark secret that will test the old adage that there is honour amongst thieves and stretch loyalties to their limits.
The Awards
Saturday, June 11th | 8.15pm
Best Feature Film
MEDUSA
Rudy
*The Last Heist*
Best Short Film
A Whispered Hope
Áine Rose Daly - Places
An Irish Goodbye
Big Ears
Dennyiah - RECALL
Embers
Gates
Harry The Hamster
Keep Off The Grass
Lady Brently's End
Life Skills
Made With Love
Maya Yenn - How Much Sadness Can You Swallow?
Mother Tongue
My Favourite Place
Nobody Listens Anymore
One Last Spin
One Man, Two Feet, Three Peaks
One Shot
Roy
The Dealer
The Flexed Arm Hang
*The Gossip*
The Secret Life of Bees
The Third Solar Term
The War Behind The Door
Tinnitus
Undressed
UNSEEN
We are not dead yet
Best Student Film
Keep Off The Grass
The Flexed Arm Hang
*The Third Solar Term*
Best Documentary
Made With Love
One Last Spin
*One Man, Two Feet, Three Peaks*
The Secret Life of Bees
UNSEEN
Best Music Video
Áine Rose Daly - Places
Dennyiah - RECALL
*Maya Yenn - How Much Sadness Can You Swallow?*
The Milsome Award for Cinematography
An Irish Goodbye
*One Shot*
The Third Solar Term
Undressed
Best Director
Coz Greenop (The Last Heist)
*Floris Ramaekers (Mother Tongue)*
Josh Pickup (Gates)
Robin Mason (One Shot)
Best Actor
*Amit Shah (Big Ears)*
Henry Miller (One Shot)
Jochum ten Haaf (Mother Tongue)
Seamus O'Hara (An Irish Goodbye)
Best Actress
Eleanor Shaw (The Gossip)
*Iona Champain (Gates)*
Luka Kluskens (Mother Tongue)
Phoebe Fox (Nobody Listens Anymore)
Best Supporting Actor
Charlie Howard (Keep Off The Grass)
*Darren Day (Rudy)*
Mark Weinman (Big Ears)
Sam Gittins (The Last Heist)
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Green (Big Ears)
*Emily Wyatt (The Last Heist)*
Marie Zabukovec (Undressed)
Zhu Zhu (The Third Solar Term)
British Lion Award
(best achievement on a low budget)
A Whispered Hope
Embers
*Gates*
The Dealer
Rising Star Award
Francis Rudd (Keep Off The Grass)
Joanne Rakotoarisoa (We are not dead yet)
*Kristy Philipps (My Favourite Place)*
Samantha Locock & Katie Loughrin (A Whispered Hope)
Legend of Cinema Award
Terry Stone
Best Unproduced Screenplay
Going (Written by Brad Brookes)
Her Majesty (Written by Keith Saltojanes)
Paige Darcy and the Case of the Stoned Cat (Written by Alice Moran)
*Pushing Daisy (Written by Paul Quinn)*
*Winners will be denoted by asterisks*
The After-Party
Baskerville's - Bury St. Edmunds
After the awards ceremony, join us in the exclusive Baskerville's basement lounge to rub shoulders with the filmmakers and stars while enjoying a suitably themed craft cocktail.
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