BIFF | 2014
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square | Friday & Saturday, May 9th & 10th
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The British Independent Film Festival is in its fifth year and what an incredible line up it has! Organised by the Film Festival Guild it therefore has links to festivals around the world and is fast becoming the number one UK festival on the indie scene!
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. The Festival aims to promote and support independent filmmaking.
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.
Every year the festival screens simultaneously at a variety of venues across the UK, increasing exposure for your film and giving new audiences the chance to enjoy your movie on the big screen.
The Official Selection
Screening 1
Friday, May 9th | 7:00pm
Mannequins
(Isabelle Sieb, 9m)
A powerful psychological thriller stars Brazilian top model Nadine Ponce as Alessa, an 18-year-old model whose world rapidly unravels as she is offered the biggest gig in the modeling world.
Bodies in Irreversable Detriment
(Leon Chambers, 25m)
Serial killer Henrik may have found a kindred spirit. But the course of true crime never did run smooth.
Directionless
(James Button, 4m)
A mockumentary following Tom, who suffers from a condition which causes him to spontaneously change direction- showing the inconveniences this can cause.
Dear Someone
(Tetsuo Kamata, 4m)
After a couple break up, a young man goes on a journey of introspection and looks back on their relationship. He realizes that he made some mistakes but it is too late now to go back and fix it. He learns how he can be a better person in the future.
The Spin Cycle
(Joshua Wood, 10m)
A poorly clothed investigator interrogates a washing machine over the theft of missing underwear.
Boxer on the Wilderness
(Alexandra Boyd, 7m)
It's 1919. A boxer and his opponent fight in the ring and we see and feel the physical and emotional pain of the young man returned from WW1 who must win at
all costs.
Glance
(Chris Rule & Ben White, 3m)
Have you ever caught a stranger's eye and wondered... what if?
Puzzled
(Oliver Kember, 8m)
Set in 1980, 'Puzzled' is a story about Oscar, a ten year old boy, whose only chance at survival in the playground is to learn how to solve the Rubik's Cube before anyone else can.
Job
(Alex Horsfall, 10m)
A dark comedy regarding the horrors of 9-5 office-based employment.
We Are Rhino
(Spencer Austin, 22m)
Two rhinos are brutally butchered every day in South Africa - simply to supply Asian demand for illegal horn products. And this demand is booming, beyond control.
Screening 2
Friday, May 9th | 9:00pm
Sleeping Dogs
(85m)
Director: Floris Ramaekers
Writers: Simon Clark & Floris Ramaekers
Producer: Yana Georgieva
Cast: Liberty Mills, Jon Campling, David L. Rooney & Candis Nergaard
London, a myriad of human lives intertwined by circumstance yet separated by experience. Eve's story is just one of millions set on the rocky road between happiness and tragedy.
Screening 3
Saturday, May 10th | 12:00pm
Know How
(105m)
Director: Juan Carlos Pineiro Escoriaza
Producers: Marcus Clarke & Paul Griffin
Cast: Claribelle Pagan, Ebonee Simpson, Gabrielle Garcia, Gilbert Howard & Niquana Clark
A film written and acted by foster care youth ripped from the stories of their lives. Five youth's worlds interweave as they confront loss, heartbreak, and come of age in this tale about transience and perseverance.
Screening 4
Saturday, May 10th | 2:00pm
The Reckoning
(85m)
Director: John V. Soto
Writer: John V. Soto
Producer: Diedre Kitcher
Cast: Hannah Mangan-Lawrence, Jonathan LaPaglia, Alex Williams, Luke Hemsworth & Viva Bianca
After his partner is murdered, a detective must track down two teenage runaways whose video footage contains the identity of the killer.
Screening 5
Friday, May 10th | 5:00pm
Desire
(Leon Ockenden, 9m)
What do you really want? And how much are you willing to risk/lose/leave behind to
get it?
Tout Doit Disparaitre
(Emmanuel Courcol, 12m)
Jules makes a living emptying our houses to help us get rid of the things we no longer need. His specialty: dead people's things. But his gruesome business is about to take an unexpected turn after he meets Candice, a mourning young woman.
Vis A Vis
(Dan Connolly, 17m)
An unlucky-in-love immigration officer assesses a peculiar visa application from a young gay couple harbouring a dirty little secret.
Blackout
(Sharron Mirsky, 5m)
Blackout is a short, animated documentary about the 2003 power failure in which much of the eastern seaboard of the U.S and Canada lost power for up to 4 days.
Lonely Hearts
(Leon Chambers, 11m)
A killer of a love story.
Korn: Never Never
(Giovanni Bucci, 4m)
Directed by Dutch-Italian filmmaker Giovanni Bucci - Never Never tackles the old theme of love gone bad through the unexpected perspective of time.
Making Ends Meat
(Alex Horsfall, 5m)
During a time of austerity an ordinary British housewife struggles to make ends meet financially, forcing her to become more inventive with her cookery...
Nobbly Carrot 7
(Josh Allott, 21m)
A romantic comedy about isolation through the internet, trolling and digital love.
Screening 6
Saturday, May 10th | 7:30pm
Top Dog
(100m)
Director: Martin Kemp
Writer: Dougie Brimson
Producer: Jonathan Sothcott
Cast: Vincent Regan, Leo Gregory, Ricci Harnett, Leila Wong, Tom Coulston, Ryan Oliva & Dannielle Brent
London bad boy Billy Evans gets in over his head when he joins a dangerous criminal gang.
The Awards
Category Judging
Best Feature
The Reckoning
Know How
*Top Dog (Dir. by Martin Kemp)*
Sleeping Dogs
Best Short
Mannequins
Bodies in Irreversible Detriment
Directionless
Dear Someone
The Spin Cycle
Boxer on The Wilderness
Glance
Puzzled
We Are Rhino
Desire
Tout Doit Disparaitre
*Vis A Vis*
Blackout
Lonely Hearts
Korn - Never Never
Nobbly Carrot 7
Best Cinematography
The Reckoning
*Sleeping Dogs*
Boxer on The Wilderness
Best Music
Sleeping Dogs
*The Reckoning*
Know How
Best Actor
*Leo Gregory (Top Dog)*
Jonathan LaPlagia (The Reckoning)
Michael Kareem Dew (Know How)
Best Actress
Liberty Mills (Sleeping Dogs)
*Verity Mullan Wilkinson (Nobbly Carrot 7)*
Nadine Ponce (Mannequins)
Best Supporting Actor
*Ricci Harnett (Top Dog)*
Luke Hemsworth (The Reckoning)
Mark Margolis (Bodies in Irreversible Detriment)
Best Supporting Actress
Viva Bianca (The Reckoning)
*Lorraine Stanley (Top Dog)*
Dannielle Brent (Top Dog)
Best Director
Martin Kemp (Top Dog)
*John V. Soto (The Reckoning)*
Floris Ramaekers (Sleeping Dogs)
British Lion Award
(Best achievement on a low budget)
Sleeping Dogs
*Puzzled*
Mannequins
Best New Screenplay
*Divine (Written by Janice Hallett)*
Best New Screenplay (Honerable Mention)
*A Dose of Reality (Written by John Broadhead)*
The After Parties for the Film Festival Guild events have always been amazing and this one is sure to be just as great! A VIP After Party Ticket gives you access to the Ruby Blue Nightclub (open until 3am), the exclusive VIP area inside, a free drink on arrival and a chance to mingle with the stars, film-makers and award winners.
The After-Party
Ruby Blue | Leicester Square, London
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