BIFF | 2018    

Cineworld, Leicester Square | Friday & Saturday, June 1st & 2nd

It's The British Independent Film Festival's ninth year and we have an amazing line up!

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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. 

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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    

Screening 1

Friday, June 1st | 7:00pm

Dead Tired

(Abbie Lucas, 12m)

When Mike goes to a house party to get over his Ex, he discovers one night stands can get really, really complicated.

Dispersion

(Nikita Trocki, 18m)

An overworked father, a seductive girl, a maniacal son and "mummy" carefully tied in the back seat.

Cotton Wool

(Nicholas Connor, 38m)

A single mother suffers a devastating stroke leaving her teenage daughter and 7-year-old son to care for her, testing the family's strength to hold things together as roles are reversed.

Buried

(Neil Webster, 5m)

A story of a man torn apart by his memories, decisions and loved ones.

Sketch

(Peter Lee Scott, 12m)

It’s an average day in an unassuming courtroom in 1979 when Anne, a courtroom illustrator, gets her world gets turned upside-down as a convict, and the love of her life, Simon enters the room.

Screening 2

Friday, June 1st | 8:45pm

White Lies

(Harry Hitchens, 7m)

Rory, a 17 year old autistic boy cross-examines his adoptive mother Helen about the existence of the tooth fairy.

Retreat

(82m)

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Director, Writer & Producer: Tom Nicoll

Cast: Kim Allan, Liam Harkins & Jason Harvey

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Kaitlin arrives with her boyfriend Al at a large remote highland lodge. They are there to look after it during the winter, and Al - an artist looking for a place to paint - has convinced her to come up with him, despite her not having anything to do. She doesn’t need much convincing though: a difficult family situation in Glasgow involving her PTSD suffering brother, Wallace, is something she is struggling to cope with. But even in the remote Scottish highlands, she will come to find that there is nowhere to run from the family ties that bind.

Screening 3

Saturday, June 2nd | 12:00pm

Little Joe

(Ned Donohoe, 17m)

A bright but naughty adolescent from country Australia is moved to the city. Caught between a strict private school and a family marred by tragedy; the release of Melbourne’s first raves are like an overnight pass to heaven.

On Call

(Lee Armstrong, 9m)

Louise an Escort model, has recently been assaulted. She won't tell Mike who hit her, so Mike has stopped asking. Tonight Mike has decided to express how he feels.

Free Period

(Alison Piper, 6m)

A Glaswegian standoff between a schoolgirl and a tampon machine.

Happiness in Retrospect

(Eli Hart, 25m)

A married greeting card writer becomes quickly besotted by the charming young woman that sells him a Christmas tree.

The Fence

(William Stone, 20m)

Set on the rough and ready streets of 1980's Bristol. This Short follows a council estate boy and his scoundrel friends as they rip through the estates. Motorcycles, Cars and punch ups to be expected!

Songs of Wild Animals

(Mara Weber, 12m)

Songs of Wild Animals is the story of a young girl who lost her brother, best friend and mentor. With a lot of fantasy she relives him in another dimension as the eagle he always dreamed to be.

Screening 4

Saturday, June 2nd | 2:15pm

Don't Burn the Breakfast

(Daisy Stenham, 10m)

Don’t Burn the Breakfast is about finding solace and redemption in strangers. The film addresses themes of loneliness, loss, creativity, relationships and searching for meaning in the modern world.

Gloves Off

(96m)

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Director: Steven Nesbit

Writers: Brad Moore & Steven Nesbit

Producers: Gareth Maxwell Roberts & Lucy Selwood

Cast: Brad Moore, Denise van Outen, Ricky Tomlinson, Paul Barber, Laurie Kynaston & Alan Ford

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Doug has definitely seen better days. Following his boxing trainer’s sudden death during his championship fight, he has inherited a crumbling debt-ridden gym, packed full with a mixed bag of crazy would-be pugilists. With the banks closing in, Doug must raise £50,000 fast or risk watching his mentor’s legacy repossessed and transformed into a jumped-up pilates parlour for stock brokers. 

Screening 5

Saturday, June 2nd | 4:30pm

To Pluto

(Yen-Ju Lee, 15m)

A nurse who finds herself stuck in her current job and a dying long-distance relationship meets a cancer patient who is trying to find the family he abandoned before it is too late.

War Has No Eyes

(Perry White, 14m)

A young Muslim from inner London searches for redemption from his troubled past after being challenged by his prior commitments.

Jewels

(Ottilie Wilford, 15m)

When a naive art student comes to stay with her successful older sister in London, their elation turns to unease as past and present lies are exposed and they are forced to reconcile the people they’ve become with the dreams they once shared.

Shemira

(Adam Wells, 22m)

Myer - a survivor of humanity's greatest crime - spends one final night alongside his beloved, Leah.

Icarus

(Nicolas Boucart, 26m)

An inventor is obsessed with achieving his dearest dream: to fly using nothing but his arms. For him, only a pure, light, innocent soul is capable of such a feat. 8-year-old Joseph seems to be the perfect candidate.

Screening 6

Saturday, June 2nd | 6:15pm

Sunset Contract

(93m)

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Director & Writer: Marc Conen

Producers: Marc Conen & Peter Nicholas

Cast: Peter Nicholas, Paris Jefferson & Anna Nightingale

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The Devil herself appears before social media CEO Brad and tempts him into signing a rewarding, privacy-violating contract before the end of the day.

Screening 7

Saturday, June 2nd | 8:10pm

Polterheist

(90m)

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Director: David Gilbank

Writers: David Gilbank, Gemma Head & Paul Renhard

Producer: Pepe Fowler

Cast: Jamie Cymbal, Sid Akbar Ali, Jo Mousely & Pushpinder Chani

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Two gangsters are given 72 hours to discover the whereabouts of a stash of drug money stolen by their boss. There's only one problem...they just murdered him. Frantic to find the cash, the hapless criminals kidnap a psychic medium and force her to contact the dead gang boss. Unfortunately for them, they only succeed in unleashing an evil spirit bent on revenge.

    The Awards    

The Nominations

Best Feature Film

Retreat

*Gloves Off*

Sunset Contract

Polterheist

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Best Short Film

Dead Tired

Dispersion

Cotton Wool

Buried

*Sketch*

White Lies

Little Joe

On Call

Free Period

Happiness in Retrospect

The Fence

Songs of Wild Animals

Don't Burn the Breakfast

To Pluto

War Has No Eyes

Jewels

Shemira

Icarus

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Best Director

*Mara Weber - Songs of Wild Animals*

Steven Nesbit - Gloves Off

Tom Nicoll - Retreat

David Gilbank - Polterheist

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Best Cinematography

*Icarus*

Sunset Contract

Songs of Wild Animals

War Has No Eyes

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Best Music

Don't Burn the Breakfast

*Retreat*

Cotton Wool

Dispersion

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Best Actor

John Rhys-Davies - Shemira

*Bill Milner - White Lies*

Peter Nicholas - Sunset Contract

Liam Harkins - Retreat

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Best Actress

Sian Clifford - White Lies

*Paris Jefferson - Sunset Contract*

Kim Allan - Retreat

Nell Hudson - Jewels

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Best Supporting Actor

Jason Harvey - Retreat

*Max Vento - Cotton Wool*

Chia-Nien Chang - To Pluto

Pushpinder Chani - Polterheist

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Best Supporting Actress

Anna Nightingale - Sunset Contract

Grace Link - Jewels

*Katie Quinn - Cotton Wool*

Nuala Walsh - Sketch

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Best Student Film

*To Pluto*

Dispersion

The Fence

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British Lion Award

(best achievement on a low budget)

*The Fence*

Free Period

Don't Burn the Breakfast

Retreat

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Best Unproduced Screenplay Winners

*Tom Bridger*

for “The Hippo in the Room”

On a visit to the zoo, four people discover a talking hippo only they can hear. And it's giving them life advice.

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*Luke Dinsmore*

for “Dave's New World”

Dave lives in a Dystopian, Totalitarian, Orwellian nightmare...and he loves it. When every aspect of your life is dictated, it takes a lot of the pressure off you. When Dave's world comes crashing down, will he be able to Bring Back Big Brother?

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Best Unproduced Screenplay Special Commendations

Michael Rowney for "Try Again”

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Vacen Taylor for “Grandfathers”

Four grandfathers ditch aged care to take a road trip to Alice Springs. In a comedic turn of events they come across three teenage runaways who have mistakenly found a stash of blood diamonds. Now they’re being chased by two contract criminals, who are being tailed by an American FBI agent.

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L. P. Lee for "The Rental”

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Kevin Powis for "Spotless”

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Meredith Nunnikhoven for “Go Out With Love”

Gina’s life starts over while taking care of her Grandma with Alzheimer's. Without warning, Grandma dies and Gina willingly plans a funeral without family support. Just when it seems Grandma won’t get to the grave, family members, close friends and community members come together to organize a legendary, in-home funeral.

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*Denotes the Winner*

    The After-Party    

Ruby Blue | Leicester Square, London

Join us after the awards ceremony for drinks and networking at the Ruby Blue just to the right of Cineworld in Leicester Square.

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