top of page
The main atrium of the British Museum with crowd walking around
Logo for the British Independent Film Festival

NEXT DEADLINE · SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2023

NEXT EVENT · MAY 12TH, 2024

THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON

SHORT FILM SCREENING

The exterior of the British Museum at sunset

The British Museum played host to our event on May 13th, 2023. 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. 

Still from the short film "Short Stay, Long Stay"
Still from the short film "Hidden"
Still from the music video "Better Luck Next Time" by Maya Yenn
Still from the short film "Bitter Taste"
Still from the short student film "Firm It"

Two men work in rival car parks in a city that's quickly changing around them. They learn the news that their jobs no longer exist, and have one final week to say a proper goodbye.

SHORT STAY, LONG STAY

15m | Danny Carter

11-year-old Sean lives with his mother, a single parent with young-onset dementia. When the birthday boy returns home from school one afternoon, frustration and resentment rise to the surface, resulting in harsh realities being faced.

HIDDEN

15m | Paul Riordan

follows a businessman as he navigates incoming deadlines, his boss’s wrath and struggles to maintain a relationship with his girlfriend, before impending disaster for the world around him suddenly puts all his petty power-plays into perspective.

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME

4m | Maya Yenn

A successful Scottish Chef in New York City harbours a dark secret.

BITTER TASTE

18m | Ethan Tomás Race

Exploring the hidden deeper meaning of the secrets of mental health in young black african boys, untangling stereotypes and revealing answers presenting the origin of violence and anger.

FIRM IT

4m | Teni Gideon Ayankoya

Still from the music video "Dyke Plumage""

DYKE PLUMAGE

3m | Alexandra Gascón

Show your feathers.

Still from the feature film "Dreams Live in Trees""

Inspired by true events which took place in 1978 when Italy became the first country in the world to abolish mental asylums. Upon a closure of a “lunatic asylum” in Florence Anja returns home into the care of her brother Ettore and his wife Lisa. For her family Anja is a difficult woman with mental health problems, who spent most of her life coming in and out of mental institutions. With the help and a great sensitivity from her newly appointed psychiatrist Anja slowly starts to adapt to her new life beyond the asylum. She meets Libero, a local man who delivers vegetables to people in the village. Libero, just like Anja, suffers from mental disorder and learning disabilities. He lives with his mother and is known in the local community as “a crazy murderer”. Years earlier he accidentally killed his father trying to defend his mother. He was arrested and sent to a criminal asylum where he spent a prolonged period of time in isolation.

DIRECTOR

Marco Della Fonte

WRITERS

Marco Della Fonte & Pietro Ragusa

PRODUCER

Kiera Morgan

CAST

Kiera Morgan, Pietro Ragusa, Evita Ciri, Rinat Khismautoline, Giusi Merli & Fausto Maria Sciarappa

DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

1h 53m

FEATURE FILM SCREENING

The British Independent Film Festival Gold List is for screenplays of outstanding quality. These projects are up for the title of Best Unproduced Screenplay.

THE GOLD LIST

AWARD NOMINEES & WINNERS

BEST FEATURE FILM

BEST SHORT FILM

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

THE MILSOME AWARD FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY

BEST STUDENT FILM

BEST DIRECTOR

PAUL RIORDAN | HIDDEN

MARCO DELLA FONTE | DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

ETHAN TOMAS RACE | BITTER TASTE

BEST ACTOR

NITIN GANATRA | SHORT STAY, LONG STAY

PIETRO RAGUSA | DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

ALEXIS TROLF | BITTER TASTE

BEST ACTRESS

EMMA DAVIES | HIDDEN

KERIA MORGAN | DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

AUDREY JENKINSON | BITTER TASTE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

SAM KENNEDY | BITTER TASTE

HARLAN PATTERSON | BITTER TASTE

FAUSTO MARIA SCIARAPPA | DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

EVITA CIRI | DREAMS LIVE IN TREES

HELEN MONKS | SHORT STAY, LONG STAY

CLAUDIA SERSANTI | BITTER TASTE

THE BRITISH LION AWARD

THE RISING STAR AWARD

MAYA YENN | BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME

BEST UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY

LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER | JOHN ELLIS

Operating Procedure & Privacy Policy

2023

MOST RECENT LINEUP

COMING SOON

EVENT ARCHIVE

bottom of page