Connected

Director/writer – Phil Viner

Connected is a dark comedy about a teenage actress who has lied to get a second audition for a new BBC show. How far will she go to land the part? Created remotely across the UK and Spain during the 2020 lockdown, using Zoom and zero budget, this is a story of insensitivity and dog-eat-dog ambition!

Forecast Overcast

Writer/director Julie Magnaudet shares this creatively imaginative take on the reality of life, through the eyes of Marcus a young, newly evaporated cloud!

A childhood experience with her grandfather had a huge influence on the end result… as well as a collaborative meeting of minds with her team in figuring out the challenges of sets, make-up and more.

We talk with her about sharing this creation with SohoLIFF for its world premiere!

In a House at Night

Director/Writer – Tomas Ferreira

In A House, At Night is a student film that takes place on Halloween night, in a women’s shelter, 7-year-old Lynn sulks about missing her old house and dares to leave her mother’s bed in a tantrum, hurting her.

Separated and alone, the young girl re-encounters fear as witness of the asleep victims’ nightmares, while Alice, her mother, dangerously ponders about calling back her husband so to give Lynn her family again…

Ithaka

An interview with Stella Assange.

Filmed over two years, this documentary follows 76 year-old retired builder, John Shipton’s tireless campaign to save his son, Julian Assange.

The world’s most famous political prisoner, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has become an emblem of an international arm wrestle over freedom of journalism, government corruption and unpunished war crimes.

Now with Julian facing a 175 year sentence if extradited to the US, his family members are confronting the prospect of losing Julian forever to the abyss of the US justice system.

Director – Ben Lawrence

Maggie

In this documentary by Pauliina Leskinen ‘Maggie‘ is a visually observational documentary about a 33 year old woman who is also a mother, finding her spirit and love through shamanism.

Directed by Pauliina Leskinen, Maggie takes us on a four-day journey in a small Finnish town, exploring what shamanism means to her and how she practises it through daily rituals such as meditation, ice swimming and dancing.

Scale

Get completely drawn into the animated world of ‘Scale’ where director Joseph Pierce looks to explore the relationship between creativity and addiction in this honest and raw depiction that’s definitely a conversation starter.

Based on the short story by author Will Self, Pierce became immersed in its world, completing over 800 animation drawings himself and even casting his own family in the piece.

Dash

Dash is the story of a small-town stable man, struggling with his gender identity within a rugged rural landscape and environment. The film is stunningly shot: “I believe a story should be felt and experienced … over an audience being told the story.”

Director Rory Fleck Byrne talks to SohoLIFF about how his film came about and the boundaries in gender roles and story telling that he’s trying to challenge.

One More Guest

One More Guest is a student film directed by Edilberto Restino, and written and produced by Suzy Miller.

Juliette has early stage dementia. While her daughter lives angrily, haunted by the past, Juliette dances joyfully in the present. Faced with being separated from her lover and being placed in a care home, Juliette escapes. Based on Suzy’s experiences with her own mother, this stirring short film shows how “in its early stages, dementia can be potentially liberating – living in the now.

Based on true life experiences Suzy Miller’s drama reflects on how a change of approach to dementia in the family impacted the happiness of many…
Why shouldn’t her mother have a younger lover, active sex life and more adventures in her later years than ever before?

Ainsworth

Ainsworth: a short documentary and inspirational story of the Ainsworth Estate football pitch. It perfectly encapsulates the importance of sport in inner city communities, and the positive impact elite football clubs can have.

Ainsworth is a short documentary by director Sam Blake Talbot. It’s the inspirational story of the Ainsworth Estate football pitch in North London, told through the eyes of charismatic local football enthusiast, Kam. The film perfectly encapsulates the importance of sport in inner city communities, and the positive impact that elite football clubs can have.

The film’s director Sam Blake Talbot and a London community football coach and scout Tim Aleshé share their insights into the impact of football on the lives of young people, their mental health and personal growth.