Bringing a taste of Cannes to Bradford
Small World Film Festival – People’s Panel – we want you to be a judge
The Small World Film Festival is back for a second year and this time its even bigger and better. The festival of short films brings together both heart-warming and humorous stories from across the globe to one place in Bradford for everyone to enjoy this summer. With over 300 entries from all corners of the world the festival has three categories; Animated Short, Documentary Shortand Make us Laugh. All films which met the criteria will be screened on Bradford Big Screen every day throughout June 2016giving them exposure to a potential 500,000 people
The brief from festival director, David Wilson to filmmakers was for short films about their homes and lives that would emotionally connect with others worldwide. David said: “When you ask filmmakers about what emotionally moves them it’s so often the issues happening on their doorstep. This festival has acted like a telescope focussing in on peoples’ doorsteps across the world. The end result has been fascinating – with films covering everything from environmental issues in the Galapagos, India and Tobago to the destructive power of war in West Azerbaijan.
“Then we have stories about the fascinating individuals like Yavuz Özer’s film, Master Kezban which focuses on a carpenter living in a remote Anatolian village. We have uplifting stories like that of Ugandan Boxers, Hussein and Hassan directed by Jamillah van der Hulst. “There is a universality to many of the films so they translate well across cultural and geographical divides. The subject in Canned directed by Ivan Joy, Tanya Zaman and Nathanial Hatton is about graffiti – but in this beautiful animation set in Rio de Janeiro the street artist’s mural comes alive. In the short comedy, I Could Eat a Horse, directed by Jake Hovell, a student searches for something to eat his dirty digs. In Anxeyety, directed by Arden Barlow the subject of social anxiety and lack of eye is explored by cleverly telling six peoples’ stories through animation.”
The team at Bradford City of Film would like to invite people from Bradford to be part of the People’s Panel who will judge the top five films in each category at a special screening at City Hall on Tuesday 21 June 2016 from 6.30pm.
Bradford City of Film Director, David Wilson said, ‘The idea behind the People’s Panel is to give everyday people an opportunity to experience what it is like to judge a film festival. We will talk them through some simple things to look out for but really we are after that gut reaction. Did the film move you in anyway? Was it well made the story well told? Did it look and sound professional?’
We also have a special showcase of films from our UNESCO network, Sydney City of Film which explores what it is to live and overcome disability in every day life. David said: “The films from our partner UNESCO city, Sydney really moved me. All of them feature stories about people who live with disability and often prejudice but in each one there is warmth and an ability to find joy in life. The result is awe inspiring. “We hope Bradford enjoys this festival which through the powerful medium of film shares individual experiences and moments of happiness, sadness, humour and elation which we can all – as citizens of the world – connect with.”
There are sixty places on the People’s Panel and people wishing to attend need to email the film team atBradford.unesco@gmail.com and reserve a place.
For more information on the films that have been selected please click here
