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From heart to humour and now horror, Hugh Grant’s progression of roles proves his Heretic performance was nothing but inevitable. Behind the Lens: Exploring Directors, Past Works, and Themes at Cornwall Film Festival As we’ve all guessed from the creepy Heretic trailer , Grant’s character “Mr. Reed” may not turn out to be as welcoming nor friendly as first impressions may have deemed. What is even less surprising, is Grant’s ultimate arrival into the genre of horror. Over the years we’ve seen him in roles that are progressively less and less admirable and now the time for an unrestrained performance of the truly wicked has at last arrived. As we look back on his previous roles, you can see why it  “feels as if he’s been waiting for something like [Heretic] for decades" - The Guardian . Heartthrob Hugh Ah, the good old days. With his swoon-worthy roles in lighthearted romantic comedies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and Notting Hill (1999), how could you not fall in love? Grant sauntered onto our screens as the classic leading love interest, delivering all things charm and charisma. Of course, these early rom-com roles required an edge of seriousness, imperative for delivering grand romantic gestures and scenes of lovers embracing. Heartless Hugh More wit. Less sober. Enter Daniel Cleaver. The characters from both Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) and About a Boy (2002) share a disregard and moodiness that Grant himself has been known to emit. Taking pride in his misanthropic personality, he's repeatedly confessed in interviews that he's grumpy and 'quite difficult these days' to work with. Unlike these flawed characters, Grant at least is incredibly self-aware of his crankiness, or as some would argue, his 'Britishness'. Unnafectionate but still loveable. This is just him warming up… Horrible Hugh Now we’re onto the good stuff. Grant’s roles here get a lot more playful with Paddington 2 (2017) and The Gentlemen (2019). Playing a seedy villain in the children's film and a corrupt investigator in Guy Ritchie's gangster movie, there is no denying these characters are downright bad people. But with comedy being prevalent in both, the performances were laced with a mischievousness that kept them light. Hugh having fun? We can hardly believe it. These films certainly gave him a taste of letting loose, firstly playing an animated baddie and then with The Gentlemen giving 'many usually serious stars a chance to lash out with silliness' - New York Post . Horrifying Hugh It was only a matter of time, wasn’t it? Grant has dove headfirst into the dark and twisted genre of horror in the new A24 release Heretic. From directors that brought us A Quiet Place (2018) and The Boogeyman (2023), we enter a sinister game of cat-and-mouse, with Grant playing the diabolical character of Mr. Reed. This holy horror has unleashed Grant in a ' performance of total freedom and what seems like genuinely giddy pleasure' ( The Guardian) as we see him oozing his trademark charming qualities, but now with a much darker and chilling spin to it. We always knew this day would come. On a recent episode of The Graham Norton Show, Grant explained his character choice for making Mr. Reed that much more unsettling, stating 'everything that's creepy will be doubly, trebly creepy if he's making jokes at the same time'. I guess there's no escaping Grant and his dry sense of humour. Don't miss Heretic screening at The Poly on Friday 22nd Novemeber @ 10:00 PM. Grab your tickets here! #Heretic #HereticMovie #HereticFilm #A24 #HughGrant #ScottBeck #BryanWoods #HughGrantRoles #ThePoly #FalmouthWhatsOn #CornwallFilmFestival #CFF2024 #BehindTheLens

Apply now and let your voice be heard! Are you a talented voice actor looking for your next exciting project? We're calling on all voice-over artists to lend their voices to an upcoming trailer! If you have great energy, we want to hear from you! Who are we ? The Cornwall Film Festival  is an Event run by Mor Media , a Charity that brings people together through our community programmes and runs media training & education in Cornwall. Enhances career prospects and deepens understanding with our Industry talks & masterclasses, and innovates with a year-round film programme. The Script: When you think of the Cornwall Film Festival, you might picture a world of independent films and filmmakers. But they are all a part of something much bigger. At the heart of it all is Mor Media, a charity dedicated to fostering creativity and culture to thrive in the digital age.  We're more than just a platform; we're a community.  We connect artists with audiences, amplifying their voices and bringing their stories to life. We discover and nurture the next generation of filmmakers,  providing the resources they need to explore new realities Mor Media Charity evolves our world through creative storytelling.  Championing diverse voices And sharing the unexpected. Together, we are a catalyst for change. Run time: 1 min Fee: Voluntary (credited) + some murch and VIP festival tickets How to Apply: Please submit a short recording using the script above on your phone and send it as a voice note/recording to info@cornwallfilmfestival.com (put Voice Over in the Subject heading) include your name and age Deadline: 5 pm Saturday 19th Record A PRO VOICEOVER On Your PHONE How to link Don't miss this opportunity to bring characters and stories to life with your voice! “🎬 The wait is over! Cornwall Film Festival 2024 is launching. Get ready for an unforgettable lineup of 50 films, immersive experiences, and exclusive Q&A sessions with filmmakers like Mike Leigh and Mark Kermode. From global premieres to local talent, this year’s festival is one you won’t want to miss. Grab your tickets—on sale Now #CornwallFF24 #CornwallFilmFestival #FilmFestival https://buff.ly/48q9s7T “🎬

Joined by BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning director Andy De Emmony for this week's interview as part of our Mor Media Meets  series. From beloved TV comedies like Father Ted  and Red Dwarf  to gripping dramas like Vigil  and his latest project The Feud  (coming to Channel 5 next year), Andy’s career spans genres and generations. He’s also directed star-studded feature films like Four Kids and It , Lovebite , and West is West , showing there’s no one better to share advice from his experiences directing! What film, TV show, podcast or book are you currently obsessed with? Ripley. What’s the funniest and/or most unexpected thing that’s happened behind-the-scenes during a shoot or event?  Filming with a parrot in a scene with several actors, who ever we pointed the camera at, the parrot would fly and sit on their head, scene stealing every shot. If you had the chance to go back in time and work on any film or TV show, which one would you choose? Dr Strangelove. What is one thing you have always wanted to try but haven't had the chance to yet? VR film making What first sparked your interest in the media industry? Sculpting and then prop making.  What was your first industry role? Puppet maker at Spitting Image. What’s the best piece of equipment you use in terms of value for money? My iPhone or the Sony FX3 What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the industry right now? Reduction in production and shrinking budgets. Is there any advice would you offer to someone just starting out in the media industry? Get tech savvy.  What one piece of equipment would you recommend for someone just starting out in the film industry? iPad and lots of the new image apps, from scanning to SketchUp to Previs. What qualities do you look for when selecting cast and crew for a project? Talent and personality in that order. How do you approach balancing artistic vision with commercial success in your work? Always relate your work to the audience.  Has there been a particularly memorable project you've worked on (good or bad) and what did you learn from the experience? Too many, I'm still learning in each job. Wipers Times was made with no money but lots of love. Clever problem solving wins the day.

It was a pleasure to welcome filmmakers Ben and Lucy from Rust to Road Trip and Dan and Adam from Soup to our office for a mentoring session. Developed by Mor Media Charity with the guidance of our professional advisors, M2  is designed to support emerging filmmakers in Cornwall. We extend our thanks to professional Editor/Director Sam Blair and Writer/Director Clare Tavernor for generously contributing their time and expertise. M2 Mentoring Programme The Program  results from years of experience and refinement, offering valuable opportunities for skill development, knowledge sharing, and networking. Built on a deep understanding of both mentors' and mentees' needs, it fast-tracks growth by providing personalised guidance, boosting confidence, expanding networks, and enhancing career prospects in a nurturing and supportive environment. Our mentors, drawing on extensive industry experience, provide crucial insights and help mentees navigate challenges while the program actively promotes diversity by offering resources to underrepresented groups. Many mentors find personal fulfilment in guiding others, and numerous former mentees are now thriving in creative roles. This makes M2  a trusted and proven pathway to success. “Mentoring is such a rewarding way to connect with emerging filmmakers while also re-examining my own creative process. The two filmmaking teams were at very different stages in production, so Sam and I had a great opportunity to share personal experiences, from story development and pitching to creative decision-making in production and editing. It was a fun and inspiring experience" Clare Tavernor Filmmakers Lucy and Ben are partners, photographers, filmmakers, writers and explors. Combining a passion for adventure and an insatiable desire to explore the lesser-known, documenting Europe’s wildest outlands, hot springs, mountains and more. Fusing a blend of vlog and documentary techniques, Lucy and Ben create a unique insight into their travelling endeavours. They presented and filmed 3 series of Europe Hidden Hot Springs Journey  for NHK TV in Japan. Connect - fromrusttoroadtrip.com Dan McKay is a freelance filmmaker, academic writer, and multidisciplinary artist, a graduate of Film and Television Studies at Exeter University, a Master in Film and Television at Falmouth and has been awarded a PhD studentship in film practice by The University of Exeter Connect - linkedin.com/in/dan-mckay-5287802a7/ @danmcka.y Adam Radage has a background in Biology and Conservation. He is a DOP and freelance filmmaker. He is interested in nature documentary production and wants to reach as many people as possible regarding local ecosystems and the threats that face them. Connect - adamradage.wixsite.com/my-site @adam_radage The Professionals Clare Tavernor is a writer and documentary filmmaker with a keen eye for inquisitive, humorous, and socially conscious storytelling, often viewed through the lens of music and art. A former staff director at the BBC Clare has produced landmark series exploring music in Africa and Latin America, the history of the British Working class, feminism in pop with Charli-XCX, and a groundbreaking interactive music documentary with hip hop duo Run The Jewels. Clare’s last music series ‘My Life as a Rolling Stone’ won the best arts & culture award at BANFF, and she has recently been on the road with Metallica for an upcoming feature documentary.  Connect - phonofilms.co.uk Sam Blair is an Editor/ Director Shortlisted for the 2024 Grierson British Documentary Awards in Best Single Documentary - Domestic & Best Sports Documentary with Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything that charts the snooker legend's rise to fame from his early teens to the mental challenges he had to overcome in the pursuit of perfection. Out on Amazon Prime Connect -   sam-b.co.uk    @sameblair Thanks to BFI Film Audience Network, National Lottery Community Lottery Fund & National Grid Community Matters Fund for their generous support. Love this article ? buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cornwallfilmK to help us continue our work. A registered charity in England and Wales (1126161) #filmmakers #mentoring #creativesupport #roughcuts #indiefilm #mediacharity #cornwallcharity #advisorsaregreat! #creativecornwall #communityfund #nationallottery #charity #BFIFAN

Known for beginning his screenwriting career on Smack The Pony and Green Wing, this week we are very excited to talk to British comedy writer James Henry. His newest work 'Piglets' is available on ITV Player now! What film, TV show, podcast or book are you currently obsessed with? I keep going back to Justified (currently on Disney+), because it's so well put together. What’s the funniest and/or most unexpected thing that’s happened behind-the-scenes during a shoot or event?  A senior exec came into the writers room for one thing I was working on to see the producer, who said 'Hey, I don't think you've met any of the writers yet' and she said 'Ugh, I don't have time for THAT', which still makes me laugh. If you had the chance to go back in time and work on any film or TV show, which one would you choose? Silent films shoots must have been fun as you could presumably chat all the way through them. What is one thing you have always wanted to try but haven't had the chance to yet? I want to have a motion capture suit so I can act out all the parts in my scripts without anyone else having to get involved. What first sparked your interest in the media industry? Realising you could fill a blank page with a script much quicker than writing prose. What was your first industry role? Getting a commission to write scripts for Smack The Pony. Do you think that new technologies are improving the industry? I mean I SUPPOSE, although I try to keep away from technology as far as I possibly can. What’s the best piece of equipment you use in terms of value for money? My lovely Macbook, because I can also play games on it. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the industry right now? Lawyers and finance guys who think no money is better than a slightly smaller amount of money than they'd been hoping for. Is there any advice would you offer to someone just starting out in the media industry? Be independently wealthy or quite posh or, ideally, both. What one piece of equipment would you recommend for someone just starting out in the film industry? A good pair of earphones for listening to podcasts on trains. What qualities do you look for when selecting cast and crew for a project? Exuding an air of quiet professionalism at all times is good. If you've worked in the film industry internationally, have you encountered any cultural differences with regards to working practices?  Nowhere else in the world outside of the UK cares where you went to school, which is refreshing. How do you approach balancing artistic vision with commercial success in your work? I like every project to have moments that there not to advance the plot, or move anything on or raise the stakes, but because they're weird and interesting and funny, otherwise what's the point? Has there been a particularly memorable project you've worked on (good or bad) and what did you learn from the experience? I did a comedy thing years back that wasn't terrible, but didn't come out in any way like I'd hoped, and I learned that was when criticism really stung, when you knew in your heart of hearts that it hadn't really worked.  Anything else you want to let us know about?  Senior execs are rarely excited to meet scriptwriters at parties. They pull a special disappointed face, it's quite funny when you know to look out for it. You can watch James Henry's most recent project 'Piglets' on ITV Player now!

We at Mor Media Charity have decided to stop sharing content on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) and will no longer use it as one of our communication channels.  The decision to leave X comes following recent events in which disinformation surrounding the Southport attack and subsequent riots was permitted to spread widely across the site. The platform has seen a rise in hate speech and we don’t feel that this kind of online environment is acceptable, nor is it one we wish to be a part of.  Mor Media Charity is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity, equity, and respect for all individuals, part of which includes being vocal advocates for a society that reflects these values. That is why we feel it is both important and necessary to specifically address X for its negligence towards combatting racism and spreading harmful rhetoric online.  Since X is no longer a space which aligns with the values we uphold as an organisation, you can instead find us on Instagram at @cornwallfilm or on our Facebook page for regular updates and event information. #mormediacharity #cornwallfilm #leavingX #leavingtwitter #twitter

As a Supporter of the Documentary Film Council, we are happy to congratulate its first-ever elected board of trustees, as follows: Olu Adaeze (Independent Director/Producer - Ikenga Creative Lab) Flore Cosquer (Scottish Documentary Institute) Fiona Fletcher (British Council) Roisín Geraghty (Independent Producer/Head of Industry & Marketplace - Docs Ireland) Jessi Gutch (Independent Filmmaker - Fig Films Emma Hindley (BBC Storyville) Andy Mundy-Castle (Independent Filmmaker - Doc Hearts Limited) Sandra Whipham (Doc Society) Filmmaker Andy Mundy-Castle, whose film, White Nanny Black Child won a BAFTA in February, said: “At a time when the independent documentary community faces grave challenges industry wide, it is vitally important to have a council that represents our overlooked and marginalised community. It is a great honour to be elected to a historic board of trustees and I look forward to pushing our collective agenda forward.” Roisín Geraghty, Independent Producer and Head of Industry & Marketplace at Docs Ireland, who served on the Interim Board as Chair of the DFC, said: “I am delighted to continue my role as a board member for the Documentary Film Council. I feel passionately about the important work of the DFC, and the organisation’s collective approach in engaging with independent documentary makers; setting an agenda for change and advancing solutions on the serious, and often existential, issues facing the industry.“ The challenges facing the documentary film sector are well-documented. The DFC emerged following an academic research project that found the sector to be chronically under-funded and lacking coherent policy support, and in October 2023 over 500 filmmakers and executives signed an open letter drafted by the DFC’s interim board calling for ‘urgent, coordinated interventions across the sector’. While the problems facing independent documentary are acutely felt in the UK, they are compounded by a similarly vexed international landscape. This year has already seen the closure of Participant Media, the US studio responsible for titles from An Inconvenient Truth (2006) to All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022) while Hot Docs, Canada’s leading documentary festivals and one of the largest in the world, has been hit by mass resignations. Former Sundance Institute CEO, Keri Putnam, Writing for the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard, noted that streaming platforms are, despite a few exceptions, no longer acquiring independent documentaries and called for ‘a new PBS for the digital age’, arguing that streamers’ dominance is having ‘real ramifications for our culture and democracy’. In the UK, the DFC itself has struggled to find financial support for its work. Seed-funded in 2023 with a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the DFC has so far failed to secure funding and is currently run by volunteers. Nevertheless, its two Joint Acting CEOs, Emily Copley and Steve Presence, remain optimistic: “We all know there’s a need for a national membership organisation to represent UK documentary and this election demonstrates that. Though only 8 people could be elected, the calibre of all 31 candidates was outstanding and we want to thank everyone who put themselves forward. We’re confident we’ll find the backing we need to run the DFC this year. There’s a real energy for change in this sector and a belief in what can be achieved when we work collectively, and as a co-operative, the DFC enables exactly that. We can’t wait to start working with our new board to build a brighter future for documentary in the UK.” Images: Mor Media Director Louise Fox at The first Open Assembly, Sheffield Doc Fest, DFC new Board #filmindustry #UKfilmindustry #docs #UKDocs #DFC #docs #UKDocs #independentfilm #indiefilm #indiefilms #indiemovies #indiecinema

This week on the Mor Media Blog, we are highlighting two Truro & Penwith A-Level Media students, who have been on work experience this week. Roma (2018) spoiler review by Aaron Hinton Roma directed by Alfonso Cuaron is a brilliant film with one of the films main highlights being the cinematography where Cuaron has selected shots that show wide areas and lets the action play out as if we are in the scene with the characters allowing the audience to understand the films characters and understand their circumstances using tracking shots which follow our protagonist cleo as she goes about her daily routine. Another aspect of the film I enjoyed was the performance from the character of Cleo who the audience instantly sympathises with because of her repetitive life of having to do chores for the family in the film. Once she becomes pregnant the family and other characters such as Fermins' treatment of her changes significantly showing the bias and disrespect towards members of lower social classes in Mexico. Her performance toward the end of the film presents her character as broken and the actress Yalitza Aparicio plays the role which shows off the character's anguish and pain. One aspect of the film that i thought was executed efficiently was the structure as the story has major tonal shifts from being calm and relaxing to when the riots are taking place the film has a chaotic feeling to it and with Cleos water breaking on top of that it makes the audience left feeling the tension of the scene. The film is also clever with its use of cyclical structure by starting with a plane flying in the sky and also finishing with it. Cuaron succeeds in making the films setting of Mexico feel detailed through the use of black and white colour grading which further adds to the feeling of the 1970s and the films setting feels real and lived in as we see the Mexican people going about on a busy day and the riots toward the end of the film feel real. Roma, written by Indiya Jane Simon. Cuarón takes his time to consider each frame and pay attention to every detail in it, and because of this the film has some incredibly beautiful cinematography that adds to the emotion of the movie. However, sometimes it feels like some beautiful frames sit on the screen for a bit too long, which caused me to lose attention at some points. This happened a couple times throughout the film but the boredom was outweighed largely by the beauty and creativity of many of the shots that immersed you into the story (i especially loved all of the slow pans and tracking shots). Although it did bore me sometimes the drawn put frames create a sense of realism. Instead of cutting and editing the story to what the audience needs to see Cuarón puts the whole story on the screen for the viewer for digest. There is no typical story or plot, you are just taken through a character’s whole journey. Because of this lack of typical plot (which would mean the viewer pays more attention to that than the character) you feel like you know the characters and are living and feeling their lives along with them. The emotional journey is intense in this film and brings you to immense sadness and pain but also to many moments of pure happiness and joy.  The film shows that family is messy and chaotic but incredibly loving. The mess and chaos is merely a part of life that you must learn to appreciate. Cuarón also shows that family is not just blood, it can be whomever becomes an integral and important person in your life (like how Cleo is integral in the families life) Roma | Directed by Alfonso Cuarón | 2018 | Drama | 2h 15m is available to watch on Netflix

This week's Mor Media Blog delves into Oscar-winning films and offers reviews from The New Wave Jury at Cornwall Film Festival 2023, including "Poor Things" by Rebecca Jackson. An eerie blue sky frames the face of an unknown woman. She wears a Victorian dress which strangles her throat, and her jet-black hair is gathered into a meticulous updo. Her large, glassy eyes are heavy and world-weary. Below her, the Thames seethes and boils. The image is hauntingly beautiful, but there is a strange, uncanny quality to it. The sky is too blue. And that water... Enter Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone. She has the face of that melancholic woman we met on Tower Bridge, but her formerly neat hair now cascades down her back, and her once-tired eyes are bright with curiosity. What has caused this transformation? ‘It is a happy tale’ proclaims the scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), before he joyfully recounts reanimating the corpse of the mysterious unknown woman, and replacing her brain with that of her unborn child. Thus begins possibly the most outrageous, brilliant film of 2023. We watch on as Bella, with her infantile mind and unsteady gait, embarks on a journey to discover all that the world can offer her. This includes, but is by no means limited to, masturbation, custard tarts and sex. She is aided in this endeavour by Duncan Weddenburn, a lothario played by Mark Ruffalo with all the pompous lechery you could wish for from a true Victorian rake. Their travels take them across an imagined Europe of dazzling sci-fi invention. From exquisite miniatures to vast constructed soundstages, the ambition of 'Poor Things' production design harks to an era of sumptuous technicolour and unbridled creativity. Taking inspiration from the likes of Powell and Pressburger, designers James Price and Shona Heath combined traditional filmmaking techniques with modern technology such as giant LED screens to create an immersive and fantastical world that is breathtaking in its detail. Alternative imaginings of European cities appear on the screen as it coloured with the vomit of a child who has eaten a packet of skittles. Rooms that at first glance would look at home in any period drama, reveal hidden details upon further inspection. From ceilings plastered with giant ears to phallus-shaped windows, every inch of the screen is imbued with a wonderfully perverse humour. However, despite its brazen surreality, the film remains rooted in its late Victorian setting through art nouveau design elements. The decision to use the architectural style of the 1890s, rather than the early 1800s when the novel is set, is a stroke of genius. Unlike the stark geometric forms of the neoclassical style, art nouveau lines are sinuous and sensual, taking inspiration from the natural world. Notably revived in the 1960s, the style is already associated in the public imagination with the strange and psychedelic, lending it perfectly to the dreamlike, bodily-inspired details of this strange universe. Colour plays an integral role in the film's storytelling. In a nod to The Wizard of Oz, Godwin's home, where Bella spends her early life, is entirely black and white. It’s only when she escapes that she experiences the world in its true kaleidoscopic brilliance. Perhaps most vivid of all is the blood red of the home of her monstrous first husband, a man for whom violence is a way of life. In the expressionistic style of Dario Argento, this terrifying hue seeps into every corner of the screen. Rather than distract from the substance of the film, its design serves to enhance and enrich its bold themes. Much like a macabre fairytale can be repacked as child-friendly by being set far, far away and populated with unearthly characters, the stylized setting of Poor Things allows its darker themes to be more palatable. Lanthimos has taken the familiar aesthetics of an era heavily associated with oppression and transformed it into something salacious and outlandish. This juxtaposition that perfectly compliments the story's anarchical messaging. This is, at its heart, a film of dichotomies. Nature, desire and freedom come at odds with civilization, repression and entrapment. Emma Stone plays the woman liberated, unencumbered societal rules and expectations. We watch on gleefully as this puts her at odds with the men around her. Though at first enchanted by her lack of inhibition, Duncan Wedderburn is subsequently embarrassed, then horrified, and ultimately ruined by her as he scrambles desperately to uphold the societal conventions that he initially professed to disdain. All the while Bella Baxter continues to dance through this dizzying world, ever growing and changing and learning. Much like the human bodies that are dissected and pieced back together over the course of the film, at times the story feels messy; the messaging overwrought. But I hesitate to criticise it for this. If anything, it made me wish I could stay longer with this complex, hilarious and completely original creation. See all the New Wave Jury reviews on Issuu Poor Things Played in Preview at #CornwallFilmFestival23 THE 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS WINNERS POOR THINGS | Official Teaser | Searchlight Pictures

By @laraabbey on Instagram, adapted from a longer essay Representations of high-rise tower blocks and council estates have a long and storied history within British cinema. From the social realist portrayals of the 1960s to the ‘Sink Estate Film’ of the mid-to-late 2000s, the council estate has appeared as a prominent image, oftentimes wrought with less-than-rosy connotations. However, British filmmakers have been imbuing the ‘council estate film’ with new meanings and new life. Last year alone, we saw the release of two films that gave audiences a new perspective on the genre - Charlotte Regan’s radically cheerful Scrapper and Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya’s futuristic take, The Kitchen. But there is one director from the mid-00s whose name I think deserves a mention when it comes to rethinking council estate cinema, that being Andrea Arnold and her feature debut Red Road (2006), and its follow-up Fish Tank (2009). Read on to hear about how, in these films, Arnold gives some much-needed nuance and depth to the ‘estate film’. The earlier of these two films, Red Road, revolves around Jackie, a middle-aged CCTV operator in Glasgow who develops a fascination with a resident of the titular estate (used to house ex-cons) after seeing him on-camera, for reasons that are not revealed until the end of the film. Jackie’s act of ‘breaking the frame’ – traversing into an area that she is usually distanced from due to only seeing it on screen – allows her, and the audience, to come to understand the residents as actual people as opposed to images that she must surveil. In an exchange towards the end of the film, Jackie gets to know Clyde’s softer side – his attempts to reach out to his estranged daughter, as well as his passion for woodcarving – as well as witnessing a tender and vulnerable moment between Clyde’s flatmates. Ultimately, it’s Jackie’s interactions with the estate that give her closure on her past, and hope for a brighter future. Fish Tank moves from an outsider to insider perspective, following Mia, a troubled 15-year-old living on an East London council estate. Although arguably lacking the optimism of its predecessor, Fish Tank is still valuable when it comes to thinking about a different view of ‘council estate cinema’ because of how much we get to know Mia during the course of the film. We follow her in close-up, handheld shots, placing us right there with her and putting her interiority on display. We see Mia’s full spectrum of emotion - from anger, to joy, to sadness – which, thanks to Katie Jarvis’ performance, is believable throughout and manages to resist the stereotypes of people like Mia being overly volatile. The amount insight that Arnold allows us into Mia’s thoughts and feelings ensures depth and avoids falling into preconceptions. Overall, The nuance that Arnold presents the council estate with across both films, with them even contradicting each other at points, acts as an antidote to the slew of media that relied on generalising ‘sink estate’/’poverty porn’ tropes at the time these films were made, and even today – showing why films like Scrapper and The Kitchen are still very much necessary and relevant.

The team at Mor Media Charity are deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel. This has resulted in an unacceptable loss of life — and we urge all parties, including the international community, to work to stop the bloodshed. We are calling on the UK government to live up to its obligations under international law and use every channel in its power to call for immediate de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire. We oppose all acts of violence. The attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas was horrific. The indiscriminate, disproportionate response by Israel against Palestinians, including bombarding Gaza and prohibiting the provision of food, water and electricity into the occupied territory, is creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that is depleting an already under-resourced health system and displacing civilians constantly seeking shelter.  The leaders of the international community have stood by and not used their leverage and influence with Israel to ensure that Israel abides by UN Security Council resolutions that demand a permanent end to the occupation of Palestinian lands. We felt it was important, at this critical moment, to have a statement on the Israel-Palestine Conflict where we call for an end to violence, for all parties to respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, and demand that the root causes of this conflict finally be addressed and resolved. You can help by supporting Medical Aid for Palestinians  , which is responding to the current emergency.

Against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains in Utah's picturesque Park City, I attended the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival from January 18 to 28, 2024. I was always drawn to Sundance's commitment to showcasing groundbreaking storytellers at the iconic Egyptian & Eccles film Theatres. The experience allowed me to see the best of independent film and interact with industry professionals, filmmakers, film festivals, critics, and fellow film enthusiasts. My Top five programme highlights Love Lies Bleeding Director Rose Glass (Saint Maud) smashes this unapologetic queer neo-noir thriller starring a mesmerising Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian as a hulk-like bodybuilder set in New Mexico circa 1989. It is funny, violent, sexy, brutal and extreme and will be a cult classic in the queer canon. A co-production between A24 and Film4. Kneecap A boisterous, political comedy in the Irish language. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh play themselves in this fictionalised version of Irish Rapers Kneecap, directed by Rich Peppiatt. Why all the Sundance buzz ? It's not a bland, folksy, ethereal version of minority language it's a fresh, ballsy film a-wash with bad ketamine trips, terrorist jokes, and bum cheeks. Hit Man Glen Powell is great as a professor moonlighting as a hitman in this sharply scripted comedy/noir directed by Richard Linklater.  Loosely based on a true crime article Linklater read twenty years ago in the Texas Monthly. He says, " The film is attempting to hit a lot of notes—comedy, noir, thriller, psychological study—while examining most of all the concept of identity and how fixed our personalities may or may not be"  It is funny, sexy, clever and confident filmmaking and a total pleaser for audiences. Ibelin Absolutely poignant and deeply touching, the documentary "Ibelin" unravels the story of a young man grappling with a muscle-wasting disease. The profound narrative delves into the regrets of his parents and family following his death, as they initially hoped he would find love, make a difference in people's lives, and form genuine friendships. Little did they know that within the digital realm of the World of Warcraft community, Ibelin discovered a world that fulfilled all of those. Winner of the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary at Sundance I watched 21 films over 4 days in person and 3 online. The film programme is massive: 145 feature films across 12 categories, short films seven programs short films, and 8 Episodic projects, including U.S. Dramatic & Doc Competition, World Cinema Dramatic & Doc, Next, Midnight, Premiers, New Fronters, Spotlight, Family, and Specials. Longer reviews are over on Mor Media’s Letterbox Other great titles included the charming My Old Ass, afterlife AI doc Eternal You, music Doc Devo, Jesse Eisenberg's debut A Real Pain with a brilliant Kieran Culkin, A New Kind of Wilderness, Didi, Girls will be Girls, and debut Good One. Some much anticipated but total turkeys included Handling the Undead, Love Machina, and the big-billed Kristen Stewart & Steven Yuen Love Me.  All the films I saw & the full programme are listed on the Mor Media’s Letterbox Sundance Six degrees of separation In true Sundance style, in the last two years, I chatted with Ira Sacks (Passages) only to find out he was great friends with the person I had brunch with the day before, I met Sundance Institute Vice Chair Gigi in a line to find out she had a family in Cornwall.  I had a drink with some old-time Sundancers in the Double Tree bar, only later to find out that it was Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix  - we talked about our film picks but mostly about our dogs & trainers ! I missed meeting up with my Celtic colleagues at UK Film Council brunch this year, which just highlights We are not all UK Film ! Our own South Wester Dave Taylor Mathews (formally Encounters) was with the Eventive team working behind the festival. Some takeaways: Slamdance runs concurrently with Sundance, it’s mantra: By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers,” set up as people were fed up with Sundance's limits, have grown a rich alternative progrramme!  A lot of people go to Sundance but never watch a film !  The Sundance Awards are bizarre and certainly not what everyone is talking about at the festival. Dress warm casual is king ! Accommodation is eyewateringly expensive and limited.  Sundance will have to move dates and places in the next couple of years and lastly everyone I know gets ill after Sundance! It was not much short of £3000, including flights, a pass (850$), and shared accommodation. Was it worth it? YES ! No other festival I've been to has been so open and welcoming, my contact book is brimming with great professionals willing to do some mentoring, run a masterclass or support the Film Festival’s development, sure it was -5 degrees most of the time, and you negotiate 6m high snow banks and slide around on the ice, I've seen performances by Saul Williams (Neptune Frost) had a lovely chat with André Holland (Moonlight) and his mum, went to talks & panels with fierce filmmakers, stumbled into happenings, and got thrown out of a bar (I'm 52!) met & made friends with people from all over the world,  it was a total blast and one that I won't forget in a long long time. Note - The 11th edition of Sundance Film Festival: London is set for 6–9 June 2024 at Picturehouse Central