The Attic International Film Festival
Welcome to the inaugural Attic International Film Festival.
Over the weekend of 13th-15th October, we will be showing work by over 50 Independent film makers based in 11 countries.
Venue: Attic Theatre in Newcastle Emlyn,; Carms. West Wales
Friday 13th October Evening 7.00 - 10.00pm
Saturday 14th October Afternoon 2.00 - 5.30pm
Saturday 14th October Evening 6.30-10.00pm
Sunday 15th October Afternoon. 2.00 -6.00pm
Free Tickets bookable through https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/dashboard
The directors of the festival - Carole, Melanie, Pete and Glenn are all fans of movie and have become particularly drawn to the medium of short film; often a more rewarding viewing experience than their larger, commercially produced counterparts.
Short film today is most commonly encountered as a supplementary to music. We live in a time when the music video has truly come of age, bestriding our visual media with a sophisticated swagger. Though many short narrative films adopt an actual or near ‘real time’ frame, to relate a correspondingly brief story, many will negotiate themes which larger, commercial movie-makers take 90-120 minutes to express. Like the short story in literature, there is a particular skill set which comes into play when a film has to convey it’s story in less than 20 minutes. Time is compressed or re-arranged through a series of cuts and transitions. There may be a resolution. Perhaps not. The ride ends; leaving us thrilled, satisfied, sometimes puzzled; -but wanting to go round again!
We hope the films we have chosen have the same effect on you.
Room 103; Consignment: Glenn Ibbitson [Wales]
Adult content waiver:
Please be advised that, though the films presented carry no certification, this festival is aimed at an adult [16+] audience. Some videos contain violence, sexual references and content and language unsuitable for unaccompanied young people.
Notes on the Film Festival
Like most milestones in cinematic history, the idea for a movie festival for Newcastle Emlyn began over drinks and an Indian meal in Aberdare. Attic Theatre’s Orwell-inspired film, ‘thoughtpolice4891’ had just been awarded the Festival Director’s Award at the 2022 Cynon Valley Film Festival. We wanted to show the video elsewhere; where better than our hometown? After all; we had an eighty-seat auditorium at our disposal, together with a large scale screen, projection equipment and sound system. Better still, because of the outreach of the internet, we could invite other film-makers from around the globe to show their work with us.
We built the festival upon three principles:
Films would be short; no longer than 20 minutes
The event would be made free to the public
There would be no restriction on subject matter within bounds of generally accepted taste and decency; and this would be a genre-fluid event, as the four festival directors each have their own interests within the medium, covering a range from Tarantino to Tati; Allen to Antonioni; Loach to Lynch.
Star 13; Philip Henry [Northern Ireland]
Submissions began to arrive shortly after our initial call-out at Easter. Every film was viewed at least once and voted on. Three votes would ensure admission. Those scoring two out of four were awarded provisional status; to be reviewed as other clips arrived. As screening times filled, hard decisions had to be made through a period of discussion and horse-trading, in which we each lost some of our favoured movies to the majority decision. The work which has survived the rigours of this process is we think, a strong and varied selection covering a wide range of genres and themes; stories and documentaries told in imaginative and striking ways. If they afford as much pleasure to you the viewer as they have already given us, we will consider the festival to have been a success. We have been surprised, informed and entertained. We think you will be too. Prepare to be gobsmacked!
Y Wers Olaf: Ieuan Jones [Wales]
Screening programme
Each session is divided into screening blocks each with a running time of about 50 minutes. Each block may contain music video, documentary, animation and drama in order to change mood and alter the subject focus across the event. Sessions will be separated by intervals of about 15 minutes, during which refreshments will be available in the pop-up rehearsal studio cafe. The programme lists the title of the film, the director, country of origin and the running time.
The Rose: Hilary Campilan [UK]
Friday Evening 7.00 - 10.00pm
The Rose UK Hilary Campilan 4m 11s
Hacked Ireland James Vincent 12m 5s
Interception USA Safiya Songhai 15m
As You Wish UK Valerie Goriaeva 12m26s
Summiting the Mind Wales Alex Langley 30m
The Greek Accusative Ireland Sean O’Deadaigh 15m 11s
Bubble Wales Luke Andrews 14m 51s
Something Weird; Something Strange. three excepts UK Geoff Woodbridge 16m 16s
Clone USA Ryan M. Kennedy 19m 45s
We Are Still Here: Rowan Flynn [Wales]
Saturday Afternoon 2.00 - 5.30pm
Kaveh’s Heart UK Carolyn Edwards/Phil Moody 4m 22s
State of Consciousness UK. Emma Saunders 4m 37s
Toothdad UK Dave Stephens. 10m 44s
Naturewise Community Forest Garden Wales Caroline Juler 18m 50s
Common as Red Hair USA Robbie Robertson 15m
A Dinner USA Jack Gorman, Shannon Walsh 9m 53s
Let Her Sing USA Siamak Dehghanpour 22m19s
Mitching Wales Evan L. Barker 6m 35s
A Haiku to My Mind via Limerick Ireland Jonny Farrelly 7m 22s
Scratch UK Liam Steers/James Club. 7m 1s
Brenda’s Wisdom Wales Melanie Davies [n.i.c]. 5m 39s
Star 13 Northern Ireland Philip Henry 6m 08s
Everything Looks Better in the Sunshine Ireland
Mark Smyth/ Johnathan Farelly 12m37s
We Are Still Here Wales Rowan Flynn 3m 44s
We’ve Come a Long Way England Chris Avis 16m 3s
Shadows Iran Mohadeseh Asahi Zadeh 4m 13s
Saturday Evening 6.30-10.00pm
Death of Dreams UK Andrew Rowley 4m 2s
The Grotto of Death Mexico Christopher Sperandio/Brian Huberman/Augusto Mora 15m49s
Our Home the Sea Wales Mared Rees 10m 19s
Y Wers Olaf Wales Ieuan Jones 16m 28s
Do it To Julia; Kath Wilkinson [England]
Room 103: Eight Short Tributes to Orwell UK Sonia Boué/Kerry Baldry/ Emma Saunders/Kath Wilkinson/Glenn Ibbitson/Paul Steffan Jones[n.i.c]. 21m 47s
Archive and the Storyteller USA Natasha Marie Rivera 19m25s
thoughtpolice 4891 Wales Attic Theatre [n.i.c]. 12m45s
Quiche isn’t Sexy Wales Louise Weldon [n.i.c] 3m37s
Green Man Moth UK Lois Cordelia Bulow-Osborne 10m
Eye Love You USA Sofia Parisotto 4m49
Songs from Next Door. UK Edwards/Phil Moody 10m 10s
Write Off England Emma Morley 14m 51s
One minute Time Machine USA Devon Avery 5m 40s
Sunday Afternoon. 2.00 -6.00pm
Stay Calm News Wales Evie Weldon/Matthew Thompson [n.i.c] 5m 16s
A Few Strands of Hair Iran Shahin Jabbarzadeh 7m 59s
Pastry UK Eduardo Barreto 12m 43s
Carreg Coast Wales Tim Wickenden 19m
Who is God Mexico Oscar Adan Lopez Parres 3m 5s
The Corrugated Road to Paschendaele. Wales Martyn Buck [n.i.c] 2m 39s
Hunting Bears England Jason Ruddy 10m 27s
A Gathering Tide Wales Gilly Booth/ Bronwen Gwillim 18m 54s
Dirty Work England Toby Davies [n.i.c] 17m 1s
Don’t Choke England Sonny Baez 24m21s
The Swan with Broken Lungs UK Sean Rhys-James 10m 24s
Ava Brazil Stella Brajterman 15m13s
Ava: Stella Brajterman [Brazil]
Kite China Olivier Hero Dressen 15m
Vax USA Barak Shpiez 12m 34s
The Trash Man. USA Milan Smith 9m 30s
A Tree Once Grew Here USA Johnnie Semerad 6m 50s
All films have been considered for an award in the category which most closely relates to their content. The categories are:Drama, Made in Wales, Experimental, Animation, Cinematography, Documentary, Music, Environmental, Directors’ choice of Best Film in the Festival. Winners will receive a certificate and an ‘ATIFF’ -rarer than an Oscar, but not quite so heavy. Awards will be made at suitable intervals throughout the festival. Films which have been contributed by Attic members are ineligible for awards and are listed [n.i.c]: not in competition.
Acknowledgements:
Our thanks go as usual to our friends Jill and Lenshina at ‘Fair and Fabulous’ for again providing Attic with an event ticketing service. Please see the advertisement for their shop elsewhere in this brochure.
To all our friends and colleagues at Attic theatre, who have provided the practical and moral support required to nurture this project to fruition; many of whom will be assisting as ‘front of house staff’ throughout the event. Thank you guys; we couldn’t have done it without you.
ATIFF Awards designed and produced by Martyn Buck. Plinths provided by Steve Thompson. Special thanks go to the phenomenal Nigel Evans; director of the Cynon Valley Film Festival for his inspirational support and guidance throughout the whole process.
