 SHORT
CUTS FILM FESTIVAL 2008
Cliff Productions hosted Buckinghamshire’s
first ever Film Festival on 15th September at
the Odeon Aylesbury.
It was well attended, with over 250 people that
included members of the public, filmmakers and
local business leaders.
The festival was launched with
a networking event which over 45 local business
leaders attended. Mark Harris, Business Development
Manager from Aylesbury College said “It
was a real pleasure to be at a well-organised
and well-attended Aylesbury based event. The
networking event has enabled me to renew some
acquaintances and more importantly strike up
new ones. The nibbles were lovely too! After
networking, we were treated to a screening
of short films that were enjoyable and gave me
plenty to talk about.”
There was widespread media coverage
of the festival which helped to recognise our
festival sponsors and raise awareness of the
screenings. Coverage included:
- Radio: Mix 96, Fox FM, BBC
3 Counties Radio
- Broadcast: ITV Oxford, BBC
South
- Press: The Bucks Herald,
Bucks Free Press, Buckingham & Winslow
Advertiser, MK Citizen, MK Today, Hemel
Gazette
- Websites: Shooting People,
Screen South, MK Media Circle, IVCA, Thames Valley
Chamber of Commerce
The festival received rave reviews from many
people who attended. Fiona Price said “This
event blazed a trail for the creative arts in
Bucks; successfully delivering a great night
showcasing fantastic talent in the short film
medium. I was impressed by the originality, the
quality and the creativity. I hope the festival
will be an annual event. A great night all round!”
The festival held 3 screenings featuring the
best of new British short films, some shown at
the Cannes Film Festival. “We were thrilled
by the support we received from the public and
were encouraged by the number of tickets we sold
on the night.” Nicola Baldwin Biggs, Festival
Organiser.
The final screening showed the competition films
made by local filmmakers. With over 40 entries
the judging panel had a tough time selecting
the final 9. Darren Cliff, the Festival Director
said ‘The quality of films entered was
high. There were low/no budgets alongside big
budgets with funding attached. I was pleased
to see films submitted by both students and seasoned
filmmakers. The variety was broad too. All these
factors made the judging a difficult but interesting
task.”
A special awards ceremony closed the festival,
presented by Deputy Mayor Rajula Tacodra. Buncefield,
a powerful documentary about the Hemel Hempstead
fire disaster was awarded Best Film.
“To see my film screened in front of a
paying audience at the Odeon cinema was like
a dream come true”, Ross Domoney, the winning
filmmaker.
Short Cuts Film Festival
would not have been possible if it wasn’t
for the hard work of the festival team and
the support and generosity of sponsors which
include Aylesbury Town Council, Odeon, Screen
South, Aylesbury Vale Arts Council, Kallkwick
and Video Inn.
The Odeon in Aylesbury, was the sole venue for
the screenings and received record attendances
for a Monday evening; with the festival achieving
more guests than in any other film screening.
MP David Lidington. “The film festival
is a great initiative. I hope it becomes a regular
feature of Aylesbury’s cultural life.”
Following this massive success,
Cliff Productions are starting preparations to
make Short Cuts 2009 an even bigger event.
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