Monday 20 February 2012

Ffresh Festival Part 6: Ffresh Fiction Postgraduate

Another day, another batch of Ffresh Films, this time postgraduate fiction, which like undergrad fiction was quite mixed. Some great films (technically or scriptwise) and some right howlers.

Queensbury Rules - William Scothern, Nick Williams & Mark Pengelly - Newport Film School
I really liked this film about a young amateur boxer preparing for a fight. It was technically very well made, the story was engaging and the juxtaposition of him preparing for a fight and flashbacks to his life outside the ring worked really well to create a well-rounded character.

Luella and Me - Rob Howells - Newport Film School
An ice-cream man has to fight the local council to keep his van, helped by a free-spirit with a dark past. I believe this film was made with all unprofessional actors, which was quite evident, but the story was really sweet.  

Bubbles - Leyla Pope, Sara Parry Jones & Geoffrey Morgan - Newport Film School
The most technically accomplished of the films, with some really beautiful photography. The story neatly combined many threads, but I didn't feel much empathy with the characters, which would otherwise have made this an outstanding film.

Skin Deep - Torkjell Strømme, Ben Jenkins, Riccardo Bacioalupo & Ben Jenkins - Newport Film School & University of Glamorgan
Eurgh. Ok, that's a little mean. I get what they were aiming at but it didn't work. Bad acting and an overwrought script.

The Passing of Mother Prudence - Chris Marsh, Liz Chester & Chris Grindley - Trinity Saint David
I have to say I hated this film too. The judges loved it, especially the way it created a sense of fear. Apparently to make things scary everything needs to be out of focus, which just annoyed me. And the scary noises from the wardrobe were silly. And the mother's crying was so fake. And there didn't seem to be much point to it. Sorry.

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