★ Directed by #LP Written by #EllenRapoport Starring #NasimPedrad, #AnnaCamp, #LamorneMorris Film Review by Lawrence Bennie The team behind Desperados should have shopped around for a better title for this lowbrow Netflix comedy. Not only has “Desperado” been used ample times already on the big and small screen, but the debut feature of Lauren Palmigiano (LP) is unintentionally a desperate, and unsuccessful, play for laughs. Filter-free Wesley (Nasim Pedrad) sends a venomous email to dream lover Jerard (Robbie Amell) when he seemingly cuts contact after they spend a night together. However, when Jerard gets in touch to explain that he’s been involved in a serious accident in Mexico, Wesley sets off with her best friends (Sarah Burns and Anna Camp) to retrieve Jerard’s laptop before he reads the fateful message. With such a ridiculous concept, and huge plot holes, Desperados slumps at the outset and never recovers. Why doesn’t Wesley just explain to Jerard that she sent him the email because she genuinely thought he ditched her? Given that she hadn’t heard from him for 5 days, there’s a chance he’d understand. As his girlfriend, wouldn’t it be more logical for Wesley to access Jerard’s computer by going to Mexico and actually spending time with him, rather than breaking into his hotel room? Couldn’t Jerard have just called the hotel and explained who Wesley is, hence why she is needing to get into his room? Considering that he's bed-ridden in hospital, fresh out of a coma, he’s unlikely to be checking his emails anytime soon anyway. And, surely, recalling the message in the first place might have worked too but the option never occurs to hapless Wesley and friends. When the smitten Wesley cries "What more do I want?", as she boasts about her new conquest, the answer is all too clear to the audience. It’s not Jerard. It’s a better script. As Wesley, Nadim Pedrad is oddly cute, even if she’s a largely unsympathetic character. Though she offers some charisma, Pedrad is left trudging through bottom-drawer material here and she should be doing a lot better elsewhere. Burns and Camp come off even worse. Together, the trio are shallow, sex-obsessed and unfunny but Pedrad somehow at least makes Wesley a little likeable, even if her talent is largely misdirected. The same though cannot be said about her companions. Besides the inviting Mexican-set cinematography, there’s no highs in Desperados. Just a sad series of lows. Wesley becomes the crush of a young boy (leading to a series of inappropriate gags), she’s humped by a dolphin and an uncomfortable-looking Heather Graham plays a meditation guru who ends up having lesbian sex with Camp’s character. How Graham has come to be involved in this misfire is probably the biggest question hanging over the film. At 105 minutes, LP's would-be-comedy is also, unfortunately, overlong; a 15 minute trimming should have cut out some of the lame gags. When the movie drops the pratfalls and gross-out humour in the final reel, it becomes a little more tolerable. But it’s too little, too late. After all the fuss, things turn out not to be such a big deal after all and, predictably, Wesley ends up with someone else (viewers won’t be surprised as to who that is either). If you want an absolutely no-brainer comedy, Desperados is waiting for you. Otherwise, Netflix fanatics would do well to keep browsing and find some genuine chuckles elsewhere. #LawrenceBennie

★★★★ Directed by #NatalieErikaJames Written by #NatalieErikaJames and #ChristianWhite Starring #EmilyMortimer #RobynNevin #BellaHeathcote Film Review by Hope Madden Many a film has used a building—a haunted house, for instance—to represent the mental state of a character. From Shirley Jackson to Stephen King to Daniel Kehlmann, writers have lured us into perfectly lovely structures only to hold us inside, our ugly thoughts manifesting as danger, our madness creating a labyrinthine, Escher-esque trap. Such is the case for Relic, a compassionate but clear-eyed look at a different type of hereditary horror. Edna (Robyn Nevin) has been missing for at least three days. Her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) move into Edna’s place to keep an eye out for her while local police investigate. And then, there she is, and it’s entirely likely she never even left the house. Well, that can’t be—unless there’s something seriously weird about this house. Co-writer/director Natalie Erika James keeps her metaphor right at the surface of the film. That keeps Relic from ever truly terrifying, honestly. There’s no simultaneous pull that something supernatural is afoot. But the sense of dread takes on a whole new tenor, and the film’s horror is honest as it hits on an emotional level. Nevin does an admirable job with Edna, creating a fully dimensional character, one who’s tough enough that when she becomes vulnerable, it comes as a jolt. Mortimer and Heathcote strike a believable love/disappointment/blame balance and the emotional tug of war among the three women rings sadly true. There’s not a lot of depth to this story. Relic isn’t hiding its themes—there are no subplots or red herrings, and the a-ha moments that allow Sam and Kay to piece together the mystery of Gram’s troubles feel almost perfunctory. But James doesn’t shy away from the ugliness, guilt, anger or grief that fuel relationships tied up in this particularly painful genealogical horror. With its evocative analogy, Relic shows us what we are really afraid of, and it isn’t ghosts. #HopeMadden

Rome, July 8th, 2020 - The Academy Award® winning Paolo Sorrentino will write and direct The Hand of God for Netflix. Produced by Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle company, and Paolo Sorrentino, the film will be produced in Naples, Italy. “I’m excited at the idea of filming in Naples again exactly twenty years after my first film. The Hand of God represents for the first time in my career an intimate and personal film, a novel of formation at once light-hearted and painful. I'm delighted to partake in this adventure with producer Lorenzo Mieli, his company The Apartment and Netflix. The mutual understanding between myself and Teresa Moneo, David Kosse and Scott Stuber from Netflix on the meaning of the film was immediate and dazzling. They made me feel at home, an ideal condition, because this is precisely what this film means to me: going back home,” says Paolo Sorrentino. David Kosse, Vice President, International Original Film at Netflix added, “I’ve always been a huge fan of Paolo Sorrentino so as soon as we were presented with The Hand of God, we knew that we wanted to partner with him and Lorenzo on this project. It's an honour to work with one of the greatest filmmakers in Europe and to bring his incredible story to the world.” “Paolo is an incredible storyteller who has cemented his place on the world cinema stage. The Hand of God is a personal film that is taking him back to Naples, his hometown, and is a beautifully written story in his signature style,” said Scott Stuber, Head of Netflix Films. “To build a great film studio you need great filmmakers from every part of the world, telling stories in all languages. With the majority of our membership outside of the U.S., under David’s leadership, we’ve been growing our international film business over the past year and look forward to bringing Paolo’s story and so many others to a global audience.” Lorenzo Mieli, CEO of The Apartment, “It's always a real pleasure to work with Paolo, and this time I’m happier than ever to be producing a film with him. Whenever we embark on a new project together, I'm always surprised by Paolo's ability to reshuffle the cards and approach things from a new angle. His ability to look steadfastly ahead has enabled us to forge the perfect partnership with Netflix - the undisputed protagonists of innovation - so we can embark on this exciting new journey together.”

★★★★ Directed by: Joe Beverley, Samuel Hurlock Written by: Liam Wilson Starring: Jack Doolan, Harry Sherriff, Donna Preston Film Review by: Jason Knight The title of this short film might make the viewer think of This is England, the 2006 British film about skinheads and racism. Apart from the title, these two films have other similarities, primarily because they are about a particular group of individuals who go against a certain type of people. However This is English is not brutal or dramatic. On the contrary, it is rather funny and enjoyable. The film begins with a montage of shots of people who appear to be foreigners and therefore would probably have limited english, while a male voice-over explains that he has had enough of them. While at first it is implied that the narrator, Clive (Jack Doolan) dislikes foreigners, it is then revealed that he dislikes anyone who uses wrong English, whether is it misspelling, wrong pronunciation or wrong grammar. And he has formed a group who meat at a pub every week in order to discuss their ideas. The group consists of individuals who are portrayed as pathetic idiots with anger management issues and are willing to use violence against anyone who utilises faulty English. The screenplay is filled with very clever humour that evolves around people's faulty English. For instance, in one scene the group rush to a fish and chips shop because there has been a catastrophe, which for them means that someone has misplaced an apostrophe. They find out that the owner has put up a sign that reads ''SAMS FISH AND CHIP'S'' and have a go at him. Liam Wilson has done a great job in creating humour of that nature throughout the film. The film is shot like a documentary. It begins with words announcing that in 2018 they were given permission to film an ''underground organisation that was seeking political retribution''. And the characters in the film often look and speak directly into the camera. A clever technique worth mentioning is the use of the Scrabble board game. The filmmakers use its board and tiles in order to spell out the title of the film at the beginning. And during the closing credits, the camera pans down a close up of a Scrabble board, with the tiles spelling out the names of the filmmakers and cast, while the song ''This is English'' by Mummy is heard. It is a brilliant sequence that wraps up the film perfectly. This is English can be categorized as a satirical view on discrimination. It portrays the members of the group as delusional with no idea what their purpose really is. It is an entertaining experience, very likely to cause a great deal of laugther. #JasonKnight

★★★ Written & Directed by: #JohnReign Starring: #JohnReign, #DawnaLeeHeising, #TomStoops, #AkiAleong Indie Film Review by Taryll Baker Finding Purpose: The Road to Redemption is the story of John Kayhill, a U.S. Army veteran of the Bosnian War, who is trying to overcome the effects of the PTSD he suffered. Opening with a serious and dark tone, showing the severe effects of PTSD, John Reign’s new film proves right off the bat that he’s in it for the heart. A scary and mysteriously captured introduction to a troubled U.S. veteran, followed by a shift in tone after the opening credits, Finding Purpose: The Road to Redemption finds its steady footing fairly quickly. Although some of the acting from featured extras is lacking, the main cast is fairly strong in delivery. Some spotted moments in the script can make scenes falter a little, but for the most part, this is a very strong and personal story. John sets off on a journey for redemption after hearing some terrible news, and takes his small family along for the ride. Plenty of charming, funny and touching scenes are skilfully weaved between the more dramatic beats. Dawna Lee Heising, Tom Stoops and Aki Aleong are all delights to watch within their textured characters. On a more technical level, Finding Purpose: The Road to Redemption brushes between film and documentary styles, with its focus on character moments rather than the bigger picture. It feels quite intimate in its approach and becomes a better film due to this. One thing that did bother me a slight amount, was the use of music in certain scenes that perhaps would work better without. I’d much rather feel raw emotion than have it forced upon me by music evoking too much feeling, but there are times where it works well. The dialogue level is inconsistent, at times becoming difficult to make out what some characters are saying, or on the other hand, too loud. To backtrack beyond this, I must mention how fulfilling the film is. It’s inspiring, and though some things happen a little conveniently, it’s a succesful depiction of struggle and finding your way back through pain, to land on some form of happiness. The actors put in the work, and the writing and direction from John Reign is quite impressive. The final quarter is handled with a ton of care and, with very warm performances from John and the cast, it’s a fitting and emotionally satisfying end. Finding Purpose: The Road to Redemption is a fun and heartwarming film, balancing the two almost flawlessly. Watch the trailer for Finding Purpose: The Road to Redemption below. #TaryllBaker

★★★ Directed by #JeffreyABrown Written by #JeffreyABrown Starring #LianaLiberato #NoahLeGros #JakeWeber Film Review by Hope Madden An entitled young man and his put upon girlfriend head to his parents’ unused beach house to work some things out. They’re not alone, and I don’t just mean the lovely older couple who’d already made plans to borrow the vacation home. Writer/director Jeffrey A. Brown sets up a situation that could go a lot of horrifying ways. He builds expectations and it’s up to you to wait and see which ones the film decides to indulge. The path Brown takes meshes terror and science fiction, beauty and body horror. Noah Le Gros’s Randall is burdened with the privilege of always being wrong, of always making a mess for others to clean up, of always getting away with a sad-eyed apology but never, ever thinking that maybe he shouldn’t be the one making the decisions. Le Gros does an excellent job with the role – Randall isn’t contemptible, he’s just born this way. Emily (Liana Liberato) is about to start work on an advanced degree in astrochemistry. Lucky thing, that—one of several conveniences The Beach House needs you to accept. But this budget-conscious indie is worth a little suspension of disbelief because, between the performances and the commitment to genre, it delivers a satisfying thrill. Maryann Nagel provides a fine performance as Jane, the unsuspecting family friend already vacationing at Randall’s parents’ place. Her arc is terrifying because the performance is so compassionate. Likewise, genre favorite Jake Weber offers a heartbreaking turn as Jane’s beloved Mitch, a look-on-the-bright-side kind of guy who is quickly running out of sunshine. At just about the time Brown digs in with some nasty body horror, he also starts to squander some of the good will he earned in the film’s early going. The action and anxiety of the last half of the picture rely too heavily on trope: a surprise in the basement, a conveniently placed CB, a timely announcement over an AM radio station. But Brown and Liberato remain true to Emily’s arc, and that creates an intriguing new look at planetary evolution. #HopeMadden

★★ Directed by #CatherineDelaloye #JoePardavila Starring: #CharlyBivona #CatherineDelaloye #ChloeFarnworth #AlinaCarson #MarianneNoscheze Film review by Nathanial Eker If there are two things that I'll never understand the fascination with, it's social media and the occult. Therefore, The Witches of Bushwick - a horror short that aims to satire both - is a tad out of my comfort zone. A little digging reveals that the film is based on a new Instagram sub-culture focused on all things witchy, suitably titled #WitchesofInstagram. This interesting rabbit hole is primed for a parodic short, stuffed full of witty jibes at the modern world's obsession with virtual content as well as the current trend of making a business out of any fad. Unfortunately for The Witches of Bushwick, it lacks the razor sharp writing and strong performances to be anywhere near the biting social satire it wants to be. Margaret is the newest recruit into a coven of modern witches who have used their occult fascinations to create a powerful fandom in the lucrative world of social media influencers. They sell crystals, endorse products, and leave cheery messages that hilariously juxtapose their morbid interests. However, something doesn't seem right with Margaret. At her induction ceremony, things literally go to hell as the witchy influencers are forced to deal with real supernatural threats. The Witches of Bushwick undeniably boasts a novel concept. Pitting the increasingly terrifying influence of vloggers alongside archaic fears of the supernatural is a clever twist that blends modern and ancient commentary and iconography. Regrettably, the script's execution is far scrappier and poorly paced, letting down what had the potential to be a hammy-yet-intelligent horror jaunt in the same vein as Ready or Not. In terms of satire, all we get is lip service to the fact that 'witching' has become a business, as well as a hastily slapped on vengeance plot that is more tiresome than it is amusing or intense. Effective horror is a magic that the film has yet to master, mostly due to the script offering no tension whatsoever. An atmosphere of sorts is established through the isolated setting and well-implemented score, but we never get a real sense of threat until it's right up in our face with three minutes left of the film. A healthy amount of foreshadowing could've really helped, particularly when (spoilers) the witches meet their demise; a sequence that could've delivered poetic irony in spades. The cast do little to save the picture and while they certainly look the part, they are largely as wooden as a vampire's stake. Director - writer - actor Catherine Delaloye is serviceable as Margaret but lacks the appropriate menace to make us believe that she's a 'real' witch as she's mostly snarky, not sinister. The other witches have a tough time trying to carry the hastily introduced emotional weight of the final five minutes, though it's difficult to defend their reactions to the horrific events, which range from mild irritation to pantomimic terror. Chloe Farnworth gives a decent 'final girl' turn as cult-leader Anika, though her unfocused dialect is as distracting as it is ever-changing. However, as a satire of social media influencers, the cartoonish performances work surprisingly well, as their absurd reactions and hyperbolic vernacular does effectively parody the stereotypical vlogger persona. Credit must also be given to the film's mise-en-scene which is undeniably excellent, and could easily be mistaken for an episode of American Horror Story. The 'beast' too, while clearly a man in a suit, is paired with chilling sound effects and is obscured enough to become the film's most frightening element. Had it been properly utilised to deliver genuine scares, this occult creeper could've made quite the frightening foe. Simply put, The Witches of Bushwick is a disappointment. A well-developed satire of a niche social media trend (as well as the absurdities of influencers in general), could've been funny and horrifying in equal measure. As is, the characters are too bland to get behind, due to poor writing and dull performances in equal measure. The film's narrative is also too top-heavy to be properly impactful, despite providing a fun subversion of generic horror movie plots in principle. With that said, The Witches of Bushwick does boast an unnerving soundtrack, stunning scenery, and an impressive mise-en-scene, particularly with regards to its demonic creature costume. With another few drafts and tighter direction, The Witches of Bushwick could've been a solid pasticcio of all things 'Instagramable' and occult. As is, it's a watchable short, with a few enjoyable moments but a sloppy execution. #NathanialEker

★★★★★ Directed by: #GiovanniSoletta Starring: #BrunoPetretto Film Review by: Darren Tilby Videoart-documentaries are a somewhat recent revelation for me, one I’ve often found disappointing. On the one hand, it’s a fantastic opportunity for the filmmaker to get into the artist’s head; to visually and/or audibly express the power and emotional impact of the subject’s artistry. But on the other hand, it’s remarkably easy to come across as pompous, or misjudge or misrepresent an artist’s intention - art is subjective, after all. And, unfortunately, I’ve seen more bad examples than good ones. Director Giovanni Soletta thoroughly bucks that trend with this stunning piece, showcasing the works of one Bruno Petretto and the natural beauty that inspired them, in this magnificent homage to all things nature. Petretto is a Sardinian artist/farmer living in Molineddu, who has, since the 70s, created works of art using all-natural materials sourced from his home. Set to a backdrop of pure melodic ambience and beautiful scenic photography (Soletta finds beauty everywhere, as stunning vistas are interspersed with astonishing extreme close-ups, perfectly encompassing the spirit of Petretto’s art), he guides us through his method. Petretto’s story, while interesting (there’s no bombardment of pointless information here, despite the film’s hefty 52-minutes runtime), does flutter around a little. The movie is, for all intents and purposes, chaptered. But there are times, from chapter to chapter, when we jump back and forth by decades. It causes a bit of a disconnect and can, on occasion anyway, make it a little hard to follow. Alleviating this, however, is the marvellous breaks in-between dialogue; the reflection time, as I like to call it. For around every five-minutes of talking, there are two or three of nothing except video and audio took around Molineddu. While these relatively large gaps between Petretto speaking may not work for everyone, I really enjoyed them. These reflection periods allowed me to appreciate the art and unrefined beauty that inspired it and gave me an insight into the artist I would never have had otherwise. Indeed, it flawlessly compliments Petretto’s artistic workings and intent. It’s clear that Soletta has a considerable amount of love and respect for the artist’s work, and it’s great to see that reflected in a movie which is itself, a fantastically creative endeavour. In no way was I disappointed with Vegetable Skin. An Interview. There are issues here and there (as there always is with any film), but the fact is they’re minor quibbles that don’t negatively impact on the movie, at least not in any meaningful way. Vegetable Skin. An Interview is both a lovely piece of filmmaking and a stunning work of art which – other than rekindling my interest in the subgenre – kept me engaged with its unique premise, interesting story and fascinating works of creative art.

★ Directed by: #Rhys McCubin Written by: #Rhys McCubin Starring: #Stephen Carr #Philipa Barrow Film Review by: Joshua Calladine First, a confession: this is a very difficult film to review. There is narrative present, but it is largely without any significant context. A young man (played by Stephen Carr), evidently at his twenty-first birthday party, makes his way around the room, greeting various guests and friends, shaking hands, hugging, saying hello, always with a blank, slightly pained expression. He finally greets a woman who appears to be a relative, likely his mother (played by Philipa Barrow) hands her a note that reads 'Mum xx' and through some dizzy editing overlays that give the expected emotional disturbance in the scene, the frame cuts to the same party, but this time the guests present are all dressed in black. His mother walks through them, holding the note, and then the film cuts to its public service announcement: suicide is an epidemic among young men in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with worrying rates of incidence. This message is, of course, true. It is, of course, valuable. It must, of course, be heard. Even the editing twist that reveals itself at the end is effective. But none of this equates to a film, in the fullest sense of a film, with all of its parts. The soundtrack is cloying, distracting from the emotional complexities of the situation, a breathy and sentimental acoustic song. Maybe this would be effective if the subject at hand was not of such huge gravity. But the sad song carries most of the burden here. Watching the film on mute is a comparatively flat experience, if slightly moving and perplexing in its silence. Suicide is not (or should not be) a taboo or off-limits subject for any mature film-maker. Here it feels abstract, unreal, an adolescent idea. The character of suicide comes with a whole narrative tradition of stock ideas: that quiet discomfort and awkwardness are expressive of inner pain, that no one can see it when it is about to happen. These things are often sadly true, and it is a shame that the film-maker did not try harder to deviate from these ready-made images and create something that challenged the viewer's preconceptions of these ideas. But then it is perhaps digging too deep to make these criticisms. Overall, the film is very effective as a TV spot or advert. This puts it at an unfair disadvantage when reviewed as a short film. At only three-minutes long and with obvious similarities to a music-video, it is better suited to the medium of a general public service announcement, than a cinematic work in its own right.

★★ Directed by: #RubénGiuliani Written by: #RubénGiuliani Starring: #AaryanAmbegaonkar, #OliverBuckingham, #JuliusJackson Film Review by: Alexander Erting-Haynes Cherry is a short film set in Cambridgeshire, England in 1930. It tells the story of Will, a writer from America who has recently enjoyed success thanks to his debut novel. As a result of this, his expertise has been requested by Dr Drummond, a wealthy English gentleman, who wants Will to write his biography. The audience meets these characters as they sit side by side on a bench. Will is facing severe writers' block so Drummond approaches with cognac to try to grease up the creative cogs. The film comes in at just over eight minutes and five of these are spent with these characters as they sit and talk about Drummond's life and the process of writing. Due to the static nature of the film, the script is one of the most important factors and fortunately, for the most part, it works well. Where Will is lacking in charisma, often stumbling over his short non-responses, Drummond is eccentric and watchable. His dialogue is confidently written and his musings sometimes come detached, making for engaging viewing. The main issue here is that it's so one-sided, meaning this interesting character has nobody to bounce off of and instead the conversation ends up falling a little flat. On top of this, the performances at the heart of the piece aren't altogether believable. Aaryan Ambegaonkar, playing Will, is never given much of a chance to inhabit the character. Instead, he is left almost exclusively with 'ums' and 'ahs' and when he does speak full sentences, his American accent is inconsistent. Oliver Buckingham, on the other hand, who portrays Drummond, fluctuates in his performance. At times he sells it completely, nailing the whimsical, mysterious gentleman, but at others his acting is stiff and unnatural. Without spoiling too much, the film does take a left turn in its second half and this is where it begins to form more of an identity of its own. As the cognac sinks in, almost certainly having been laced with something, visions begin to appear to Will of a dancing man who performs to Drummond's trumpet playing. It's a refreshing and invigorating beat that brings to mind the works of David Lynch, albeit on a much smaller budget. While this does help to create a more alluring work, it is still important to question the importance of this stylistic choice in relation to the narrative or message of the piece and ultimately, there does seem to be something of a disconnect. All of this being said, the film is shot very nicely. The setting is enough to serve the plot while also providing a pleasant backdrop to the action. The opening shots, in particular, are beautiful as we see Will walking down country lanes in beaming sunshine. However, there are some glaring continuity errors throughout, such as a long shot having been shot in the middle of the day that switches to a close-up that was clearly shot separately in the evening. It's little things like this that serve to detract from the overall pleasing aesthetic of the movie. Rubén Giuliani, who wrote and directed Cherry, clearly had a vision going into the project. The shots are often beautiful, the script has sparks of genuine magnetism and the surreal slant is refreshing. If just a little more work was put into each of these areas - a focus on continuity, a more engaging straight man and more of a reason for the absurdist turn - then this could have resulted in a special film. As is, it's an interesting watch that's rough around the edges. #AlexanderErtingHaynes

Organisers celebrate record number of entries for 2020. A record number of entries, over 400 in total, have been submitted for the 2020 High Peak Independent Film Festival. The entries have come from all over the world with over 35 countries represented including US, Canada, Russia, Australia, France and Spain. COVID-19 saw organisers put the date of the Derbyshire-based Festival back to the autumn and they have been delighted by the response and support from filmmakers. Festival Director Nicole Pott said: “Lockdown has presented challenges but also opportunities as this festival looks set to be the best yet. I am so pleased we have been able to ensure filmmakers continue to have the chance to showcase their work across and have been stunned by the quality of work submitted. It is going to make selecting those to be screened during the Festival a difficult job.” A team of five are now reviewing each and every entry - watching over 100 hours of film. They will then come together to choose a programme of films, curated and managed by Nicholas Bimson. The successful filmmakers will be notified on 31 July about which films make it through to the Festival being held at the beautiful New Mills Art Theatre, from 23 to 25 October. A jury made up of industry experts including film reviewers, producers and writers will then select the award nominees in the various categories with the winners announced at the prestigious red-carpet awards gala on the final night of the festival. The event will also feature networking and industry talks as well as the return of the 10 hour Filmmaking Challenge. “We are continually working to expand the festival and will be bringing even more events and films, so watch this space.” said Nicole. The latest information about the festival is available at www.highpeakindie.com. You can also keep up to date with the latest news about the Festival on social media.

★★★ Stars Directed by: #JoshTurner Written by: #JoshTurner Starring: #CarlosBrum, #SrinivasaraoDoppalapudi, #JohnHerring, #SarahSirard Film Review by: Alicia Moore Bestattungsinstitut depicts Arthur (Carlos Brum) reflecting on summer memories that he holds close to his heart. Although he had no idea during his experiences in that present situation, that specific summer would be a life-changing time. Meanwhile, something unusual is happening to Arthur but he cannot figure out why everything seems different now. Despite not having any solid knowledge of this change’s cause, he has a suspicion that Mr. Hunt (John Herring) may have a hand in it all. This short film is incredibly creative and carries interesting artistic features. However, the timeline itself is quite confusing and muddled. There isn’t much noticeable flow between the many scenes that are stitched together to create this film, almost as if the wrong colour of thread has been used to stitch the scenes; a colour that doesn’t partially match the cloth. The type of flow and connection that the scenes attempt to create is quite intriguing and does match the plot’s elaborate content – the film succeeds in that sense, but the overall timeline and meaning within the plot is lost to the wrong stitching in the final product. The acting shown is somewhat stiff and doesn’t present much characterisation, but the actors involved do put forward a good performance as a collective group. The cast work well together, feeding off of each other’s emotions and actions; I was pleasantly impressed by the abilities of the cast to pair together in this subtle way. Despite any negative criticism that I can give, the script is delivered with vibrancy and is applied by the actors very well within each scene that they stand in. One of my favourite factors of this short film is the music, composed by Raymond Norman. The music provides the perfect ambience throughout the film, brilliantly pairing with the context of the script itself. Each track adds to the mysterious element of the film as well as adding more depth to the writing that is being voiced. Without this specific pattern of sound, the short would definitely not possess the same existing sense of suspense that it does when audience members are placed in front of the final picture produced. Overall, this short film’s highest quality aspect is the writing, by Josh Turner. Sophisticated dialogue is presented to the audience with beautiful, almost poetic forms of speech. The best moments to watch are the short monologues included at certain points in the film by prominent characters within the plot. Each line is packed with intoxicating and insightful language; words that truly pierce one’s mind. Turner obviously seems to have a brilliant mind in association with writing and filmmaking in general; he has a lot of colourful ideas, working visually and with striking artistry – in regards to his position in writing as well as directing. It is difficult to bring a story stored in a mind to life with commendable value but Josh Turner brought his writing into the world with praise-worthy energy. Despite the components that bring Bestattungsinstitut down a few levels, it is still an immersive and fascinating short film with a dedicated cast and crew.