RENT-A-MATE wows them in Berlin

[Dave Watterson]

The Eulenspiegeleien (Funny Owl Egg) Festival in Berlin celebrates whatever makes you laugh. It is on this weekend (22-24 January 2010). Although the festival's official language is German, British films have often done well in recent years.

This time it is Nigel Barton's comedy Rent-A-Mate which came second-equal in the international section of the festival. The prizes were to include trophies molded from beeswax and honey, so goodness knows if that can be sent to him!

Rent-A-Mate and Mike Shaw's Talking Pictures - Classics have both been requested by the brand new WOFF (West-East) Festival. That takes place in former East Berlin. It grew out of a much-loved festival called "Window to the East" which helped the two halves of Germany to understand one another better. After formal reunification that became "Window Without Limits" festival dedicated to showing the best sides of every nation.

WOFF asked for those films because they had seen them in the British programme at UNICA last year. If you have a film that is under 20 minutes long and has a positive attitude to life, do send it. Their deadline is 15th February.

Finally - don't forget time is almost up if you want to enter BIAFF, Morecambe and the Festival of Nations competitions!
- Dave