IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Sadly I will not make it to BIAFF this year as we have three conflicting events demanding our presence at that time. However, we will be over in September.

ned c

Try as I might, I cannot find a way to attend this year. To all of you who are going, I wish you a very enjoyable BIAFF 2016 and I expect a full report here (the unofficial one with the scandals, disagreements and humourous incidents)

Sorry we will miss you, Tim.

I understand that the Cairns Hotel has been fully booked for some time and that there are no more places left for the Gala Dinner. What happened to the notion that festival audiences were diminishing?

You will not be the only friend who is missing this weekend. Not everyone is free to travel when they wish and for some the trip to Harrogate is just too much. But I am happy to know that some film making friends will be travelling from France and Belgium to attend ... maybe some from other countries too.

My only perennial regret about BIAFF is that there is not enough time to chat with old friends and to make new ones. Yes, I love seeing the films, but people are important.

Dave, I leave London in a couple of hours, I hope that you can spare a few seconds to say "hello"!

Come on someone, put me out of my misery!
Which films won the Daily Mail Trophy and the Best British Entry?

Jan is probably putting up the awards at this moment ...

The Best British was SEEKING SYDNEY by Tim Jones
The Daily Mail Challenge Trophy was won by DE LOODS (THE WAREHOUSE) by Kurt Velghe from Belgium

DE LOODS will be among the BIAFF 2016 selection on the main website - probabaly this evening.

Both very fine films and in totally different styles.

Thanks Dave. I look forward to seeing them both eventually.

Just watched DE LOODS (found it on YouTube). Looked great, loved the jumping between the timelines, the acting and audio. Thought the script was OK ... all seemed a bit predictable, rather over the top and then ... the ending. Bang! Clinched it for me. A worthy winner. Congratulations to all involved

Check out many of the festival films of all ratings here:

http://www.theiac.org.uk/movies/biaff20 ... n2016.html

Thanks Dave and Jan. That's this week taken care of.

Thought some of you might like to see the words I assembled from the three judges thoughts before De Loods went onwards to the final panel.

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Some films grab you from the first scene, and De Loods is one of them. Within the first minute you can see these are totally believable actors, and the camerawork has a lightness of touch that disguises its excellence. The titles and subtitles are simple, readable and effective.

The pace is slow but that works in the film's favour. Characters are introduced and their lives shown and we know that an explanation will be forthcoming, we know it's that sort of production. The flashbacks are the first hint of what is to follow, and the sequence, 'I'm not a sissy' is beautifully handled.

The atmospheric music track holds the film together, making a lot of dialogue unnecessary. The judges all admired the smoothly controlled camerawork, and the cinematography and lighting are both admirable, both adding greatly to the tension. We realise the past has remained in all their memories for very many years; guilt on the part of the men and intended revenge on the part of the woman.

A lot relies on the actors' facial expressions and we liked it that time was not linear throughout the film. The locations are superb and the dereliction and isolation suit the plot perfectly. The ending is intentionally enigmatic: does she or doesnt she light the fuse? What happened all those years ago when the lads re-entered the warehouse? She lets the men sweat it out. Her gunshot tells them she means business but we felt her face should have shown more anger as she doused them in petrol, and we thought the camerawork should have been edgier too, to add contrast to the film's style up to that point.

But these are very small criticisms. We rated your film highly, and we congratulate you all on your success. The acting, continuity, production values and directorial control are quite outstanding.

Yep. I can go along with most of that excellent critique although the fact the camerawork did NOT become edgier worked in the films favour in my opinion by making the very end (the exchange of money) more sinister more unexpected for me.