PROGRAMME: Saturday, September 8th 2007

The 2007/08 winter season kicked off at our new regular venue, the Komedia Brighton with the usual trademark combination of the latest UK and international shorts, cool DJ mixes and top-class eye candy from our resident VJ. From now on, all screenings take place in the Komedia's newly renovated Studio Bar, an ideal place to watch films with its comfy-style café seating, late bar and quality PA/projection system.

ANGRY MOB - Director W.I.Z - 5 mins
Brighton-based, WIZ is one of the world's top music video directors and a long-time supporter of Final Cut. His latest MV arrived in our postbag last week and features the Kaiser Chiefs performing their latest single. Superbly made as ususal, this is the only chance you'll have to see it 'live' on the big screen, where all WIZ's films should be shown as they're wasted on the box. Why isn't this guy making features?

ALRIGHT LOVE? - Directors Sarah Lloyd & Eryl Huw Phillips - 10 mins
Filmed mostly in the lady’s loo of a Welsh nightclub, this sharply-scripted comedy has great performances from its two leads playing a pair of sex-mad bisexuals out for a good time. In a lively exploration of female sexuality, this film sprays its audience with the female equivalent of testosterone.

FETCH - Director Dana Dorian - 1 min
In this clever ultra-short, Colin takes his dog to the park for a game of 'fetch', but fido has other ideas.

Winner 2006 BAFTA Scotland Best Animation and nominated for Best Animation at the 2007 Celtic Film Festival

SPINNING TOWARDS THE ABYSS - Director Helga Stromberger - 3 mins
Experimental dance film in which a woman enters an alternative dimension where everything is constantly spinning.

PORNOGRAPHIC APATHETIC - Director T. Arthur Cottam - 5 mins
From US cult rude-boy film-maker, Cottam, this hilarious and draw-droppingly rude no-sex porn film was the undisputed hit of our Festival screenings. So we've decided to show it again. Not for the easily offended.

Best Short Film, Milano Film Festival Audience Award (Experimental), Brooklyn International Film Festival Best Script, Vallecas Puerta del Cine Christopher Wetzel Award for Independent Film Comedy, Gene Siskel Film Center 10' Hotter Jury Award for Best Short Film, Valley Film Festival Special Jury Prize, Visionaria Most Effectively Offensive, Boston Underground Film Festival Finalist, USA Film Festival.

OFF BEAT - Director Will Belcher - 3 mins
Excellent Aardman animation involving biscuits, a TV and absolutely no police whatsoever (it says here).

CELLAR DWELLER - Director Rob Harrington - 4 mins
The Cellar Dwellers come upstairs for a night on the town.

SIDE EFFECT - Director Mark Fortune - 9 mins
Gritty, well-acted drama about London low-lifer, Tony Mason; a man who'll always be one of life’s losers, causing grief for his mates and feeding his addiction. One day, he pushes his luck too far.

EYES WIDE OPEN - Director Carlo Ortu - 12 mins
A documentary film crew are in the home of Liverpudlian, Dave Watson, as he prepares to travel to America to take part in the World Staring Contest in the hope of being crowned the World Staring Master. This is Dave’s only chance to achieve something in his life, but success comes at a price.

TANJU MIAZI - Director Sadik Ahmed - 13 mins
A moving and superbly filmed documentary about a young boy’s struggle for survival in India’s poverty-stricken rural interior. Our only reservation about this stunning film is that at times the photography conflicts with the message. Poverty is not beautiful, but when it exists in such beautiful surroundings and is captured so skilfully by this film’s gifted director/cinematographer, one is left with a slightly queasy feeling.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT - Director Julia Ford - 11 minutes
Superbly performed and directed costume drama set in 18th century London in which a young lady undertakes an unusual, but doomed voyage of sexual discovery masquerading as scientific study.

DEAD STAR - Director Matthew Kvasnik - 3 mins
Imaginative first-person documentary/drama about a man with an obsessive need to write. Depressed by his condition, he decides to commit suicide after penning a suicide note, but two months later is still writing it.

STRING - Director Naomi Wright - 10 mins
This fascinating short about the pursuit of happiness from a Brighton-based film-maker, opens with a harassed commuter rushing to yet another boring day at work. Looking down, he notices a length of string on the ground with a label attached, reading FOLLOW STRING FOR HAPPINESS. Instead of continuing his journey, he decides to follow the string and his life changes for ever.

Official selection, 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival

For more info about String and to view a trailer, visit www.howlongisapieceofstring.net