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The Triple - April 2010
Screenings can be like buses - nothing for ages, and then three come along in quick succession. And so it proved in April; Say My Name screened in Mumbai, then Rag Tag screened at the African festival in Cannes, and finally Say My Name screened in Manchester.
I wasn't able to attend the overseas screenings, but they appear to have gone well. I did, however, get to witness the Manchester screening for myself.
Kinofilm Manchester European Short Film Festival is run by a small but dedicated team who impressed me and many other filmmakers with their commitment to getting a wide range of excellent gems to an audience that doesn't often get a chance to see them.
Our BlueFire afternoon began with Kolton Lee's admirable Freestyle, a product of Film London's microwave scheme. It's always lovely to see Kolton at these things, and he was his usual charmingly candid self for all the Q&A's and panel discussions over the festival weekend. Rag Tag and Changing Faces actress Rachael Young doesn't live too far from Manchester either, so she was able to swing by for the day and help me feel right at home.
Straight after Freestyle came the shorts programme which featured Say My Name. We were in great company and I had the double pleasure of seeing the excellent 'The Park' and finally meeting its director Destiny Ekeragha. I had no idea she'd be there as the programme hadn't listed her name with the film, even though mutual friends have been telling us about each other for a while. I'm often encouraged when I meet another black female writer/director, and Destiny proved to not just be talented but really really cool. I hope other similar events throw us together soon and I'm already looking forward to her next films.
Click on picture to see the rest of the photos
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Click on picture to see the rest of the photos
The festival doesn't seem to have a typical audience member - there were students, grandparents, born and bred Mancunians, Europeans, North and South Americans - just all sorts. What they did have in common was their approachability and enthusiasm for shorts. Festival volunteer and film producer Mat Archer generously walked Kolton and I around the festival surroundings, introducing us to regulars and pointing out famous Manchester landmarks and formerly infamous venues.
Not that I spent too much time out of the cinema . I was staying with old friends Lota, Ndii and their children, who were amazing hosts but barely saw me as there were just too many tasty shorts to see. A further complication was having the festival sponsored by Mike & Ike, resulting in hundreds of packets of super E'd high sugar jelly sweets circulating inside the building, thus negating the need to go anywhere and eat. I definitely O.D'ed on them as I remain convinced one of the Oscar nominated documentary short films I saw was about real life Bunny Rabbits guarding the Berlin Wall during the cold war.
My fuzzy recollection wasn't assisted by the closing night party at Epernay Bar - a swish little champagne spot a few steps from the AMC. I'm not a beer person, but I am fond of champagne, and the Kasteel Cru champagne/sparkling beer hybrid was free and close enough to convince me to sample a bottle or two. However, I still managed to return from Manchester gushing but sober. I hope the organisers continue to get the support they need to keep that jewel of an event shining.
Adaora x
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