Norwich Film Festival

Norwich Film Festival is an international film festival focusing on short films. It is based in Norwich, England, and was established in 2009. The tenth edition will be held in November 2020.[1] In 2017, the festival became a BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) Qualifying Short Film Festival[2], as well as also becoming a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Qualifying Short Film Festival in 2019[3]. It was chosen by The Metro as one of 'the top UK film festivals you need to know about.'[4]

Norwich Film Festival
StatusActive
GenreFilm festival
Date(s)November 2020
FrequencyAnnually
VenueThe Forum, Norwich
Location(s)Norwich
CountryEngland
Years active10
Inaugurated2009 (2009)
Websitewww.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk

History

2020 Film Festival

Dates: TBC

Venues: TBC

The 2020 festival will take place in November 2020, with specific details and events still to be confirmed. Short film submissions will open in January 2020.

Jury:

2019 Film Festival

4-17 November 2019

Venues: OPEN, Norwich, The Forum, Norwich, Assembly House, Theatre Royal, Norwich, Norwich University of the Arts, University of East Anglia, The Garage, Norwich.

The 2019 festival launched on 4 November 2019 with an 'In Conversation' event with British actor David Morrissey, hosted by film critic Peter Bradshaw. The 2019 festival consisted of 44 events, including 19 shorts screenings and a rare UK screening of Snowpiercer hosted by Mark Kermode to launch The Sir John Hurt Film Trust.[5] Guests throughout the festival also included Jessica Hynes, Michael Smiley, Joe Cornish, Miranda Raison and Anwen, Lady Hurt.

A total of 111 short films were selected to be screened at the festival from a total of 817 submissions, with female filmmakers directing 44% of the official selection.[6]

Jury: Stephen Fry, Neve Campbell, and Stephen Woolley.

2018 Film Festival

7-18 November 2018

Venues: OPEN, Norwich, The Forum, Norwich,

The 2018 festival kicked off with a screening of cult British classic, Shallow Grave, followed by a talk with its star, Christopher Eccleston.

Jury: Alfred Molina, double British Academy of Film and Television Arts winning sound editor Eddy Joseph, and Cannes Film Festival winning shorts producer, Gavin Humphries.

2017 Film Festival

9-19 November 2017
Venues: OPEN, Norwich, The Forum, Norwich, Assembly House

The 2017 Festival launched on 9 November with a screening of the 1984 film A Private Function followed by a Q&A with the star of the film, Michael Palin.[7]

Jury:

2016 Film Festival

Main Venue: The Forum, Norwich, 10–13 November 2016

The 2016 festival opened with a gala screening of the film Kinky Boots and was followed by a Q&A with the film's director Julian Jarrold. The screening reflected the film by taking place in an old shoe factory. The festival also gave regional premieres to two feature films - My Feral Heart, which included a Q&A with Duncan Paveling (writer/producer) and James Rumsey (producer), and Light Years, which was followed by a Q&A with its award-winning director Esther May Campbell.[8] There were six screenings of short films submitted to the festival, and the weekend closed with a screening of the 2016 BAFTA Shorts Tour, with another Q&A afterwards.[9]

Jury:

2015 Film Festival

Venue: The Forum, Norwich, 10–26 April 2015

Jury:

2014 Film Festival

Main Venue: ODEON, Norwich, 6–13 May 2014

Jury: Academy Award winning film editor Martin Walsh.[10]

2013 Film Festival

Venue: Cinema City, Norwich, 28 April-4 May 2013

Jury: Olivia Colman,[11], Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman, UEA lecturer Dr Sarah Godfrey, and the director of the 2012 Best Film (Sunny Boy), Jane Gull.[12]

2012 Film Festival

Venues: Hollywood Cinema, Norwich and The Forum, Norwich, 30 March-7 April 2012

Jury: Bernard Hill, Tim McInnerny, Juliet Stevenson, Steve Furst, and Jim Field Smith.[13]

2009 Film Festival

Venue: The Forum, Norwich, 19–21 September 2009

The festival began with a free, open air screening of the 80's film Top Gun in the gardens of Norwich Castle, followed by the regional premiere of Creation, starring Paul Bettany.[14]

Patrons and Judges

The festival has a number of patrons who support and promote the festival throughout the year. In January 2017, the festival added Julian Jarrold and Stephen Fry as new patrons.[15] The current list includes:

Previous patrons include the actor Bernard Hill.

There are a number of industry professionals who act as judges for the festival, and the list for 2017 included:

Previous judges include broadcaster Emma Freud and director Roger Michell.

Awards

The festival currently features six award categories. Winning filmmakers get a prestigious trophy, a certificate, a £1000 cash prize and software prizes. In 2020, the traditional 'Best Short Film' category was sub-divided into the new 'Best British Short Film' and 'Best International Short Film' categories.

The categories for 2020 are:

  • Best British Short Film
  • Best International Short Film
  • Best Animated Film
  • Best Student Film
  • Best Documentary Film
  • Best East Anglian Film
Year British Short Film International Short Film Short Film Animated Film Student Film Documentary Film East Anglian Film Short Screenplay Feature Film Audience Award
2019--3 SleepsDaughterSolar PlexusKamaliStalker---
2018--The Silent ChildTwo BalloonsThe GurneyGerezaSylvia---
2017--EdithTo Build A FireSweet Maddie StoneFlightThe Knackerman---
2016--A Six and Two ThreesThe PresentMary No MoreThe Journey of a Stateless Man---Above The Fold
2015--One-Minute Time MachineThe Bigger PictureRise--The Disappeared-Mr Plastimime
2014--The HummingbirdThe Gravedigger's TaleUltramarine--Edit Facility--
2013--82I Am Tom MoodyCallum-----
2012--Sunny BoyThis Is Not RealLove After SunriseDilli----
2009--Ana's PlaygroundO Pintor de CeosHeartstringsRunning to the Limits--Zig Zag Love-

References
  1. Festival, Norwich Film (17 November 2019). "And cut! Norwich Film Festival 2019 may be over, but mark your calendars because we'll be back again next year for #NFF2020 with more exciting events! Submissions open January 2020 - see you then!pic.twitter.com/0rbQiIcKtH". @norwichfilmfest. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  2. "BIFA Qualifying Short Film Festivals" (PDF).
  3. "BAFTA QUALIFYING SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - Norwich Film Festival". Norwich Film Festival. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  4. Metro.co.uk, Jimmy Nsubuga for (28 May 2016). "The top UK film festivals you need to know about".
  5. Mantell, Rowan. "Sir John Hurt continues to inspire great cinema in Norfolk". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  6. "NFF2019 SHORTS: THIS YEAR'S OFFICIAL SELECTION". Norwich Film Festival. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  7. "Monty Python star Michael Palin to launch Norwich Film Festival at OPEN Norwich".
  8. "Light Years from BAFTA winner Esther May Campbell gets limited UK cinema screenings - Film News - Crash Landed".
  9. Parkin, Simon. "Norwich Film Festival flickers into life".
  10. Russell, Sam. "Norwich Film Festival 2014 counts V For Vendetta editor among its judging panel".
  11. FREEZER, By DAVID. "TV star revisits Norfolk roots for Norwich Film Festival".
  12. Freezer, David. "Radio One DJ and UEA lecturer to judge Norwich Film Festival in 2013".
  13. "NFF2012: Interview with Bernard Hill - TAKE ONE - TakeOneCFF.com -".
  14. "BBC - Norfolk - Norwich gets new film festival". 17 September 2009.
  15. "Stephen Fry becomes patron of Norwich Film Festival".
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