Our very own Head of Media Studies, Sam Cullis, has been busy organising the next Barnes Film Festival (BFF), now in its sixth year and the second to be held predominantly online.
The festival started on Thursday this week, takes place over the weekend and finishes on Wednesday 23 June. Filmmakers of all ages, including school children, have been encouraged to make their own films and to enter these into the various different film category competitions: UK Short Fiction, International Short Fiction, UK Short Documentary, International Short Documentary, Animation Short, Feature Film and Feature Documentary.
A special jury comprising of filmmakers, actors and industry leaders will be judging the competition and the winners will be announced by Sam and Daniel Battsek (Director, Film 4) at 5pm on Wednesday 23 June.
A number of fantastic talks, screenings, workshops and events will be taking place over the next five days for both adults and kids interested in all elements of filmmaking ranging from screenwriting, to sound and animation.
For a full programme of events, please click the link here.
Former Harrodian pupils and actors, Will Poulter, star of Midsommar, The Revenant, The Maze Runner and We're The Millers and George Mackay, star of 1917, True History of the Ned Kelly Gang and Captain Fantastic are taking part in online Q&A sessions as part of the festival.
Lead singer of the band Bastille, Dan Smith (below) will also be be interviewed by Fearne Cotton about Distraction Tactics - an online film club which he set up during the first lockdown with London-screenwriter, Barnes Film Festival Special Events Advisor and Harrodian parent, Charlotte Bogard Macleod.
Other highlights include a number of arthouse film screenings and talks from film industry experts.
A huge thank you to all those former Harrodian pupils and current/former Harrodian parents who help to support this event.
To find out more about BFF 2021, please do visit their website by clicking here.