Norwich Film Festival 2022 Official Programme

Welcome!

The Norwich Film Festival is back with another hybrid approach to film screenings.

We’re so thrilled to be able to offer a full programme of in-person events, but the continuing popularity of our online platform means we will be able to reach many more people than ever with this amazing collection of films.

The submissions we received this year blew our mind, and we can’t wait to share them with you!

Our Team

Zoë Blacklock

Behind the scenes

Martha Crass

Siobhan

Patricio Soto-Aguilar, Andrea Lee Campbell,

Martha Crass, Sofi W, Michael Peers, Kellen Playford, Dean Marriott,

William

Thomas Alexander Duggan, Pérola Pedro, Michelle

Hollows,

Malcolm, Anasua Sarkar Roy, Oscar

Zhang, Sheena Macdonald,

Gould,

Micha, Sava Radulovic, Juliet Sen

Katherine Anderson, Nathan Shipley, Jasmine Bernard-Brooks,

Andrea

Charlie Hunt, James Fletcher, Abi Mitchell,

Richard

Alicia Morgan,

David Auckland, Mark Waters, Nathasha Orlando

Adam Turner, Daniel Frumento, Thomas Chakrabarti, Dawn Stock,

Manca di Villahermosa, Jacky Liu, Lidia Bieniarz,

Watch the Festival online!

Our hybrid festival approach means that audiences can watch films in person with their friends, but also online in the safety and comfort of their own home.

Each film strand will go live online the day after they are screened in our venues, and will remain online until the end of the month, so if you can’t make it into Norwich this year there is no reason for you to miss out!

The online festival will also include a few additional little bonuses, such a filmmaker introductions, Q&As, and behind the scenes footage. We have also asked all our filmmakers to provide subtitle tracks (in multiple languages) for those with difficulty hearing. Bonus material and subtitles are provided by filmmakers where available and as such will not be attached to every film we screen. Full details online.

find everything you need to know about our online festival,

film

and film

at:

Online

Full Festival Pass:

Films Pass:

Strands:

Films:

FAQs /ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL

Where do I purchase film tickets from?

All tickets for the online festival can be purchased from watch.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk.

What’s included in the different type of film passes? Film strands consist of between 4 and 9 short films based around a similar theme or style (such as Documentary or Comedy) and are just £3. You can buy a pass of just the 24 nominated films for £7.50 or the full festival pass, which will contain over 130 films for only £15.

Is NFF2022 restricted to just the UK?

Not completely. Some of our films have been restricted to the UK for licencing reasons, but we have created a special collection called the Global Audience Pass which is available to audiences outside the UK. More details on page 57.

Are film screenings on a certain date or time?

Film strands will be available to watch online the day after they are screened in physical venues.

Do all films have subtitles or closed-captions?

All subtitles and captions are provided by filmmakers, not NFF. We do press filmmakers to include these, in multiple languages, but ultimately, the choice belongs to the filmmaker. As a reference, in 2021 over 80% of films had subtitles or captions.

Are all films available for the whole durations?

A handful of films are not available online, and a select few are only available for a short period of time. Please check online for more.

A full list of FAQs can be found on our website.

Festival Statistics

Thanks to all the hard work of all our incredible staff, the Norwich Film Festival continues to be one of the fastest growing film festivals in the UK.

The festival is BAFTA and BIFA qualifying, and has garnered a reputation of showcasing some of the best short films from around the globe.

This year we received a record number of submissions from all over the world, including submissions from 76 different countries!

We’ve watched submissions from the USA, Indonesia, Belarus, New Zealand, Estonia, Japan, Germany, Korea, Mexio, Iran, and dozens more.

Our Jury

Every film that gets sent to us is watched by at least five members of our Online Screening Committee, which has over 200 members. Once those scores are in, our Executive Team rewatches the highest rated films to narrow down the list and to finalise our Official Selection. They also choose which films get nominated and sent to our Jury of industry professionals.

Every year we hand pick a host of incredible artists from a range of backgrounds and ask them to watch our nominated films, and to select their favourites. They score each film they watch within a category and once collated, the film with the most points is crowned the winner. This year our fantastic jury consists of:

Nat Luurtsema

BAFTA nominated writer, director, actor, and author.

Greg Sorvig

Artistic director of Heartland Film and Oscar qualifying Indy Shorts.

Dionne Farrell Head of Development at B-Side productions.

Jinko Gotoh BAFTA winning and Oscar nominated producer and animation consultant.

Ida Melum BAFTA, BIFA, and Annie nominated animation director.

Crispin Buxton Locations Manager and Producer and Head of Norfolk Film Company.

Chris Rankin Performer, director, producer, and actor.

Victoria Emslie Actor, and Founder of Primetime Network.

Christine Lalla TV and film director, Berlinale talent, and member of ICFC.

This year’s launch party has been kindly sponsored by Production Bureau and will be held at the Writer’s Centre, Norwich.

Official Selection

((O))

Joanna Żybul, Poland, 1min

+963

Daood Alabdulaa, Germany, 10min

A DIFFERENT PLACE

Sophie Black, UK, 14min

A DRIFTING UP

Jacob Lee, UK, 10min

A GOAT’S SPELL

Gerhard Funk, Germany, 9min

ACTION

Benoît Monney, Switzerland, 6min

AIR

Brian Wilcox, USA, 10min

AN EVENING WITH TAGLIONI

Jessica Wright, Morgann Runacre-Temple, UK, 14min

AN INIVITATION

Yeung Tung, Hao Zhao, China, 13min

AN IRISH GOODBYE

Tom Berkeley, Ross White, UK, 23min

AS I LIVE AND BREATHE

William Hearle, UK, 14min

AUGUST

Jonathan Berlin, Germany, 20min

BACKFLIP

NIkita Diakur, Germany, 13min

BALLET & I

Jonny White, UK, 3min

BEWARE OF TRAINS

Emma Calder, UK, 13min

BIBIMBAP FOR ONE

Ella Greenwood, UK, 16min

BIG EARS

Sam Baron, UK, 13min

BLACK PETER

Daniel Rands, UK, 9min

BLEEP

Ben S. Hyland, UK, 8min

BLOOD RITES

Helena Coan, UK, 19min

BLUE

Robert Petrie, USA, 7min

BLUE NOTE

Pavel Andonov, Finland, 22min

BONA VACANTIA

Shezah Salam, UK, 18min

BURN ON ARRIVAL

Owen Gower, UK, 19min

BUS GIRL

Jessica Henwick, USA, 11min

CALM, ORDINARY

Claudia Paterson, UK, 12min

CANDY

Sarah Grant, UK, 14min

CATERPILLAR

Marcus Anthony Thomas, UK, 21min

CHECKPOINT

Jana Kattan, UK, 6min

CRUISE

Sam Rudykoff, Canada, 7min

CURIOSA

Tessa Moult-Milewska, UK, 10min

DAYLIGHT RULES

Alex Browning, UK, 14min

DAYS WITHOUT

Ívar Yeoman, Portugal, 15min

DELOPING

Jon Olav Stokke, UK, 7min

DESMOND’S NOT HERE ANYMORE

Mmabatho Montsho, USA, 16min

DOWN Guy Harvey, UK, 6min

DREAM BIG

Pip Swallow, UK, 12min

EDI

Jan Vrhovnik, UK, 14min

FIELD TRIP

Soren Bendt, Paul Arion, UK, 21min

FIREWORKS

Paul Franklin, UK, 15min

GAGGING FOR IT

Hugo Docking, UK, 1min

GHOST PONDS

Amanda Sosnowski, UK, 12min

GOODNIGHT HENRY

Isher Sahota, UK, 12min

GRUMP IN THE NIGHT

Kris Theorin, USA, 5min

HEART FAILURE

Will Wightman, UK, 10min

HEART OF GOLD

Simon Filliot, France, 13min

HONESTY

Roxy Rezvany, UK, 9min

I GOTTA LOOK GOOD FOR THE APOCALYPSE

Ayce Kartal, France, 6min

I HAVE NO LEGS, AND I MUST RUN

Yue Li, China, 15min

IN THE UPPER ROOM

Alexander Gratzer, Austria, 8min

INCOMPATIBLE

Maxine Peake, UK, 15min

JACKDAW

Mac Nixon, UK, 17min

JAM

Crystal Leaity, UK, 11min

JULIA

Jack Donnelly, UK, 8min

LAIKA & NEMO

Jan Gadermann, Sebastian Gadow, Germany, 15min

LIMINAL SPACE

Wout Malestein, Netherlands, 15min

LUCE AND THE ROCK

Britt Raes, Belgium, 13min

MADE WITH LOVE

Calum Macdiarmid, UK, 9min

MAI JERUOM

Adjani Salmon, UK, 15min

MARS

Abel Rubinstein, UK, 20min

MEMENTO MORI

Paul O’Flanagan, Ireland, 9min

MILK

Adam Etheridge, UK, 9min

MISNOMER

Aella Jordan-Edge, UK, 12min

MY FIRST DICK

Kate McCoid, UK, 7min

NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD

Florence Kosky, UK, 8min

NOME AND THE WORM

Lydia Rui, Australia, 13min

NORMA

Emily Munster, UK, 10min

OCTOPUS

Ella Glendining, UK, 13min

OLD WINDOWS

Paul Holbrook, UK, 17min

ONE LETTER

Brian Duffy, UK, 7min

ORPHEUS

Guy K Ward, UK, 15min

PHLEGM

Jan-David Bolt, Switzerland, 6min

PRAGMA

Ellie Heydon, UK, 19min

PROXIMITY

Jamie Miller, Canada, 13min

QUEER RURAL CONNECTIONS

Timothy Allsop, Kira Allmann, Suzy Shepherd, UK, 20min

REFLECTION

David Anderson, UK, 15min

SENSORY ITCH

Roel van Beek, Netherlands, 5min

SHUT

Niels Bourgonje, Netherlands, 15min

SIDERAL

Carlos Segundo, France, 15min

SKYWARD

Jessica Bishopp, UK, 20min

SOFT TISSUE

Cliona Noonan, Ireland, 9min

SOUL OFFICE

Ryan Loughran, UK, 10min

SUBURB

Miles Jezuita, UK, 4min

SUPERHEROES WEAR HOODIES

Jason Osborne, UK, 10min

SWEET LITTLE DESPAIR

Carolina Petro, UK, 15min

SWEET NOTHING

Joana Fischer, Marie Kenov, Switzerland, 4min

TALK

Cornelius Walker, UK, 17min

TANK FAIRY

Erich Rettstadt, Taiwan, 10min

TARDIGRADE

Amber Iles, UK, 2min

THE BATHTUB

Sergi Marti Maltas, Spain, 19min

THE BOY WHO COULDN’T FEEL PAIN

Eugen Merher, Germany, 20min

THE DONG WITH THE LUMINOUS NOSE

Jonny Phillips, UK, 13min

THE DREAMS OF LONELY PEOPLE

Marek Leszczewski, Poland, 24min

THE ELECTRICITY IN ME Mat Sheldon, UK, 10min

THE FARM UNDER THE CITY

Brett Chapman, Jordan Carroll, UK, 10min

THE LEERIE Joseph Daly, UK, 15min

THE MANY FACES OF AVA Izabela Barszcz, UK, 10min

THE MOUNTAIN Clare Macdonald, UK, 15min

THE OPERATOR Matt Riley, UK, 15min

THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE Elliott Watson, UK, 13min

THE OUTING Joanne Mitchell, UK, 15min

THE PERFECT FIT Meinardas Valkevičius, Lithuania, 11min

THE SNOWMAN

Diane Catsburrow Linnet, USA, 1min

THE WILDS

Greig Johnson, UK, 15min

THIS TREE IS HOSTILE Hugh Clegg, UK, 17min

TO EXAMINE ONE’S SELF

Pedro M. Afonso, Portugal, 13min

TOO ROUGH

Sean Lìonadh, UK, 15min

TWO KINDS OF WATER

Dan McDougall, UK, 22min

TYPE TILL YOU BLEED

Richard Jackson, UK, 22min

WARM

Alfie Barker, Masego Lynia, UK, 12min

WILD IS THE SPRING Adla Massoud, USA, 22min

WOOL

Dympna Jardine, UK, 9min

YOU FROM THE FUTURE Tim Bunn, Joseph Patrick, UK, 12min

YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT Theo Gee, Ian Bousher, UK, 14min

YOUR MOUNTAIN IS WAITING

Hannah Jacobs, UK, 8min

Family FriendlyShorts

Sat 12th, 11:30, The Forum

Treat the whole family to a selection of vibrant and inspiring short films suitable for all ages. From heartwarming tales of belonging, to madcap adventures, and everything in-between.

Luce and the Rock

One day, out of nowhere, a giant rock lays in the middle of the peaceful little village where Luce lives.

Blue

Jules looks up to the stars and wonders if we will ever get to explore the worlds and galaxies we are yet to see, or even begin to imagine.

Grump in the Night

One stormy night, a man is awoken by strange noises downstairs and soon finds himself facing off with a TV-loving poltergeist.

The Perfect Fit

After seeing a parrot in the zoo, Patrick becomes obsessed with them, which makes it harder for him to belong and find parents who want to adopt him.

The Snowman

Her snowman’s head came out too small. Time to fix it.

Air

A young girl lives in a polluted megacity that is trying to make the world a better place.

Laika & Nemo

Nemo looks different. Nobody else wears a diving suit and such a huge helmet. But then he meets Laika, an astronaut.

The Mix Tape: vol 1

Sat 12th, 16:00, The Forum

Looking for the perfect introduction to the Official Selection of short films at Norwich Film Festival 2022? Join us for a curated selection of seven inspiring short films spanning a variety of genres and themes.

Pragma

Looking for her perfect match, Willow enrolls on a series of hilariously intense compatibility assessments. Should you trust science or trust your heart?

Gagging For It

We all know that smoking is a dirty habit, but this cigarette is utter filth.

Soul Office

Two enterprising young criminals bite the dust when an ATM robbery goes wrong. Undeterred, they come back as ghosts to get the job done.

Warm

Restricted by the world outside, Malaika and her two children seek temporary shelter in a swimming pool where they find their own freedom.

The Many Faces of Ava

Ava is a woman who changes her face according to whatever scenario she finds herself in.

Blue Note

Leena is faced with a heartbreaking commitment after spending a beautiful day with her terminally ill husband Boris in their summer cottage.

Bibimbap for One

After the passing of her mother, an unusual encounter with an elderly neighbour helps Hana to put things into perspective.

Comedy Shorts

Sat 12th, 18:15, The Forum

Join us for an evening of hilarious comedy shorts! Featuring famous faces and something to appeal to all senses of humour, this screening has something for all to enjoy. From a musical take on the perils of modern dating, to a surreal journey to work interrupted by a snail –get ready for an evening of laughter!

My First Dick

Today is Hannah’s 11th birthday and she only wants one thing - to see a penis.

Julia

Tensions inflate when touring actors Jasper & Dario meet their host and his unusual wife...

The Mountain

Matthew is tired of feeling down. He wants to get help, get milk, get back to normal. But his relentless inner voices are not making things easy.

Deloping

On July 21st 1792, Mary and Emma settled their differences the only way they knew how: a duel to the death!

Duration: 90m

Rated: 18

Heart Failure

When Frank falls for his one night stand, he must do everything he can to stop his heart from breaking completely, in this musical comedy.

Goodnight Henry

When the Prime Minister dies in scandalous circumstances, his closest advisor - must salvage a trade deal with the a visiting ambassador.

Phlegm

Oscar’s late. All he needs to do is make the short walk to his office, but.... where did these snails come from?

An Irish Goodbye

On a rural farm, two estranged brothers are forced to reunite following their mother’s death, but will an unfulfilled bucket list bring them together?

Sunday Shorts

Sun 13th, 11:30, The Forum

Start your Sunday with a wide-ranging selection of short films to inspire, intrigue, empower, and surprise.

The Outing

A lonely divorcee meets a widower on a trip to the seaside. Swept away by the hope of connection, will a dark secret get in the way?

Mai Jeruom

On the morning of, Bev and her family anticipate the verdict of her son’s trial.

Calm, Ordinary

A young woman with money troubles and an isolated older man are brought together by an unorthodox social network.

Sweet Little Despair

Suffering from sleep deprivation, Lynsey makes mistakes that spiral out of control.

This Tree Is Hostile

In an attempt to cure his loneliness, a filmmaker embarks on a curious odyssey through London, searching for human connection.

Fireworks

An MI6 team in London argue about the use of a drone strike to take out a terrorist target.

Something Completely Different

Sun 13th, 13:45, The Forum

With backflipping AI avatars, talking worms and everything in-between, our new strand for 2022 is the perfect choice for those with a taste for something a little bit different.

Nome and the Worm

An introverted teenager has grown up on an isolated smallholding. Her only friend is a Worm. Today is the day when their world starts to crumble.

I Gotta Look Good For the Apocalypse

March 2020. The planet locks itself in. What if the crisis was not the pandemic, but the derealisation of our lives?

An Evening withTaglioni

When legendary ballerina Marie Taglioni retired, her pointe shoes were bought by a fan - then cooked at a lavish dinner party and served to 35 guests.

Sensory Itch

After getting stung by a nettle Sarah finds that scratching, whilst providing relief, has destructive results.

The Dreams of Lonely People

After 20 years in prison, a man returns to his home to die alone, but a mysterious figure begins to appear in his surroundings...

Backflip

Attempting a backflip is not safe. You can break your neck, or land on your head. But what if you’re an AI-based avatar? It can’t be that hard...

A Goat’s Spell

A conquest before breakfast, a clueless goat next to the house, a couple of promising airplanes far up in the sky. Then things and events fall apart.

A Drifting Up

It takes 6 weeks to come off antidepressants. A man tries to dance his way through it, armed only with a boombox and a sign inviting others to join.

Sci-Fi Shorts

Sat 12th, 16:00, The Forum

From a tense thriller in which a solider must navigate a minefield with his oxygen running low, to a mysterious confrontation in a seeminglynormal Kent cafe, enjoy this collection of six innovative science-fiction short films offering fresh and surprising looks at alternative realities.

Fieldtrip

An MI6 team in London argue about the use of a drone strike to take out a terrorist target.

The Operator

A bleary eyed man receives a distress call. No one ever receives a distress call. They barely touch on distress calls during the induction day.

Daylight Rules

In a world where humans can harness the power of the sun when exposed to sunlight, a mother and daughter must figure out where their loyalties lie.

You From the Future

A twenty-something couple’s lives are stuck on pause… that is until two very familiar-looking visitors from the future come to hit fast-forward.

Reflection

At the crack of dawn in a Kent cafe, a mysterious stranger keeps his eye on an exhausted, worried waitress while he waits to confront her teenage son.

Sideral

A couple lives with their children near the space center, the husband is a mechanic while the wife is a cleaning lady, who dreams of other horizons.

FILM STRANDS

The Mix Tape vol 2

Sun 13th, 18:15, The Forum

From a surreal thriller set in a call center, to an intimate portrait of a dancer’s relationship with her mental health, be transported by an exciting range of short films from across our Official Selection, spanning a vast range of genres, themes & languages.

Desmond’s Not Here Anymore

Abigail battles moving her elderly mother with dementia out from the family home.

Cruise

A hapless telemarketer tries mightily to give away a free cruise. If he fails, there will be dire consequences...

Proximity

A woman living in a small Newfoundland town labours all day on land while she awaits her husband’s boat to return from sea.

Ballet & I

An intimate portrait spotlighting a dancer’s relationship with her mental health following the introduction of dance in her life.

Duration: 85m Rated: 18

Black Peter

Time is of the essence as Peter goes to great lengths to remove a compromising photo of himself from the internet.

August Prussia, summer 1790: Two young men escape from the rules and laws of their noble households. For one day, they live out their personal freedom.

Talk

Jeremiah tries to rekindle his relationship with his estranged mother through his first solo exhibition after the death of his Father.

LGBTQ+ Shorts

Mon 14th, 19:15, The Forum

Come along and watch this amazing collection of LGBTQ+ short films from our Official Selection, exploring identity, relationships and more, followed by a Q&A with selected filmmakers.

A Different Place

Forty-something Evelyn embarks on a journey of self-discovery with Cleo, a younger woman who exudes the kind of confidence Evelyn has only dreamed of.

Too Rough

A hungover and hysterical Nick wakes up next to his boyfriend Charlie and must conceal him from his own homophobic and dysfunctional family.

As I Live And Breathe

In a world where the air sends you to sleep, a timid romantic uses the only gas mask and her imagination to experience a fulfilling romance.

Misnomer

Lily clings on to the past as her partner redefines their identity.

Duration: 75m (plus Q&A)

Rated: 18

Mars

All Charlie’s ever wanted is a normal teenage existence – but one extraordinary night makes her reassess what truly matters.

Featuring a live Q&A with:

Director of Mars

Abel is a London based filmmaker whose uses powerful performances and comedy to tackle important social issues.

Aella Jordan-Edge

Writer and director of Misnomer

Aella grew up in London and New York and is currently studying directing at NFTS. She makes films about human relationships.

Sophie Black

Director of A Different Place

Sophie is a director who was accepted for BFI NETWORK x BAFTA crew twice and won the MMBF Rising Star Award in 2017.

Abel Rubinstein

BFI Network Shorts

Wed 16th, 19:15, The Forum

Join us for a selection of films produced in partnership with BFI Network, followed by a filmmaker panel and Q&A, hosted by BFI Network Talent Executive Nicole Davis.

Your Mountain is

Waiting

Martha has stopped listening to her intuition and her life is suffering. A strange encounter forces her to see the world a little differently.

The Wilds

Anna finally reconnects with her family; all thanks to a lycanthropy-based emergency.

Skyward

A creative documentary exploring our relationship with nature, from the perspective of two young birdwatchers.

Candy

A plus-size burlesque is preparing to perform. When her best friend needs her, she’ll find the confidence to perform in her full power.

Featuring a live Q&A with:

Duration: 60m (plus Q&A)

Rated: 18

Director of Your Mountain Is Waiting Hannah is a director and animator who has worked on adverts, music videos, and films for the likes of VICE, BBC, and the NY Times.

Sarah Grant

Writer, director, and star of Candy Sarah’s work has been nominated for BAFTAs and she has work in development with BBC Studios and Short Circuit.

Hannah Jacobs

Women in Film

Thur 17th, 19:00, NUA Duke Street Lecture Theatre

Representing a diverse range of genres, styles & themes, join us for a selection of six short films directed by women, followed by a panel and Q&A with selected filmmakers.

Honesty

A young woman goes to report her husband for domestic abuse, but rather than finding the relief she longs for, she faces a grueling interrogation.

Incompatible

A film highlighting the importance of pro choice, in a world where women are still fighting for autonomy over their own lives and bodies.

Neither Seen Nor Heard

From the dismissive to the banal, using dialogue lifted from real women’s encounters, this film captures society’s response to sexual assault.

Wool

A woman knits, unaware her husband keeps her where he wants her. One day, she is gripped by an urge to take matters into her own hands.

Duration: 65m (plus Q&A)

Rated: 18

Jam

In 1999, a 10 year old girl discovers the challenges of adulthood whilst in isolation.

Bus Girl

Featuring a live Q&A with:

Emily Renée

Dympna Jardine

Crystal Leaity

Hayley Jayne Standing

An aspiring young female chef navigates the cut-throat world of high end cooking.

Writer and star of Incompatible Hayley began working in the theatre alongside the likes of Mark Rylance, but has also acted in BBC’s Hometime and Downton Abbey.

Writer, director, and producer of Jam Crystal started as an actor, training at RADA, before going on to star Mr Selfridge and Poldark. This is her second short as director.

Writer and director of Wool Dympna was a journalist before switching to acting in the late 90s. She has since directed several short films and completed a BA.

Writer and star of Honesty Emily’s theatre work has been performed at the Old Vic and the Pleasance. She can be seen acting in The Power on Amazon Prime.

The International Mix

Sat 19th, 11:30, The Forum

Enjoy a selection of European short films from our Official Selection, spanning a mixture of genres & languages.

Action

On a film set, there are always unforeseen events. Some days, it’s all there is. And sometimes it’s even worse.

An Invitation

An 8-year-old boy reluctantly visits his divorced father in Hong Kong. With secretive intentions, they find it difficult to connect with each other.

The Bathtub

A man takes a well-deserved bath when his phone suddenly rings. On the other side of the line is a girl who insistently tries to sell life insurance.

Liminal Space

A cage fighter visits his father. Their relationship is complicated and they have become alienated. Does it make sense to open old wounds?

Duration: 80m Rated: 18

Edi

Power grandpa Edi goes about his daily life in Slovenia, filling his grandson Jan’s eyes with the wonder of ageing that only youth allows.

Tank Fairy

Outcast by classmates and misunderstood by his stern, single mom, Jojo is inspired to live out loud by his fierce, propane-toting fairy godmother.

I Have No Legs, And I Must Run

An athlete past his prime is struggling with injuries. The arrival of a talented new team member plants seeds of jealousy in the Protagonist’s mind. Sponsored by

Emerging Talent

Sat 19th, 16:00, The Forum

Each year our Emerging Talent strand showcases just a small selection of the incredible student filmmaking talent on offer in our Official Selection. With talent beyond their years, this is the perfect opportunity to get an early look at the next generation of filmmakers.

Caterpillar

In the aftermath of an attempt to escape modern-day slavery, a Vietnamese boy’s relationship with his overseer becomes even more complicated.

Checkpoint

In modern-day Palestine, a girl wakes up before dawn every morning to try to get to school on time, but must first cross the notorious checkpoint...

+963

Sealed off from the outside world for a long time, prisoners memorize the phone numbers of the other families in order to escape dehumanisation.

Bona Vacantia

Driven to paranoia by her job cataloguing the empty homes of those who die alone, a council worker finds an unusual way to cope on the job.

((O))

A short story about the anticipation for a special delivery...

Duration:

18

Suburb

In the quiet, static suburb, foxes lurk. Take a glimpse into what mischief these enigmatic creatures wreak on their manmade surroundings...

After a chaotic episode with his wife, Nikolay, 28, must take care of their two year-old daughter until she returns - but will she ever come back?

Days Without The Boy Who Couldn’t Feel Pain

The small-town legend of Chester, a street fighter who can’t feel any pain. When a stranger challenges him for a fight, things begin to change.

Sponsored by

The British Mix

Sat 19th, 18:15, The Forum

From modern telling of a classic poem narrated by Tilda Swinton, to a troubled vagabond who must make an impossible choice when the time comes to keep an old promise, enjoy a selection of eight short films from the greatest British filmmaking talent in our Official Selection.

One Letter

A hearing man reunites with his deaf cousin at a family funeral. Long-simmering tensions and resentments come to the surface.

Old Windows

A struggling cafe owner is intrigued when a mysterious, elderly stranger takes an interest in her seemingly mundane life.

Milk

A single Mum quickly finds herself trapped between medical advice and her fundamental instincts as a parent after her teenage son’s suicide attempt.

The Dong with the Luminous Nose

A modern realisation of Edward Lear’s haunting poem. The Dong falls in love with a Jumbly girl when she arrives on the empty shore.

Jackdaw

A troubled vagabond who ends the suffering of strangers must make an impossible choice when the time comes to keep an old promise.

Norma

An elderly couple are celebrating a birthday. A lifetime of mutual resentment reveals itself as an unexpected guest.

The Electricity in Me

Years after giving up her newborn son for adoption, a woman confronts her trauma and memories of the man she calls ‘my monster’.

Superheroes Wear Hoodies

A group of British Black youths from one of London’s most notorious estates defy public perception by supporting their local community.

Sponsored by

Late Night Shorts

Sat 19th, 20:30, The Forum

Featuring a grizzly new selection of horror & dark comedy shorts, our long-running Late Night Shorts strand returns for 2022. Featuring tales of obsession, mind control, folk stories and more, this year’s Late Night Shorts screening is not to be missed!

Burn On Arrival

Christmas, 1995. As Scotland reels from a devastating loss of industry, a man is trapped in an escalating nightmare.

Memento Mori

A storm brews over Victorian Dublin as post-mortem photographer, Mr.Huxley, returns to his hallowed practice - but is all as it seems?

Blood Rites

Three teenage girls with a monstrous hunger begin to unravel in the English Fens.

Bleep

A couple’s relationship is pushed to the brink as they investigate a strange noise that’s woken them in the night.

The Leerie

In 1899, a Scottish lamplighter facing redundancy is haunted by nightmarish visions of an electric future.

You’re Absolutely Right

A paranoid hoarder is seduced into doing the unthinkable by a hotline that only tells its customers that they’re right.

Shut

When Jonas visits his father, he’s shocked to find him in a confused state. Has his state badly deteriorated or is something more sinister going on?

East CollectionAnglian

Sun 20th 11:30, The Forum

We’re proud to showcase a selection of films created by East Anglian filmmakers, and this year is no different! From spellbinding sci-fi to awe-inspiring documentaries, this screening will also feature the winning entries from the East Anglian Film Archive’s “Mash-Up”.

Ghost Ponds

In the farmland of England’s East Anglia, a team is working to excavate land haunted by ghost. But these aren’t ordinary ghosts… they are ghost ponds.

Big Ears

A struggling actor finds a lump on his testicle and is forced to confront his life choices

Type Till You Bleed

When an urban legend from the dark corners of the internet is resurrected in a museum, the long-dormant machine seems to come to life at night...

Tardigrade

This film follows a squishy, red character on a mission to create the illusive creature, the Tardigrade.

105m

Queer Rural Connections

A short documentary exploring queer rural experiences in East Anglia and what it means to belong.

Dream Big

After being passed over for a big promotion at work, Miranda discovers that she can control the world via her model railway.

Octopus

Upon returning to her home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.

Sponsored by

Animated Shorts

Sun 20th, 13:45, The Forum

Join us for a stunning selection of animated short films from our 2022 Official Selection. Each of these hand-curated animations showcases the immense versatility of the craft, from a stop-motion and liveaction hybrid, to the mysterious allure of an ever-growing hole which threatens to swallow the entire nation.

In The Upper Room

Every season a young mole visits his blind grandfather. As the two grow older their relationship becomes more intense and important questions arise.

Beware of Trains

A “train of thought thriller” about a woman with extreme anxiety living in a world dominated by fear and uncertainty.

Soft Tissue

A father takes desperate measures in the hopes of saving his son, but his actions soon become a distraction from what matters to him most.

Orpheus

Orpheus, exhausted from his mental torture, is forced to confront his guilt and fight for his sanity as he faces The Critic.

Duration: 80m

A hole in London lures people to jump inside, growing larger, deeper and seemingly more unstoppable with each victim.

Down Heart of Gold

A mother sees an opportunity to escape the hardships of a life of poverty by selling her organs to a sick, very rich, elderly neighbor.

Rated: 18 Sponsored by

Rosa is sunbathing in her garden on a hot summer afternoon, when suddenly the idyllic peace is disturbed by the noise of a lawnmower.

Sweet Nothing Curiosa

Overly-curious Mary visits her boyfriend’s flat for the first time, where a strange discovery leads her to climb inside his head.

Sponsored by

Documentary Shorts

Sun 20th, 16:00, The Forum

Join us for a handpicked selection of six short documentaries from our Official Selection exploring themes from social issues to urban farming.

The Other Side of Paradise

Stuck in a state of limbo, Tymour, a Kurdish asylum seeker, dwells on the difficulties of his past as his future hangs in the balance.

Two Kinds of Water

When an urban legend from the dark corners of the internet is resurrected in a museum, the long-dormant machine seems to come to life at night...

Made With Love

The incredible story of a young dancer’s kidnap and subsequent escape from two criminals who wanted to learn how to dance.

To Examine One’s Self

Medical Schools are swarmed every year by countless eager students. A rite of passage awaits: the study of gross anatomy.

Wild is the Spring

Through a series of vignettes from the ancient and war-torn Levant, life descends into chaos for diverse ethnic communities who struggle to survive.

The Farm Under the City

A builder-turned-farmer shows his inspirational journey to revolutionise the way we all think about urban farming.

Sponsored by

Oska Bright Shorts

Online platform only - watch.norwichfilmfestival.co.uk

This Best of the Fest screening is a pick’n’mix of some of the highlights from Oska Bright 2022. This programme packs a punch and is a great way to see a little bit of everything and to help us celebrate Oska Bright Film Festival 2022. Watch out for killer mattresses, unexplained sinkholes, and a grumpy old man. This strand is completely free.

This is News Radio

Two weary journalists rediscover their passion for the job through their love of music.

Colin 19

A stop motion comedy about a coronavirus microbe. Colin always wanted to travel, but he didn’t realise his selfish actions would cause the next plague.

Can’t Stop Drawing

D.M.S aka Danielle Makes Songs, created her joyful and uplifting song “Can’t Stop Drawing” in lockdown 2021.

Secret Life of Tom Lightfoot

Tom is anxious, he holds a secret in his human heart, a wing beat and a flutter and its bursting to take flight.

Things That Annoy Me

A series of comical narratives based around petty, day-to-day irritations.

Dancing to Art

Four dancers have chosen artworks and developed dance responses to them.

Mattricide

A humorous stop motion thriller following one woman’s fight with urban fly-tipping.

Filters

A woman with Down syndrome, is led to change her online appearance.

Da Humbug

A grumpy old man receives a gift that opens his eyes to the festival spirit.

Secret Life of Jim Henry

Jim follows his curiosity and has embarked on a new secret life.

Running with Trains

Ronnie combines his love of running with his love of trainspotting.

DELIVERED BY THE EAST ANGLIAN FILM ARCHIVE

BRIEF:

Global Audiences

This is the best way for audiences outside of the UK to participate in the festival, with unlimited access to almost 90 short films from our Official Selection across the festival period - including 16 of our nominated films!

Price and availability of this pass may vary depending on your location, but will be approximately $10 USD.

A DIFFERENT PLACE Sophie Black, UK, 14min

Forty-something Evelyn embarks on a journey of self-discovery with Cleo, a younger woman who exudes the kind of confidence Evelyn has only dreamed of.

OLD WINDOWS Paul Holbrook, UK, 17min

A struggling cafe owner is intrigued when a mysterious, elderly stranger takes an interest in her seemingly mundane life.

YOUR MOUNTAIN IS WAITING Hannah Jacobs, UK, 8min

Martha has stopped listening to her intuition and her life is suffering. A strange encounter forces her to see the world a little differently.

Some films are not eligible to be screened outside of the UK via an online platform due to restrictions on licensing and premiere access. Unfortunately this is out of the control of NFF.

NFF2022 Awards Evening

We are inviting our nominated filmmakers, sponsors, and other special guests, to join us on the evening of the 18th November to celebrate the best films of this year’s festival. We’ll be unveiling the winners of each award category and offering a drinks reception before and afterwards.

This is a great chance to come and meet our fantastic team, network with other filmmakers, and help us to celebrate all things NFF!

This year’s awards event has been kindly sponsored by Intermission and will be held at Norwich University of the Arts.

Award Nominees

From a record-breaking 1391 submissions to this year’s festival, we’re proud to reveal the short films from our Official Selection which are nominated for one of our six prestigious awards.

More than ever, picking out the films to nominate in each category was no easy feat, with our Executive Committee discussing each film at length before settling on the final nominees.

Each winner will receive a £1000 cash prize alongside a

certificate & trophy, as well as a number of additional software prizes.

We’d like

Award

for

the filmmakers

Kosky

Skyline

and

movies to fly by

Looking for an innovative video and animation production company? That’s us. We take video marketing to new wondrous places, bringing buckets of quality and engagement.

“WOAH who made that creative and engaging content?!” - You, 2021

YOUR CONTENT COVERED - You, 2022

Lights. Action.

Visit a city bursting with bright lights, stunning sights, and centuries of stories to tell - it’s our gift to you this Christmas.

Put Norwich at the top of your wish-list this Christmas, for a dazzling day out full of fun and free activities, historical treasures, eclectic shops, and tasty treats.

visitnorwich.co.uk

The Tunnel of Light

Amanda Sosnowski

UK

12m

McCoid

CREATIVE CAREER IN MOTION

Proud sponsors of the Best East Anglian Film Award

Image:

Giannetakis, Patricia

Pickman, Finlay Hanlon, Natasha Coleman, Michael

Feature Films

This year we are pleased to be able to offer two fantastic feature films as part of our programme.

We have a mesmerising documentary focusing on Norfolk life, set against the backdrop of Cromer Pier, while we will also be screening a big budget pyschological crime thriller.

Our features this year will be screened at Cinema City and The Forum.

The Stranger Plus Sean Harris Q&A

Fri 9th, 18:00, Cinema City

The Stranger is a 2022 Australian psychological crime thriller film written and directed by Thomas M. Wright, starring Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris.

Based on the non-fiction book The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer by Kate

Sean will be joining us at Cinema City to take part in a live Q&A after the screening.

In-person Q&A

Kyriacou, and inspired by the murder investigation of Daniel Morcombe, the film follows an investigation of a child abduction case, with an undercover police officer (Edgerton) in a sting operation tasked with getting close to and forming a friendship with the prime suspect (Harris).

Sean Harris is an actor and writer. He played Ian Curtis in 24 Hour Party People (2002), Micheletto Corella in The Borgias (2011–2013), Fifield in Prometheus (2012), Solomon Lane in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) and Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), Philip in Possum (2018) and William Gascoigne in The King (2019).

Harris won a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his role in the miniseries Southcliffe (2013) and received three consecutive nominations for the BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Seaside Special

Sat 12th, 13:45, The Forum

Seaside Special is a loving, close-up look at Britain’s only remaining End-of-the-Pier variety show as it prepares for its 2019 summer season. An homage to handmade and very English live entertainment, it is also an anglophile German’s attempt to understand why Britain is tearing itself apart. Set in the sleepy Norfolk seaside town of Cromer, we meet a colourful ensemble of inspiring and original characters and experience a microcosm of modern Britain in the midst of momentous change.

This screening will also include an introduction and postscreening Q&A with director Jens Meurer.

This event has kindly been sponsored by holidaycottages.co.uk

We have five fantastic panels to offer audiences this year, and that doesn’t even include the three shorts screenings with special guest Q&As (pages 34-39)!

We start with the BAFTA nominated writer, director, actor, comic, and author Nat Luurtsema, and end with the Vice President and Entertainment Publicist at London Flair PR, Catherine Lyn Scott.

We are also thrilled to be back at UEA to host our Industry Day, aimed at 1619 year olds looking to break into the industry. There we will have panels with BAFTA winning Visual Effects Supervisor Paul Franklin, film producers Richard Johns and Debbie Gray, and Festival Strategists extraordinaires, Katie and Ian from Festival Formula.

Nat Luurtsema Screening and Q&A

Tue 15th, 19:00, NUA Duke Street Lecture Theatre

Nat was an award-nominated stand-up comedian for eight years, with two series of a Radio 4 show with her sketch group, Jigsaw. She wrote and starred in short film Island Queen, which was nominated for a BAFTA in 2014. She then wrote or wrote/directed five more short films - Three Women Wait For Death, Wyrdoes, War Paint, Ouzo and Blackcurrant and Revenge Is A Dish - all comedies or horrors, backed by Film4, Babycow, Film London, Big Talk Pictures, Creative England and the British Arts Council, BAFTAlonglisted and now playing on Amazon Prime. Nat has a slate of features, as writer and/or director. They are all comedies and horror and in advanced stages of development.

Nat also writes short stories and has been nominated for the Royal Academy of Art and the V.S Pritchett Royal Society of Literature Short Story of the Year.

As an author she has published five books, with Hodder and Stoughton, Walker Books, Panmacmillan and Harper Collins. She is now working on her sixth book, a graphic novel.

Her book Girl Out Of Water was long listed for the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year and is being adapted into a TV show with the BFI.

Nat will be introducing each film and closing the evening with a Q&A to discuss all aspects of her varied career, including acting, writing, directing, and working with companies such as Babycow and Creative England.

Three Women Wait For Death Ouzo and Blackcurrant Island Queen

VFX Supervisor Paul Franklin

Fri 18th, 11:30, UEA Bob Champion Building

Double Academy Award winner Paul Franklin is best known for his long running collaboration with Christopher Nolan, gaining international recognition for his VFX work on films including Inception and Interstellar.

A new approach to filmmaking, ‘Virtual Production’, involves LED screens which provide realistic graphics and brings sets and locations to life on a studio stage. Fireworks, Paul’s second short as a director, utilises this approach to allow audiences to immerse themselves in this uniquely engaging and heart stoppingly tense thriller, told in real time.

Producing Your Film with Richard Johns & Debbie Gray

Fri 18th, 12:45, UEA Bob Champion Building

Our second panel provides an insight into producing both short and feature length films, with accalaimed film and television producers Richard Johns (Chivalry, The Shepherd) and Debbie Gray (Mrs Lowry & Son, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande).

Richard has produced and executive produced feature films and TV in the UK and internationally for nearly 30 years. He now runs his own production company, Corona Content.

Debbie is a producer with over 20 years experience in film and television having produced the BAFTA nominated and awardwinning film Northern Soul. She is also a qualified lawyer, working on films including Sliding Doors and The English Patient.

Festival Formula: Film Festival Strategies

Fri 18th, 14:00, UEA Bob Champion Building

We’ll be joined be Katie McCullough and Ian Bignall who run Festival Formula - the leading film festival strategy consultancy and submission service in Europe. They focus on helping filmmakers navigate the world-wide circuit, increasing their probabilities of acceptances and helping them save time.

Drawing on extensive experience in the industry, Festival Formula creates bespoke strategies tailored to the budget and assets of each film. This session will be based around finding your place within the circuit, exploring today’s landscape amongst other like-minded directors, producers, actors and more.

Catherine Lyn Scott: Publicity for Your Film

Sat 19th, 13:45, The Forum Looking to generate some buzz for your film? Get a taste for Film PR with Catherine Lyn Scott from London Flair PR whose company have supported 5 Oscar Winning Shorts in the last 7 years. This will be a great opportunity for filmmakers to learn more around the importance of good PR.

London Flair PR specializes in working with actors, producers, directors, films, presenters, celebrities, and events. Films they have worked on have starred actors like J.K. Simmons, Skeet Ulrich, Lennie James, Sir John Hurt, Riz Ahmed, Brie Larson, Colman Domingo, Kevin Bacon, Catherine Deneuve, William Jackson-Harper, Will Ferrell, and Melissa Leo. Their clients have included Oscar winners and nominees, Emmy winners, BAFTA winners and nomineed, and those just starting out.

Academy Award wins include The Long Goodbye, Collette, The Silent Child, Sing, and Stutterer. BAFTA wins include The Black Cop and The Present. This event is jointly hosted by Norfolk Screen

memories made

Thank You!

We would like to offer a huge thank you to everyone who has helped us pull together our festival this year - it has probably been the most difficult one to organise yet!

It takes a huge amount of time, energy, and money to ensure that the film festival continues to run each year, so we are incredibly indebted to all our supporters and sponsors who have been with us over the last year.

We also have a huge group of volunteers who commit large amounts of time to making sure we are in a position to put on a festival each year, and we really would be nothing with you all.

Thank you all so much.

FESTIVAL SPONSORS

AWARD SPONSORS

AND PRIZE SPONSORS