Directors Notes // The Home of Independent Filmmaking

A Teenage Boy Struggles With the Shame of Victimhood After a Brutal Attack in Toby Wharton’s Drama Short ‘Held’

We speak to Toby Wharton about the invisible camera work he employed to truly capture the raw emotions in his perturbing exploration of victimhood.

Documentary

Louis Moir’s ‘A Brush With Comedy’ Explores the Seemingly Conflicting Relationship Between Comedy and Art

Louis Moir talks through the practical challenges of expanding his grad short into his debut feature doc exploring the creative process on stage and on canvas.

Live Action, Premiere

An Expecting Young Father’s Traumatic Past Threatens to Overshadow His Happy Present in Luke Brookner’s ‘Home’

Luke Brookner delves into using 16mm & 35mm to represent the dual timelines of his film depicting the struggle of leaving behind an upbringing in foster care.

Live Action, Premiere

Nathan Morris’ Morning After Pill Comedy ‘My Eyes Are Up Here’ Exposes the Discriminatory Barriers of an Ableist World

Nathan Morris reveals the essential role his Disability Coordinator played in ensuring the diversity, inclusion and authenticity of his budding romance short.

Live Action

Cameron Thuman’s Yukon-Set Short ‘Suspended in Space’ Finds Two Skiers Embracing the Magnificent Frozen Winterscape

Cameron Thuman discusses applying an art house lens when capturing a pair of pro skiing friends' exploration of Yukon Territory's majestic landscapes.

Music

Freddie Leyden Draws From the Well of 70s Folk Horror for His Ethereal Music Video ‘The Dream Of Delphi’

Freddie Leyden talks us through the surreal inspirations and 70s documentary lenses that fed the eerie atmosphere of his beguiling Bat For Lashes music video.

Music, Premiere

A Runaway Bride Can’t Escape Her Past in Austin Hutching’s Striking Music Video for Kat Duma’s ‘So Long’

Austin Hutchings speaks to us about the importance of tangibility when creating the ambitious imagery for his train carriage-set music video.

Live Action, Premiere

A Pet’s Ill-Fated Demise Leads a Guilty Housemate to a Bizarre Remedy in Dark Comedy ‘Dead Cat Film’

Josie Charles & Nathan Miller talk to DN about the unwanted attention they garnered filming in public with a taxidermied cat for their quirky comedy short.

Art & Fashion, Premiere

Amaka Lin’s Experimental Dance Short ‘Stasis’ Finds an Ancient Force Inspiring a Peculiar Transformation

Amaka Lin reveals how the unsettling yet meditative textures of dark ambient music inspired her movement-led exploration of time, nature and the future.

Live Action, Premiere

An Unnerving Stranger Disrupts a Fireside Get Together in Joel Jay Blacker’s Comedy ‘Don’t Let Kyle Sit Down’

Joel Jay Blacker discusses his love of the comedic tension found in the spaces between conversations as deftly used in his unnerving unwelcome guest comedy.