Author

About the Author /

James is DN’s resident horror fan and is inspired by all academic, formal and Ethan Hawke-related aspects of filmmaking. When he isn’t writing for DN you’ll most likely find him on Bluesky, reading a graphic novel or and being sat on by his cat Peanut.

Film Festival

67th London Film Festival Preview: Stars Abound

DN dives into the auteur-packed lineup of films screening at the 2023 edition of London Film Festival, offering our guidance on what to watch.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Difficult Decision Causes a Looping Infinite Reality in Tom Moran’s Pastel-Coloured Fantasy ‘Romanesco’

Tom Moran reveals how he adapted his mind-boggling metanarrative concept into a self-referential spiral of a film about a woman trapped in an infinite dream.

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Animation, Premiere

A Father Attempts Everything to Save His Son in Cliona Noonan’s Heartbreaking Animation ‘Soft Tissue’

Cliona Noonan describes how her enforcement of creative limitations birthed the most interesting ideas in her tender familial animated short.

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Film Festival, Sponsored

Ten Remarkable Short Films To Catch at Bolton Film Festival 2023

DN breaks down the bumper crop of impressive shorts on show at Bolton Film Festival 2023 to a list of ten must-sees.

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Live Action, Premiere

Griffin Wenzler’s Parking Lot Comedy ‘Horse Dreams’ Finds a Literary Agent Forced to Reveal Bad News

Griffin Wenzler explains the dynamic editing techniques he employed to energise the cinematic language of his single-location bickering brothers comedy short.

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Live Action, Premiere

Aaron John McIntyre’s Hazy Short ‘Gomorrah’ Finds a Recovering Addict Relapsing Amongst Glasgow’s Dingy Backstreets

Aaron John McIntyre explains how he cooked up the dingy, sleazy dreamlike atmosphere of his Glasgow industrial estate-set addiction drama short.

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Music Video

Pain Manifests in Physical Form in Diana Antunes’ Dark, Enchanting Music Video for Ela Li’s ‘Choradeira’

Diana Antunes explains how she and her team developed layered, ethereal costumes and dance to act as a physical manifestation of the pain that inhabits us.

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Live Action

Three New York Locals Argue About Pills, Politics and Semantics in Jon Ryan Sugimoto’s Bodega Comedy ‘Gut Punch’

Jon Ryan Sugimoto recounts the joyful atmosphere between cast and crew that was fostered during the shoot of his New York-set comedy short.

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Article, Film Festival, Sponsored

Mattia Fiumani on Championing Sustainability in the World of Advertising With New Festival Conero Film + Adv

Mattia Fiumani unpacks the sustainability-driven ethos behind both the programming and infrastructure of the inaugural Conero Film + Adv.

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Live Action

Michael Rees’ Comedy ‘Middle Sized Things’ Sees a Lecturer’s Nonsensical Theory Demolished by His Students

Michael Rees takes DN through his brisk and effective approach to production for his short about a lecturer being challenged about his baffling thesis.

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Art & Fashion, Premiere

Heather Lang & Purdie Baumann Reclaim the Sacredness of Dance and Community With Experimental Short ‘Simulation’

Heather Lang tells DN how the mise-en-scene of her & Purdie Baumann's dance short was foundational in shaping the radical character of the overall piece.

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Live Action, Premiere

An Injured Young Man Incites a Surreal Encounter in Björn Rühmann’s Psychological Thriller ‘MirrorMirror’

Björn Rühmann discusses the use of darkness and shadow to emphasise the aura of mystery in his unsettling psychological thriller.

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