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.

Animation

Hend Esmat & Lamiaa Diab Reverse Parent-Child Dynamics in Absurdist Animated Short ‘Flipped’

Co-Directors Hend Esmat and Lamiaa Diab break down the purposely youthful visual style they employed for their short animated comedy 'Flipped'.

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Live Action

Awkward Encounters Abound in Emma Seligman’s Short to Feature Comedy of Chaos ‘Shiva Baby’

Emma Seligman describes the process of adapting her NYU thesis short into debut feature 'Shiva Baby', a comedic examination of colliding personas.

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Live Action

Oliver Goodrum’s ‘Iniquity’ Asks if Salvation Can Ever Exist for Perpetrators of Unconscionable Acts

Oliver Goodrum returns to discuss expanding the world of his viral, BAFTA shortlisted film 'This is Vanity' 7 years later with follow-up ‘Iniquity’.

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Live Action, Premiere

Luca Spreafico Explores the Narrative Soul of a Fashion Film Through an Intense Therapy Session in ‘Alex’

Luca Spreafico explains his decision to incorporate dance in 'Alex' his experimental film which physically explores the lasting effects of childhood trauma.

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Awards, Live Action

A Young Girl Unwittingly Discovers the Underbelly of Lagos in Akinola Davies Jr’s Sundance-Winning Drama ‘Lizard’

Akinola Davies Jr reveals the challenges of shooting on-location in the intense Nigerian heat with 200 extras for his fantasy coming of age drama 'Lizard'.

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Live Action

Robert Broadhurst Challenges Racial Stereotyping in Subversive Drama Short ‘An Occurrence at Arverne’

Robert Broadhurst discusses provoking audiences to reflect on their reactions to his subversive drama short ‘An Occurrence at Arverne’.

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Film Festival

Ten Picks From The Shortest Nights 2021

An uplifting celebration of the best in British shorts - DN covers this year's The Shortest Nights festival offering a selection of ten must-see films.

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Art & Fashion, Premiere

Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah Composes a Powerful Celebration of Black Women in ‘To the Girl that Looks Like Me’

Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah discusses challenging the practice of cultural appropriation in her poetic NYU thesis film 'To the Girl that Looks Like Me'.

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Live Action

A Lovesick Patient Enters Emotional Rehab in Elina Sahlin’s Surreal Drama ‘Department of Detachment’

Writer/Director Elina Sahlin discusses the Bergman-esque tone and dialogue she sought to evoke in her surreal love rehab drama 'Department of Detachment'.

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Film Festival

10 Must Watch Shorts From the National Film and Television School’s 2021 Graduate Showcase

From colourful claymations to gothic dramas, DN recommends ten shorts to catch at the National Film and Television School's 2021 Graduate Showcase.

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Documentary

Simon Mulvaney Delves Into the Experience of Life Without Mental Images in Insightful Aphantasia Doc ‘Out of Mind’

Simon Mulvaney discusses his decision to explore the neurological condition of aphantasia through personal stories not data in his WIRED doc 'Out of Mind'

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Art & Fashion

Cynical Smile’s ‘Waves’ Showcases the Same-Yet-Different Beauty of Human Motion and Repetition

Cynical Smile walks DN through the process of shooting 1000fps on Freefly's new camera to capture the nuanced motions of his short dance film 'WAVES'.

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