Author

About the Author /

Sarah is a true multi-hyphenate within the film industry. Alongside her role as Associate Editor & Head of Outreach for Directors Notes, her extensive festival experience ranges from MC and juror duties to previously serving as Deputy Director of Brighton Rocks, where she helped steer its growth into a BIFA-qualifying event. Sarah also produces for Brighton film collective The Imaginary Project and contributes as a freelance writer for publications including 1.4 and Shots Magazine.

Live Action, Premiere

William Grave’s ‘In My Day’ Peels Back the Layers of Bigotry With a Surprising Revelation

William Grave speaks to DN about creating a neutral almost timeless setting for his black and white drama about a cross-cultural couple battling prejudice.

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Article

Sarah Smith Top Ten Feature Films of 2024

Struggling as ever to summarise the swathe of incredible 2024 features, Sarah Smith puts together the 10 films that have continued to haunt and charm her.

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Live Action

A Mother Learns the Horrifying Cause of Her Sudden Inability to Enjoy Sex in Jessica Barr’s Revenge Short ‘Tight’

We speak to Jessica Barr about embracing the art in social cause filmmaking for her disturbing short about a woman who has her sexual agency taken from her.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Clown’s First Birthday Party Gig Devolves Into a Pitched Battle of Masculinity in Iris Breward’s ‘Sidney’

Iris Breward discusses crafting the dual tones of her short about an aspiring performer's optimism vs the harsh reality of working as a children's party clown.

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Live Action, Premiere

Toni Hipwell’s ‘The Lure’ Reels in the Terror as a Fisherman Discovers He’s Not Alone Hoping for a Bite

Toni Hipwell tells DN how they achieved lush, detailed night time close-ups when shooting his macabre micro short about a lone fisherman's nocturnal surprise.

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Awards, Live Action

Joshua Trigg Hits the Road in Search of Identity in Laos Set Debut ‘Satu – Year of the Rabbit’

DN speaks to BIFA nominee Joshua Trigg about shooting in Laos with limited film stock & non-professional lead actors for his self-financed 16mm feature debut.

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Awards, Live Action

As Trust Is Broken Toxic Masculinity & Violence Take Hold in Christopher Andrews’ BIFA Thriller ‘Bring Them Down’

BIFA winning director Christopher Andrews speaks to us about his use of a shifting visual language to ratchet up the tension in his bold feature debut.

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Awards, Live Action

A Misanthropic Newlywed Stumbles Through the Chaos of Adulting in Karan Kandhari’s Feature Debut ‘Sister Midnight’

A film for all the misfits who've misplaced their manuals for life, DN sits down with Karan Kandhari to dig into the making of his genre-bending debut feature.

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Awards, Live Action

Ben Lankester Immerses Us in the Most Challenging Night Shift of a Newly-Qualified Midwife’s Career in ‘Delivery’

Ben Lankester details the multi-tiered sound design that immerses audiences into the frantic intensity of his BIFA nominated maternity ward drama short.

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Awards, Live Action

A Belfast Hip-Hop Trio Mount Their Own Form of Protest to Protect Their Heritage in Rich Peppiatt’s ‘Kneecap’

Rich Peppiatt discusses throwing comedic Molotov cocktails to ignite crucial but difficult conversations in his multi-BIFA winning feature debut.

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Awards, Live Action

James Krishna Floyd on Moving Into the Director’s Chair for His Multi-BIFA Nominated Debut ‘Unicorns’

With his debut feature up for 7 BIFAs James Krishna Floyd discusses the rich complexity of characters who wear masks and the beauty of realism drag on screen.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Young Woman Reckons With the Questionable Past Behaviour of a Childhood Friend in Hannah Levin’s ‘Golden Child’

Hannah Levin shares how she balanced out the comedic beats, sticking to the story and keeping the narrative moving in her bold, reckoning comedy short debut.

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