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.

Article

Sarah Smith Top Ten Feature Films of 2022

Driven by debut features, Sarah Smith unveils what films she revelled in over 2022 and why they made it to her top ten list.

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Documentary, Premiere

Exploring the Ends of the World: The Perseverance and Determination Behind Nicholas Jones’ Documentary ‘A Greenlander’

Nicholas Jones recounts persevering through many obstacles and obscene cold to capture his documentary following a man’s fight to stay in his beloved home.

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Live Action

Dan Löwenstein’s ‘Safe’ Provides an Intimate Look at the Pain and Isolation Faced by Male Survivors of Sexual Violence

Dan Löwenstein speaks to DN about drawing from real case studies when scripting his powerful campaign film about men who have survived sexual violence.

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Live Action

Kathy Mitrani Captures the Excitement and Turmoil of Peer Pressure in Evocative 16mm Short ‘Buzzkill’

Kathy Mitrani reveals the creativity that came from embracing a lack of structure for her authentic exploration of the stakes of youthful pressure.

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Live Action, Music Video

Waley Wang’s ‘Teen Troubles in Dirty Jersey’ Captures the Thrums of Punk, Toxic Masculinity & Disaffected Angst

Waley Wang discusses combining 16mm & Hi8 home video style footage to fully embody the nostalgic memories of The Black Skirts' New Jersey punk roots.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Surrealistic Veneer Hides a Family Breakdown in TJ O’Grady Peyton’s Offbeat ‘Broken: A Lockdown Story’

TJ O’Grady Peyton & John Craine speak to us about creating a cartoon-like aesthetic for their bizarre and quirky short following a family breakdown.

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Live Action, Premiere

One Woman’s Ecstasy Is Another’s Obsessive Agony in Mattis Ohana Goksøyr’s Sensuous Short ‘Are You OK’

Mattis Ohana Goksøyr reveals why he chose to prioritise the audiovisual over dialogue in his experimental exploration of sexual pleasure and jealousy.

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Live Action, Premiere

Oskar Brockbank Viscerally Captures the Emotional and Mental Strains of Motherhood in ‘Surrender’

Oskar Brockbank shares how he created an honest depiction of the visceral struggles of a new mother battling with the redefinition of her identity.

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Live Action, Premiere

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.

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Live Action

Tensions Between a Mother and Daughter Lead to a Hellish Conclusion in Lucy Knox’s ‘Hot Mother’

We spoke to Lucy Knox about shooting digitally to create the desired austere tone for her nightmare drama following a bickering mother and daughter.

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Animation, Documentary

Ivyy Chen Examines the Daily Struggles Unnecessarily Faced by Too Many in ‘Learning Disabilities in Primary Care’

Ivyy Chen speaks to us about using scale and colour to express the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities when trying to access healthcare.

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Live Action, Premiere

Sam Baron Reflects on the Stoicism and Fragility of Men in His Actor in Crisis Comedy Drama ‘Big Ears’

Sam Baron tells us how he grounded comedic beats in tragic reality in his new short about an actor struggling in both his personal and professional life.

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