Bristol Film Festival launches Bristol in Focus event to celebrate local filmmaking

Best known for its screenings in imaginative locations, from Airplane! beneath the wings of Concorde to the ever-popular Horror in the Caves series, Bristol Film Festival branches out to celebrate local filmmaking talent with a day-long Bristol in Focus event at M Shed on the Spring Bank Holiday (May 27).

Running from 11am to 5pm, the event comprises three screenings, two panel discussions and two ‘spotlight’ sessions in which local filmmakers share their experiences. The day opens with a Bristol, City of Film panel discussion exploring what being designated as a UNESCO City of Film actually means for the city. Participants include Natalie Moore, Senior Film Officer at Bristol Film Office, and Cables & Cameras founder Gary Thompson.

The three locally made films being shown are Will Terran’s blackly comic thriller Homesitters; boomsatsuma graduate and current Screenology student Ewan French’s Fantasy, which was recently premiered at the Odeon; and Ben Akers’ male mental health documentary, Steve. See the listings below for more information about each film.

Self-taught, Bristol-based director, producer and editor Michael Jenkins, who founded 8th Sense Media, will be discussing his background and career in the first of the event’s two spotlight sessions. The second has Southville-based Steve director Ben Akers and producer Claire Wilksinson discussing their careers and exploring the challenges of documentary filmmaking.

Finally, if all this inspires you to have a bash yourself, the final panel discussion, A Career in Film, promises plenty of practical advice. Michael Jenkins and Ewan French are among the participants. Go here for the full line-up and ticket details.