2021 FESTIVAL - 50 Official Selections

After announcing 3 Official Selections per month (with a total of 24 Official Selections announced over the course of our open submission period in 2020), we're now excited to share with you 26 more Official Selections as we announce our full lineup for 2021's edition of The People's Film Festival happening in March.


New official selections


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BRONAGH

directed by Jessica Courtney Leen, Megan Haly

A grown-up Bronagh feels guilty for experiencing a delayed grief, having lost a female role model as a child. She stalks and ‘haunts’ an estranged family member to ensure she's not alone in being unable to move on.

BRONAGH is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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CAR KEYS

directed by David Anderson

Eating the same packed lunch everyday, holding down a desk job at the council, and caring for his dying mum might not be much of a life; but Keith has it worked out. He has, that is, until his car keys go missing. Now Keith's whole world order slips from under his feet to leave him floundering. Is this the end or just the beginning?

CAR KEYS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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CROSS

directed by Gillian Harker

Tom and Kelly have, on the surface, a passionate, loving relationship. But Tom has a shameful secret he is desperate to keep hidden from Kelly.

CROSS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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DARK LIGHTS

directed by Deborah Richards

A haunted, sexy Las Vegas penthouse dweller explores the darker side of the city and its many addictions.

DARK LIGHTS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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DEEP FEARS

directed by Ryan Chu

A sea otter who is afraid of the ocean is challenged to face his fears when he loses his precious pink shell necklace at sea.

DEEP FEARS is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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DENZEL

directed by Micheal Gamarano Singleton

Denzel follows the dating life of a young man and his journey to self-acceptance. He uses an alter ego to navigate his journey through his social issues and self worth until finally reaching the perfect conclusion.

DENZEL is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.


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THE FERALS

directed by Stefan Ruiz

A horror/thriller short film that follows the story of a young man who has washed up on a desert island following a shark attack. He soon discovers that he is not alone but the occupants on the island are not there to help him.

THE FERALS is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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HEART OF THE NATION

directed by Tribambuka (Anastasia Beltyukova)

A short animation celebrating the role of migrants in the NHS, for the exhibition in Migration Museum, London

HEART OF THE NATION is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.


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HOMESTAY

directed by Elliot Taylor

Due to overcrowding in her building, April is given an empty holiday home to live in during the lockdown period. But after a discovery in the house, she's starts to believe there's more to this act of charity than meets the eye.

HOMESTAY is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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HUGS

directed by Harry Plowden
A little animation about a world without human touch, made during lockdown.

HUGS is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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INFECTED

directed by Alfonso Moreno

A dystopian glimpse into the fall of contemporary western society by Madrid punk band A.C.T., animated and directed by 21 year Minneapolis resident Alfonso Cronopio.

INFECTED is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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MANASANAMAHA

directed by Deepak Reddy

A young man muses on the nature of love, recounting three relationships from his past. The girls in his life resemble three different seasons, namely Chaitra (Spring), Varsha (Monsoon) & Seeta (Winter).

MANASANAMAHA is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


NUCLEAR SEA

directed by Joe Starrs

A young girl wanders through a post-apocalyptic Britain. Navigating the overgrown wasteland, she makes her way back home. Soon to discover that not everything is quite as she expected.

NUCLEAR SEA is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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OUTSIDERS

directed by Grace Parry

Charlotte is an aspiring actress desperate to uncover a life worth living. Her hope is stirred when the Director calls to see her. However, as their time together unfolds it becomes clear she must question the lengths she is willing to go to on her quest to be seen.

OUTSIDERS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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PARTING FRENZY

directed by Ryan Freda

On an impromptu tour of boyfriend, Lee's, newly inherited warehouse and would-be photography studio, Cate makes a confession of infidelity. But it plunges her into a desperate fight for her life when Lee tells her he already knew...and the door’s locked.

PARTING FRENZY is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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PEOPLE SHOW 138: LAST DAY

directed by Gareth Brierley

A short dreamlike drama about power, loss and loyalty.

People Show 138: Last Day, follows HR manager Sidney, who after thirty years of working at an industrial sock factory faces a challenging dilemma that could affect the livelihood of his employees. We find him wandering around the now empty workplace haunted by the memories of his past colleagues, friends, and bosses. Throughout his journey he is confronted head on by the horrific consequences of his actions. Will he make the right choice at the end of his last day?

Starring Tyrone Huggins, George Khan and thirty young performers from the University of Roehampton’s Drama, Theatre and Performance department.

PEOPLE SHOW 138: LAST DAY is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.


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PRECURSOR

directed by Manolo Campos

What if we talked? What if we listened? Precursor is a film that confronts the uncomfortable conversations in relation to prejudice, power, and patriotism. It offers a vision of what could be if two individuals with opposing viewpoints decided to listen.

PRECURSOR is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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SCRIPT

directed by Piero Cannata

Two screenwriters, a ghost story, the night that goes on. Who will put an end to this?

SCRIPT is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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SEND IN THE CLOWNS

directed by Ben Ashton

A clown struggling to make ends meet is faced with an opportunity he can't afford to miss.

SEND IN THE CLOWNS is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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SLEEPING ROUGH: CATHERINE’S STORY

directed by Owain Astles

Sleeping Rough: Catherine’s Story follows Catherine, a young woman who moves straight out of care into a flat with her boyfriend; however it soon becomes clear that the relationship is emotionally abusive, and with no-one to turn to, she escapes onto the streets.

Sleeping Rough: Catherine’s Story is a community-based docudrama about female street homelessness. Based on real interviews conducted with women experiencing homelessness, the film follows a young woman and the circumstances that force her to sleep on the street. The film was produced in collaboration with The Big Issue Foundation and Cardboard Citizens, shot in real locations and entirely with actors with personal experience of homelessness. Sleeping Rough: Catherine’s Story encourages understanding of the issues that affect women experiencing homelessness and aims to empower people to take a stand.

SLEEPING ROUGH: CATHERINE’S STORY is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.


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SQUALL

directed by Mark Brennan

Ben and Margaret, two strangers at rock bottom in their lives for very different reasons, meet in a hotel bar before going on to spend a night putting their respective broken worlds to rights.

The film is about how in even in our darkest moments keeping the company of a stranger, someone who doesn't know our story, can provide some diversion from our troubles - if only just for a few hours.

SQUALL is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.


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STOP AND SEARCH

directed by Harry Jackson

If you're black in the UK, the police are 10 times more likely to stop and search you. How would they feel if it was the other way around?

STOP AND SEARCH is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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URBAN OASIS

directed by Hervé Bressaud

Caught up in the pace of city life, a city dweller sees his daily routine shaken up when he meets a weird bird at the bottom of his building. Then he discovers the existence of an unexpected urban biodiversity and he shares his discovery with inhabitants of his district...

URBAN OASIS is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.




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THE WICK

directed by Sabine Crossen

'A disturbing tale of deceit and persecution of a woman who fights for justice against a lawless witch hunter.'

A dark, period drama, set in the early 1800's in rural England, seventy-three years after witch hunts were banned. When Esther, a local herbal healer, witnesses her sister's murder at the hands of a lawless but influential religious leader, she realizes only she can put an end to the deceit, blind ignorance and barbarity of these outdated beliefs for good.

THE WICK is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.



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YOURS SINCERELY

directed by Craig Bingham

A very short film inspired by the letters between Gilbert Bradley and Gordon Bowsher during the second world War. Two men who were in love.

While on military training during World War Two, Gilbert Bradley was in love. He exchanged hundreds of letters with his sweetheart - who merely signed with the initial "G". More than 70 years later, it was discovered that G stood for Gordon.

At the time, not only was homosexuality illegal, but those in the armed forces could be shot for having gay sex. Some of Britain's gay soldiers after risking their lives for their country were persecuted and jailed by the military authorities.

This short piece has been made celebrate those men and women.

YOURS SINCERELY is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


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2:40 TO LONDON

directed by Gavin Irvine

A surreal comedy that gives you spies, chilli, lumbersexuals and derrières!... A secret agent takes the 2:40 train to London where he is brainwashed by a wayward letch and an uppity snob into handing over the merchandise. Who are these men? Is the agent a traitor? And how do the grumpy lady in pink and the bearded women figure in all this? So many questions, so little certainty… and only the desperate survive in the murky world of espionage.

2:40 TO LONDON is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.


Explore our other 24 Official Selection announced over the past several months


While we would have once again loved to host our event at the Whirled Cinema in London, this year we will be hosting our festival online for obvious reasons. Because of the change we will expand our usual 2 day festival to span an entire week: March 5 - 12. More details on how you can watch coming soon.

Event Tickets on sale soon