After announcing 3 Official Selections per month (with a total of 27 Official Selections announced over the course of our open submission period in 2021), we're now excited to share with you 13 more Official Selections as we announce our full lineup for 2022's edition of The People's Film Festival happening April 2-9.
Official Selections
ALONE TOGETHER
written & directed by Aglaja Filipovic
produced by Alisa Radovanac
Returning home, under the strange circumstances, two strangers must share a hotel room for one night.
ALONE TOGETHER is an Official Selection in our Micro Budget Category.
BAINNE
written & directed by Jack Reynor
produced by Lara Hickey & Emer O'Shea
In the last year of The Great Famine in Ireland, a stoic farmhand survives working for the local landlord. When he encounters a ghostly figure stealing milk his morality is questioned, and is beguiled on a journey of faith.
BAINNE is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
BLINKERS
written & directed by Sophia Capasso
produced by TUTTI TUTTI Productions
Two young women, their lives meticulously intertwined, are each on a fast paced journey to very different destinations.
BLINKERS is a short film about the cracks we don’t see splitting in the rollercoaster that is modern life and how two experiences of one night can be drastically dissimilar.
BLINKERS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
CLOUDS
written & directed by David Yorke
produced by Phil Beastall
A young boy struggling with depression navigates through his daily routine, while being followed by a grey cloud.
CLOUDS is an Official Selection in our Micro Budget Category.
DUNDERWHELP
directed & produced by Jasper Valentine
written by Mark Little & Jasper Valentine
Two soldiers have fled the field of a viscous and bloody battle, only to be confronted by each other in this clash of the cowards.
DUNDERWHELP is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
EMBERS
written, produced, & directed by Tom Ganley
Alice sits alone at a restaurant, waiting for her date to arrive...
EMBERS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
FEAST
directed by Gillian Harker
written by Brian Coyle & Gillian Harker
produced by Curzana Productions
A woman reverts into self-loathing and food abuse after her actions cause a relationship to fail - the fallout documented in voice notes and lack of responses.
FEAST is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
FINDING BEAST
written & directed by Olivia Accardo
produced by Will Mason, Sofia Snyder & Kristen Politis
While Olivia’s parents prepare to sell their NJ home and relocate to Florida, Olivia puts her life in LA on hold to embark upon an important mission – she must rescue the ghost of her childhood cat from her family’s home before it’s too late.
FINDING BEASTis an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
FISHWIFE
written, produced, & directed by Beth Park
In wild 18th century Britain a lonely woman discovers that her menstrual cycle is of interest to a stranger.
FISHWIFE is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
THE GOSSIP
written & directed by Rolfin Nyhus
produced by Tara Trangmar & Rolfin Nyhus
A young woman's self-esteem shatters when her best friend launches into a tirade.
Set in Margate, a coastal town in the South East of Britain, The Gossip explores the moral and interpersonal effects of gossip between two best friends.
Careless talk and gossip occur in all walks of life and can create rifts in the closest of relationships. Repairing this damage requires compassion and understanding. Traits that are often most needed when they are least accessible. Healing a once loving relationship can be the hardest task of all.
THE GOSSIP is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
HUNGER
written, produced, & directed by Mark Dollard
A heroin addict is pursued by a menacing figure.
HUNGER is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
I HOPE THIS FILM ISN’T ABOUT ME
directed by Harry Plowden
An animation sort of about nightclubs.
I HOPE THIS FILM ISN’T ABOUT ME is an Official Selection in our Mirco-Budget Category.
JAHANNAM
written & directed by Hamza Pool
produced by Elena Queally & Daisy Ward
A victim of Israel’s use of administrative detention, a Palestinian detainee goes on a hunger strike after being separated from his daughter and incarcerated without trial or charge.
Inspired by recent cases, "Jahannam" tackles the issue of administrative detention and Israel's use of this practice to imprison thousands of Palestinians for lengthy periods of time. The film also explores the use of hunger strikes by detainees as a form of protest, and how the Israeli prison system punishes such resistance.
JAHANNAM is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
THE LAST DELIVERY
directed by Alessio Ciancianaini
written by Alessio Ciancianaini & Irene Fraschetti
produced by Rifugio Produzioni
Vera orders pizza for dinner, but her date doesn't show up. She asks Giulia, the delivery girl, to stay for dinner. Between mouthfuls, the two women talk about their lives.
THE LAST DELIVERY is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
LIFE SKILLS
directed by Gino Evans
Life Skills tells the story of Nathan, a former soldier who is struggling with life after serving in the armed forces. When Nathan’s world is collapsing and he is at his lowest point, he seeks respite by taking a unique path to try to overcome his problems.
LIFE SKILLS is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
LOVE YA LIKE POISON!
directed by Max Azulay & Rosie Yadid
written by Rosie Yadid
produced by Sarah Epstein & Rosie Yadid
Twenty-something Louise returns to NYC after university abroad. She is reunited with her firecracker of a Jewish mother, Nadine, and their relationship seems to pick up right where it left off.
While Nadine wants her back for good, Lou is desperately trying not to get too comfortable. When she reveals news of her engagement, old wounds are reopened as Nadine reveals secrets about her own failed marriage.
LOVE YA LIKE POISON! is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
MEMENTO MORI
directed by Paul O'Flanagan
written by Paul O'Flanagan & Laura O'Flanagan
produced by Louise Ní Chonchúir
A storm brews over Victorian Dublin as post-mortem photographer, Mr.Huxley, returns to his hallowed practice within the gloomy townhouse in which he resides. His latest subject is a recently-deceased young woman, whose presence conjures the demons of Huxley's character - compelling him to confront the narcissistic life he has chosen to lead.
MEMENTO MORI is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
MILK
written & directed by Celia Jaspers
produced by Celia Jaspers, Auriga Martin & Juanita Deely
When she sees an old man unable to pay for his milk, a young girl has a change of heart.
MILK is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.
MORE JUICE
written & directed by Gabriel Thibodeau
produced by Colton Mooney & Gabriel Thibodeau
Tess avoids her breast cancer diagnosis while housesitting her childhood home. When her estranged cousin arrives unannounced to “comfort” her, it's clear he has unresolved issues of his own.
MORE JUICE is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
MYRTLE
directed by Patricia McCormack
written by Megan Barker
produced by Shaheen Schleifer
Myrtle, a trailer park Mom from Indiana, cooks dinner for her son. But something's not quite right. This kitchen is anonymous, industrial, and Myrtle's working to a deadline. As her composure unravels, we realize that 21 grams is all that separates life from death.
MYRTLE is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
#NOFILTER
written & directed by Nathan Crooker
produced by Nathan Crooker & Maya Korn
#Nofilter addresses the ever-growing issue surrounding Body Dysmorphic Disorder through the eyes of Beth, an insecure twenty-something, who becomes obsessed with an insidious filter, leaving her to question true beauty. It is a cautionary tale for all those obsessed by "likes," being flawless, and thinking that somehow social media is the magical cure-all for happiness. The film stars Kelly Lamor Wilson and Misha Osherovich from Blumhouse's "Freaky."
#NOFILTER is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
NYC! SOUND (BACK) ON
directed by Gilad Avnat & Stav Nahum
produced by Hannah Janal
Celebrate New York's reopening with this audio-visual homage to the greatest city in the world.
900+ sounds sampled. 6 days of shooting. Countless days of editing. As New Yorkers eagerly await a full reopening, the Bonamaze directing duo celebrates the spirit of the city with the release of their new short, “NYC! Sound (back) On.” The goal of this creative, audio-visual homage is to capture the heartbeat of the Big Apple like never before, with a special emphasis on sound that brings the city’s diverse culture to vibrant life. Selected as Vimeo Staff Pick - Best of the Month and winner of Best Unscripted and Best Use of Sound & Music at Berlin Commercial 2021.
NYC! SOUND (BACK) ON is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.
ON THE COUCH WITH MY DEPRESSION
produced & directed by Angharad Gladding
written by Paula Harris
Full of excited anticipation, a poet plans to go to a book party. Then along comes depression. A film about yearning simply to be able to clean your teeth and leave the house.
Based on the poem "I was going to go to Dorothea Lasky’s book party in Brooklyn, but instead I stayed on the couch with my depression, not crying" by Paula Harris
ON THE COUCH WITH MY DEPRESSION is an Official Selection in our Micro-Budget Category.
OUT OF ORBIT
directed by Jess Kay & Dann Emmons
written by Jess Kay
produced by Jess Kay, Dann Emmons, Raghav Mukerji, & Charlotte Hardick
When Esme’s mum dies, her world falls apart. She struggles to navigate her day to day life until she gets an idea, fueled by their mutual love of space, which may lead to the relief she so longs for.
OUT OF ORBIT is an Official Selection in our Mirco-Budget Category.
PELICANS
directed by Ellie Heydon
written by Toto Bruin
produced by Lydia Bland & Ellie Heydon
Pelicans are a symbol of the process of letting go. They are birds who gather together in order to overcome struggle with the knowledge that they are most likely to succeed as a combined unit. Our story follows 5 grieving teenagers trying to comprehend and navigate their personal loss. The film is an aesthetically driven piece set against the vast expanse of the British coastline. It finds the friends in a slightly comedic limbo between denial and acceptance. The film is structured around the changing tide, moving in waves and healing our group of misfits until finally they are able to head from the bizarre purgatory of their seaside sadness back into the real world.
PELICANS is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
PETER THE PENGUIN
written & directed by Andrew Rutter
produced by Joanna Caldwell & Ashley Gardiner
Nigel is on his way to meet his partner's daughter Emily for the first time. With high expectations in tow, he's hoping to make a great impression.
PETER THE PENGUIN is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
THE PITCH
written & directed by Eno Freedman Brodmann
produced by Gon Tarragona
The Pitch is a satirical short film that spoofs the advertising industry by imagining a potential collaboration between chicken nuggets and bluetooth speakers. Starring Lourdes Hernández, it follows a call between an agency creative and director trying to one up each other on the most important product of the year...vegan chicken nuggets. Ridiculous, absurd, yet only too real, The Pitch is a commentary on the agony of the creative process until it all becomes a mess.
THE PITCH is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
PORTRAIT
written & directed by Keir Siewert
produced by Alix Austin
'Based on real accounts, a model takes matters into her own hands
to expose a serial predator in the photography world.'
Rhetta, an industrious model, sets up a shoot with a predatory photographer, notorious for his coercion tactics and aggressive actions. However, little does he realise that Rhetta has orchestrated this meeting as a sting to expose his inappropriate behaviour on an online video live stream.
Winner of the Genera grant, Portrait is a tense drama built on research from interviews with 21 models about their experiences overcoming the abuse of power in the photography world.
PORTRAIT is an Official Selection in our Mirco-Budget Category.
SHALLOW
directed & produced by Paul Ashton
written by Joe Johnsey
Barry and Larry dig deep into society.
SHALLOW is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
SHE
written & directed by Matt Greenhalgh
produced by Ryan Bennet
A frantic young woman struggles against an unforgiving inner voice that battles against all logic, rhyme or reason... Compelling her to endure a physical, mental journey that takes her right to the very edge.
SHE is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
SOGGY BISCUIT
written & directed by Emma Jesse
produced by Oli Falcon
A group of soldiers travelling through a war torn British countryside take cover for the evening ... they decide to play a bizarre and unsettling game.
Soggy Biscuit is a short dark comedy exploring toxic masculinity, men's mental health and how so often peer pressure, humiliation and brutality acts as a substitute for emotional vulnerability and support.
SOGGY BISCUIT is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
STANDSTILL
written & directed by Katia Shannon
produced by Gareth Brown & Katia Shannon
A fight to get through the gridlock becomes a fight for survival for Amanda as her body comes to a standstill.
STANDSTILL is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
written & directed by Tomasz Frymorgen
produced by Brianna Ferguson & Tomasz Frymorgen
During the UK's Thursday evening clap for healthcare workers, an over-virtuous neighbour is challenged by the nurse next door. His only way to avoid public humiliation is to crush the heretic before him.
This short satirical film searches for the line between encouraging virtue and enforcing submission in pandemic Britain. It’s about class divides, witch hunts and the darkness beneath our most righteous performances.
THANK YOU SO MUCH is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
TINA AND PETER
directed by Dan Hodgson
written by Adam McNicol & Tracey Collins
produced by Brainwrap Comedy
Long-time Tina Turner enthusiast and tea expert, Tina T'urner Tea Lady, runs a greasy spoon café with Peter Longbody, Sheffield's disappointing answer to Alan Sugar. But in this brave new world of skinny macchiatti and pumpkin spiced lattes, how will these old school oddballs fare?
TINA AND PETER is an Official Selection in our Mirco-Budget Category.
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART
directed by Elliot Taylor & Liam Francis
written by Liam Francis, Elliot Taylor, Dann Cooper & Lucy Hilton-Jones
produced by Lucy Hilton-Jones
A listless Luna makes big life changes by leaving her boyfriend for the Moon. But when communication breaks down and the world is up in arms, she wonders how she can get him back into orbit, and her own life back on track.
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART is an Official Selection in our Mirco-Budget Category.
A TREE FELL TODAY
directed by Oliver Crawford
written by Oliver Crawford & Rob King
produced by Simone McIntyre
Elise revisits the traumatic memories of her lover Jessica committing suicide due to the catastrophic death of their child, struggling to escape the eternal circle of anguish and misery she tries to move forward but she is stuck in an endless loop.
A TREE FELL TODAY is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
UNWRAPPED
written & directed by Eva Gauley
produced by Oli Falcon & Will Bradbury
An uncomfortable encounter during a video call.
UNWRAPPED is an Official Selection in our Sponsored Category.
VISKAR I VINDEN
written & directed by James Newman
produced by Harry Newman & James Newman
A feisty forensic investigator is gathering evidence at the murder scene. Until the corpse posthumously communicates with the investigators through its decaying farts. They must conduct a most unusual interview to catch the killer.
VISKAR I VINDEN is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
WANK
written, produced, & directed by Christian Gordine
A man is tortured by the memories of a relationship that ended as he spends his days alone during lockdown.
WANK is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
YOSHI FUNABASHI
written & directed by Mattia Ramberti
produced by Martina Abbado
A stylised portrait surrounding Yoshi Funabashi, founder of Studio Ypsilon: a luxury atelier designing Italian classics with a Japanese touch. By mixing his sophisticated heritage with a fascination for Italian music, Yoshi’s character becomes the embodiment of the “Opera Connoisseur”.
YOSHI FUNABASHI is an Official Selection in our Low Budget Category.
Festival Passes are now on sale!
The People’s Film Festival will be April 2 - 9 as a hybrid event with both live events & an online component.
As a pass holder you’ll get access to:
40 short films
Networking events
Q&A’s with filmmakers
Industry panels
Opening Night Party
Late Night Grindhouse
Awards Gala (vote for your favourite film to win our £1000 Film Fund!)
Afterparty
Free glass of champagne!
Festival Passes are £29, but you can get £10 OFF until February 28th with promo code TPFF2022earlybird
Online only passes give you access to:
40 short films streaming
Q&A’s with filmmakers
Industry panels