2022 FESTIVAL - Opening Night Screenings & Party

April 2 | 8:00pm | Whirled Cinema, London

A torrid affair with the Moon… A Palestinian detainee on a hunger strike… A woman’s estranged cousin arrives unannounced after a breast cancer diagnosis…

Join us at one of London's coolest indie film arthouse for the opening night bash of The People's Film Festival. Come watch 15 amazing short films.

Afterwards, party with the filmmakers and industry professionals. And who knows… you may just find your next collaborator.

 
 

Location: Whirled Cinema

259-260 HARDESS ST
LOUGHBOROUGH JCTN
LONDON SE24 OHN


What’s On

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.


LIFE SKILLS

written, produced, & 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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


Intermission


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


Opening Night Networking Party

After the screenings stick around for the Afterparty and our Late Night Grindhouse which features our best Horror, Sci-Fi and flat-out freaky Official Selections.