Have you ever watched a film that stayed with you long after the credits rolled? “The Secret of the Grain” is one such masterpiece that does just that, and I’m thrilled to share why it’s a must-watch for us in Portsmouth, especially right now.
Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche in 2007, this French drama dives deep into the heart of a North African immigrant family’s life in France. It’s a story that, while set in a specific community, unravels universal themes of family, ambition, and the unifying power of food, making it a poignant watch for anyone, anywhere.
Why “The Secret of the Grain” and Why Portsmouth?
Cultural Mosaic
Portsmouth, our beloved port city, is a tapestry of cultures, each thread contributing to our vibrant community. This film, with its intimate portrayal of immigrant life and the struggle for cultural identity, mirrors the experiences of many in our city. It’s a conversation starter about diversity, integration, and the richness that different cultures bring to our collective table.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Slimane, the film’s protagonist, is laid off but doesn’t let this setback crush his spirit. Instead, he dreams big – of opening a couscous restaurant on a boat. In today’s economic climate, who can’t relate to the fear of losing a job or the dream of starting something new? Portsmouth has seen its share of ups and downs, and Slimane’s story is a testament to the resilience that defines us.
The Language of Food
If there’s one thing that can bring people together, it’s food. “The Secret of the Grain” celebrates this idea, showing how Slimane’s dream revolves around a traditional dish that becomes a symbol of hope and unity. Portsmouth’s own food scene is a testament to how cuisine can bridge gaps between cultures, serving as a delicious reminder of our shared humanity.
The Complexity of Family and Community
This film doesn’t shy away from the messy, beautiful complexities of family life, something we can all relate to. It’s about support systems, generational gaps, and the ties that bind us. It’s a nod to our own communities in Portsmouth, where family and neighbours come together in times of need, celebrating victories and facing challenges as one.
Chasing Dreams
At its core, “The Secret of the Grain” is about the courage to chase your dreams, no matter the odds. It’s a message that resonates with anyone who’s ever had a dream, especially in a city known for its entrepreneurial spirit like Portsmouth.
Wrapping Up
“The Secret of the Grain” isn’t just a film; it’s a reflection of life’s complexities, joys, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. For us in Portsmouth, it’s a mirror to our own experiences, challenges, and the beauty of our diverse community.
So, why not join us for a screening? It’s the perfect time to come together, celebrate our city’s spirit, and maybe find a little inspiration to chase your own dreams, whatever they may be.
Looking forward to seeing you there and hearing your thoughts on this cinematic gem. Let’s keep the conversation going and the dreams alive, Portsmouth!
Catch you at the screening! Get your tickets here.
Join us at All Saints Church, Portsmouth, on Saturday 23rd March from 17:00-22:00The Secret of the Grain – Cinematic Dining Experience, for a unique evening of film and food with “The Secret of the Grain” (2007). Celebrate community and culture during Ramadan with a special screening and authentic North African meal, supporting the incredible work of Portsmouth City of Sanctuary and Kitchen of Hope. Secure your spot with a £10 donation to Kitchen of Hope.
As an intern for Making Waves Film Festival, I have been working under the role of ‘assistant events producer’, alongside a second marketing intern. The opportunity for the festival to take on interns was provided by Artswork Breakthrough program which supports young people in developing their creative careers. The position within MWFF, who place high value on community and creativity, really appealed to me and my career goals. Having graduated from an arts degree this year, this internship has been a fantastic chance to start to learn relevant skills and build a network in the creative and cultural industry, within a community I care about.
The internship is based around the crux of the festival in March 2024, when all the events will be held. We are planning a few live cinema events, a type of event I didn’t know anything about prior to starting the internship, but have since learnt about by attending a great event hosted by MWFF about the production of live cinema events. It detailed everything you might need to know and think about when producing immersive events.
Live cinema is a spectrum of immersive experiences, from something simple like screening a film in a unique location or with a live soundtrack, all the way to the most extreme immersive model set up by Secret Cinema. This involves actors, sets, scripts, costumes, music, all centred around the world set up in the film. It sounds like a fantastic day out, and I’m excited to be working on a project based on that style.
The main event of Making Waves Film Festival, will be an immersive screening of ‘The Commitments’, which has a hugely stylised world that we are recreating in a brewery in Portsmouth.
Through the Artswork Breakthrough internship, I am picking up the relevant skills and connections I will need to assist in the production of this screening, as well as produce a smaller screening in partnership with other community organisations in the city.
Imogen Palmer (L)
Arts Marketing Coordinator Intern
As the marketing intern for Making Waves Film Festival (MWFF), my role is centred around audience perception. Working within and bringing together communities is at the core of MWFF’s values, so being a recent graduate myself, I find that my skills can be targeted to the large student population in Portsmouth.
Whilst my background is in photography, I’m interested in the production side to the medium rather than curation. Having worked on either side, I can see that I’m able to bring a broader perspective that can add value to outputs and intentions. Utilising this creative output, I’ve been able to explore my identity and I’ve consistently been fascinated by how others do the same. Having the opportunity to do this internship allows me to gain a better understanding of how art can help individuals become more confident.
I’m excited by the kind of cultural cinema that brings communities together. I’ve consistently been interested in learning of people’s heritage through film and I love being a part events that give individuals that opportunity. The community created through culture films pushes new filmmakers, producers and writers to the centre stage, giving individuals the space to speak about their lived experiences. Having such involvement in an artistic body like Making Waves allows me to pursue these interests in a professional manner, working on my previous skills and learning new ones to further my knowledge of creative practices.
On Saturday 4th November, the Making Waves Film Festival hosted our one-day live cinema Creative Producers Lab and launched our BFI Film Audience Network-funded Community Curated Live Cinema Exhibition project.
After initial introductions, 3 workshops covered how to market, design and perform in an immersive cinema experience, each of which focused on bringing the 1991 film The Commitments to life with their chosen subject. An understanding of marketing, designing and performing in cinema commenced the workshops before discussing The Commitments and how it could be translated into the Portsmouth & Southsea area. The film is set in Ireland and has themes of Irish Nationalism and disconnection to their identity and as a result leaves main characters feeling inspired by African-Americans, and more specifically, Soul music. The title references the name of the band in the film that performs in and around the fictional town of Barrytown, invented by the author of the book, The Commitments, Roddy Doyle.
Utilising these themes, attendees of each workshop came up with ways in which to bring the film to life, starting with the venue. Since members of the band in The Commitments spend most of their music career performing in bars or warehouses, looking at a local event space, like the Staggeringly Good Brewery in Southsea, it makes sense to look for a venue with a similar look and feel. This space would need to facilitate live music as well as food and drink stations to further tie in themes of Irish culture to the event. For example, hosting a run of Battle of the Bands nights sponsored by MWFF would draw attention to the immersive experience and allow the event to gain traction through a unique marketing funnel.
Inviting local food and drink vendors like Pie and Vinyl to replicate classic pub food in a similar style as seen in the film would enhance the experience. This would also give local businesses a chance to make an income and bring together several Portsmouth and Southsea institutions.
Since such a vast percentage of this area’s population are students, the attendees included several ideas to give opportunity to those interested and provide them with a platform. Examples included putting on a competition for students to design a logo for the evening/event which would be used in all forms of marketing.
After the workshops, we were joined by Professors Sarah Atkinson and Helen Kennedy who gave attendees an insight into the world of live cinema using their extensive research of one of the leading companies in this industry, namely Secret Cinema. Looking at the immersive cinema experience from more than just a design perspective meant that attendees could learn more about engaging audiences and the specific type of live cinema they desire to achieve.
It was an extremely productive day, we are now steaming ahead with plans for the screening of The Commitments at a popular local venue in March 2024. Watch this space for further updates.
Professor Sarah Atkinson & Professor Helen W. Kennedy
on Saturday 4th November 10:00am-16:30pm at the University Learning Centre, Winston Churchill Ave, Portsmouth PO1 2DH (Opposite the Ibis Hotel).
Are you ready to dive into the world of immersive events, where imagination knows no bounds?
If so, then why not join us for a day of inspiration and innovation at our one-day live cinema Creative Producers Lab. This unique event is designed to empower creative minds like yours, exploring the art of crafting thrilling experiences and how to manage the intellectual property (IP) for the film you’re screening.
Get ready to unlock the secrets of immersive storytelling through practical workshops, enlightening panel discussions, and captivating presentations. Discover the art of marketing your live cinema events to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression. Learn how to create immersive environments that transport viewers into breathtaking alternate realities. Unleash your inner performer as we delve into the intricacies of acting in immersive settings, where every moment is an opportunity for connection.
Our line-up of industry experts will guide you through the dynamic landscape of live cinema, sharing their invaluable knowledge and expertise. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A panel with our experts, plus a show and tell event which will challenge the workshop participants to pitch their ideas to our panel of experts.
This is your chance to connect with like-minded professionals, exchange ideas, and ignite your creative potential. With hands-on workshops, insightful discussions, and real-world case studies, you’ll leave with practical skills and a renewed sense of excitement to craft extraordinary live cinema experiences.
Join us at Unlocking Creativity: Crafting Engaging Live Cinema Experiences and be part of the movement that is reshaping the boundaries of storytelling. Secure your spot now and get ready to unleash your creativity like never before. Don’t miss out on this exhilarating opportunity to be at the forefront of immersive events in the world of cinema!
This is an in-person event aimed at amateurs, professionals, enthusiasts, academics, students, creators, and makers. Anyone with an interest in exploring live cinema production of any background is welcome to take part, no previous experience is required.
Marketing Immersive Events: Delve into the dynamic world of immersive, experiential, and themed entertainment marketing in this hands-on workshop. Hone your skills with practical exercises and real-world scenarios, ensuring you’re equipped to captivate audiences and create unforgettable experiences. Elevate your marketing prowess and bring stories to life like never before.
Designing Immersive Experiences: Master the art of crafting immersive and experiential designs that captivate audiences. A practical skills-building session, participants will get their hands dirty, transforming creative concepts into tangible themed experiences. Dive in and bring stories to life!
Performing in Immersive Environments: Join our workshop on performing in immersive settings. Learn practical techniques for acting in 360-degree environments. Through hands-on activities, gain the skills needed to engage audiences in these unique spaces. Ideal for performers looking to adapt and thrive in modern immersive experiences.
Lucy Ridley (Creative Director Interactive & Immersive Experiences): Over the past 14 years Lucy has created everything from large scale immersive shows for Secret Cinema to work in schools, street performances, experimental clown pieces and brand activations. Lucy has led creative and performance direction for over twenty Secret Cinema productions including; Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Stranger Things with Netflix, Blade Runner, Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, The Handmaiden by Park Chan-wook, Dirty Dancing, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove, Star Wars, Saturday Night Fever, and Back to the Future. At the core of her work is a commitment to making play inclusive and accessible to everyone. Her work has reached hundreds of thousands of people across the world of all ages and walks of life.
Sarah Atkinson (Professor of Screen Media, King’s College London): Sarah has published widely on the impacts of digital technologies on film, cinema & media audiences, and screen production practices & industries. She has addressed her subject through analyses of narrative, text, process, industry, apparatus and audience. Sarah has undertaken extensive work into the Live Cinema economy and has worked on a number of funded immersive media projects including a Virtual Reality diversity initiative, a project which explores artificial intelligence and conversational interactivity in games and ‘XR Circus’ which brought together circus artists with immersive technologists.
Helen Kennedy (Professor of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Nottingham): Helen has been researching the intersection of film and games through the phenomena of live, experiential and immersive Cinema which has led to a number of publications. She collaborated with Professor Sarah Atkinson from King’s College London to co-write, direct and produce a short film about this research entitled – Live Cinema: Walking the Tightrope Between Stage and Screen (2019) which was nominated for Learning on Screen Best Film Award 2020. Together they recently published a further volume on live cinema “Secret Cinema and the Immersive Experience Industry” (2022).
There is a wealth of documentation of all the events and collaborations that Sarah and Helen have undertaken together on their website.
Lab Collective (interactive theatre makers): Lab Collective will be facilitating our designing immersive experiences and performing for immersive environments workshops. They create interactive, visceral live experiences that tread the line between theatre, game and installation, empowering audiences to collaborate in our performances. We share our work in physical spaces and virtual worlds, exploring and playing across technologies and disciplines to generate an innovative theatrical experience.
Find out more about The Lab Collective on their website.
Tim Burton’s Macabre stories have made a persistent impression. Firstly, they influenced filmmakers worldwide. Secondly, his most recent masterpieces inspired many articles and vlogs. However, unlike the others, James March decided to explore the legendary filmmaker’s early work. Therefore, there are many secrets to be found in this mesmerizing video essay ‘Gothic Horror: symbolism, philosophy & the dark imagination.’
Haunted Realm of Tim Barton’s with James March
Only a few creators have left a lingering mark on the imagination of the audience quite like Tim Burton. His unique blend of gothic horror and whimsy surreal visuals has been fascinating for millions of film lovers worldwide. With James March as our guide and his rich visual interpretation, we can uncover the hidden depths beneath the surface of Burton’s visionary creations.
A Cinematic Exploration of Enigmatic Macabre Secrets
From the first frame, we are transported into the depths of Burton’s dark imagination. The video essay begins with peeling back the layers of symbolism and horror homage that define Burton’s first short film ‘Vincent’. Above all, James March shares his profound insights and experiences while unravelling the enigmatic secrets of Tim Burton’s macabre mastery. March’s meticulous film analysis explores the haunted story world, the tormented souls of Burnot’s characters, and the rich tapestry of Burton’s influences.
Uncovering the Tapestry of Tim Burton’s Influences
To start with, March’s keen eye for detail and deep understanding of Burton’s cinematic language brought the symbolism to life in ways only a few can imagine. In other words, James deciphered the intricate messages that lurked beneath the surface. Because he reveals the profound depths of Burton’s dark imagination. Additionally, James shed light on the profound connections to literary traditions, unlocking a deeper appreciation for the layers of meaning woven throughout Burton’s distinctive style.
Tim Burton’s Homage to Macabre and Horror Icons
As we venture further, March’s analysis seamlessly connected the dots. Moreover, It reveals the interwoven threads that bind Burton’s films together themes, motifs, and recurring elements took on new significance accordingly. Above all, this is transcending individual narratives and weaving a tapestry of dark enchantment from Mary Shelley to Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic tales to echoes of classic horror icons. Through March’s insight, you can begin to acknowledge Burton’s skillfully blended homage and innovation, paying tribute to the masters while carving his own path.
James March explores Tim Burton’s Macabre cinema in this video essay; ‘Gothic Horror: symbolism, philosophy & the dark imagination.’
https://youtu.be/OznAC-oOTnk
James Marsh: Gothic Horror: symbolism, philosophy & the dark imagination No copyright strikes Premiere Tuesday 2nd May 7 pm
A Closer Look: moving image criticism
Young video essayists comment on popular audio-visual culture. Produced as part of the BA (Hons) Film and Television degree at Solent University and brought to you by Making Waves Film Festival.
If you liked reading Tim Burtno’s Macabre through James March’s Film Analysis, you can consider sharing this or visiting our social media.
County Lines – a true story of gangs turning children into drug mulesFashion Reimagined – A mission for sustainabilityFamous Portsmouth – Les Miserables and TransformersImmersive Cinema and A Future Beyond Belief: Inside the Creative Producer’s HubMaking Waves No6 Cinema Takeover – a great couple of nights out!
Love can be interpreted in endless variations, mainstream films might saturate this theme in nearly all possible variations. However, Alice Cockburn’s video essay, ‘The Light: and the little girl’ beams the light of insightful knowledge on exploring this theme innovatively and playfully. Let’s have a closer look at the Cinematography of Love in this short film with Alice Cockburn.
In a Ray of Love
Romantic films commonly present affection between humans and love for our animal friends or hobby. However, have you ever considered that someone can feel this mysterious sensation towards something less tangible? Something more ethereal? Alice started by exploring the short romantic film of cinematographer Jih-E Peng and Director Guy Poole. In her video essay, Alice narrates how this heartbreaking journey captured hearts worldwide. Also, It is about the unusual connection that makes the short film stand out from the popular film genre creatively and poetically. The title of this fascinating short film is ‘The Light and a little girl.’
Short Film about Love as a Poem
Accordingly, Alice Cockburn has found this theme fascinating. She explains how this film carries the love theme without unnecessary dialogue, it is pure Cinematography of Love. Also, How the director convinced the audience that the little girl truly developed her first short romantic relationship with a ray of sunlight. Therefore, Alice took on the challenge in her video essay to explain mastery of the film’s fluidity and comprehensive narration with no use of dialogue. Firstly, Alice has captured the essence of theoretical reasoning, which stands behind the fluidity and comprehensiveness of this masterpiece. Secondly, Alice enlighted those theories through the bright thinking of writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and John Ruskin. Ultimately, Alice’s video essay explains a correlation between this short film and Poe’s ‘Brief’ and how the brevity of this short film allows for a succinct experience of the first love and heartbreak.
The Cinematography of Love in a short film, The Light and the little girl.
Alice Cockburn: The Light: and the little girl No copyright strikes Premiere Tuesday 18th April 7 pm
The light and the little girl in short.
To summarise, Alice’s video essay is an insightful creation that shines through this short film by explaining this unusual connection between poem theories and film narration. The experience of watching this video essay was enlighting, a true exploration of the cinematography of love. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this video essay and film.
The cinematography of Love in a short film, the light and the little girl.
The cinematography of Love in a short film, the light and the little girl.
A Closer Look: moving image criticism
Young video essayists comment on popular audio-visual culture. Produced as part of the BA (Hons) Film and Television degree at Solent University and brought to you by Making Waves Film Festival.
If you liked reading The Cinematography of Love in a short film, the light and the little girl, you can consider sharing this or visiting our social media.
County Lines – a true story of gangs turning children into drug mulesFashion Reimagined – A mission for sustainabilityFamous Portsmouth – Les Miserables and TransformersImmersive Cinema and A Future Beyond Belief: Inside the Creative Producer’s HubMaking Waves No6 Cinema Takeover – a great couple of nights out!
When Billie Eilish faced harsh criticism for shedding layers of her clothes, she reacted profoundly to the media scrutiny by using cinema, narration and music. Consequently, This inspired a young film theorist Phoebe Cowin. Thus Pheobe touched upon the both sensitive and actual topic of Billie Eilish’s ‘NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY – a short film.’
Media Without Subtext:
Billie Eilish had been facing waves of public condemnations for months after changing her style and became a hot topic for newsletters. Surprisingly, there are only a few interpretations of Eilish’s provocative message online. Also, most of the articles stagnate on narrating the narration of the short film and lack exposure to the subtext. However, Phoebe Cowin reached deeper into questions about Eilish’s choice to cover up and shed the layers. In like fashion, Pheobe explores those choices in her video essay ‘Not My Responsibility: Billie Eilish, femininity is not my responsibility.’
Femininity is not my Responsibility:
”Do you know me?” Billie Eilish fearlessly exposed her opinion about others’ opinions and the friction between the music industry and femininity in her personalised message ‘Not My Responsibility.’ Eilish addressed the consequences and criticisms which had arisen from her decision to conceal her body beneath oversized clothing. Thus, Phoebe Cowin picked up layers of the artist’s statements of female representation. Furthermore, she has taken the responsibility to undress the hidden forces that shape our perception of femininity and the pressures imposed on women in today’s media.
Billie Eilish Navigating Gender Performance:
Firstly Cowin leads from Billies questions and delves into the established norms and expectations placed upon women. For instance, how does society enforce these norms? How do they affect women’s autonomy and agency? Who holds the authority to dictate how women should present themselves? How do these expectations influence our personal choices and self-perception? Secondly, Phoebe Cowin has built her video essay around those insightful inquiries and has shed light on the societal constructs that confine and define us. The essay as a whole invites us to reassess our own perspectives.
Billie Eilish Embracing Authenticity:
In a world driven by superficiality, Eilish challenges us to embrace authenticity. What happens when we resist societal standards and express ourselves on our own terms? How can we break free from the chains of judgment and embrace our true selves? How do artists separate their public persona from who they really are? Obviously, Cowin’s video essay uncovered many answers, but captives us by more profound questions about authenticity and scrutiny imposed through social norms and public eyes.
Phoebe Cowin: Not My Responsibility: Billie Eilish, femininity is not my responsibility
Copyright allowed to be used Premiere Tuesday 25th April 7 pm
Join the Conversation:
To summarise, Phoebe Cowin’s video essay is a call to action, urging us to engage in a broader conversation about gender, self-expression, and the pursuit of authenticity. By watching her thought-provoking analysis, we become active participants in reshaping societal narratives and dismantling oppressive constructs. Cowin’s creation aims to foster a more inclusive and accepting world.
A Closer Look: moving image criticism
Young video essayists comment on popular audio-visual culture. Produced as part of the BA (Hons) Film and Television degree at Solent University and brought to you by Making Waves Film Festival.
If you liked reading about Phoebe Cowin’s video essay Not My Responsibility: Billie Eilish, femininity is not my responsibility, you can consider sharing this or visiting our social media.
County Lines – a true story of gangs turning children into drug mulesFashion Reimagined – A mission for sustainabilityFamous Portsmouth – Les Miserables and TransformersImmersive Cinema and A Future Beyond Belief: Inside the Creative Producer’s HubMaking Waves No6 Cinema Takeover – a great couple of nights out!
Have you ever wondered about the inspiration behind some of the most iconic music videos? Nat Pearce is a visionary film enthusiast who delved into this fascinating topic with Director Ayodeji in his captivating video essay, “Pop Music: The Visual Necessity of Apparatus.”
Pushing Boundaries: The Influence of the Horror Genre in music videos
Nat’s video essay is a fascinating visual exploration of how the horror genre pushes the boundaries of music videos. To begin with, Nat Pearce opens this topic by examining the nightmarish qualities of some of the most iconic music videos. The video essay delves into the collaboration between renowned director Chris Cunningham and iconic artists like Madonna, Bjork, and Apex. However, the main topic is an in-depth look at Director Ayodeji’s thought-provoking music video, “Underscores – spoiled little brat.” Significantly, Nat argued that these videos transcend their role as mere promotional tools. Consequently, This way of music videos transformed into powerful mediums for artistic expression.
Horror Genre in Music Videos
Artistic Purity vs. the Corporate Machinery in music videos
Nat starts the video essay with the most iconic artists and high-budget production. On the other hand, there is Director Ayodeji’s indie work, “Underscores – spoiled little brat.” Firstly, it might lack the glamour of conventional music industry icons but is not short for artistic expression and creativity. Nat Pearce highlighted how Ayodeji had expanded the concept of capturing an artist’s imagery by borrowing the horror genre narrative. Subsequently, Nat explains how Ayodeji masterfully incorporated props, locations, and cinematography to highlight the contrast of life with and without stardom. Secondly, Director Ayodeji utilised a comprehensive approach and added depth and meaning to the performance and narration. Therefore, they elevated beyond the traditional music video experience and created a narrative like a reflective short film. Accordingly, Ayodeji used this narrative structure to provoke questions about shallow fame.
To summarise, Nat and Ayodeji provided first-hand insights into the intricate process of creating this music video. The findings of this video essay reveal Ayodeji’s inspirations from the horror genre while it condemns the machinery of the music industry. Therefore, this music video can be a rebellion against commercial machinery.
Invitation to Explore Possibilities of Music Videos
“Pop Music: The Visual Necessity of Apparatus,” challenges us to appreciate the artistry behind these music videos and find socio-political meaning within for instance. Above all, It’s an invitation to explore the boundaries of visual expression within the music video world. Ultimately, it proves how music videos can be enhanced by film genres and various themes.
Nat Pearce: ‘Pop Music: the visual necessity of Apparatus.’ No copyright strikes Premiere Tuesday 2nd May 7 pm
For horror genre enthusiasts, you can also visit Gothic Horror: symbolism, philosophy & the dark imagination
“Young video essayists comment on popular audio-visual culture. Produced as part of the BA (Hons) Film and Television degree at Solent University and brought to you by Making Waves Film Festival.“
If you liked reading about Horror Genre in Music Videos: “Pop Music: The Visual Necessity of Apparatus”, you can consider sharing this or visiting our social media.
County Lines – a true story of gangs turning children into drug mulesFashion Reimagined – A mission for sustainabilityFamous Portsmouth – Les Miserables and TransformersImmersive Cinema and A Future Beyond Belief: Inside the Creative Producer’s HubMaking Waves No6 Cinema Takeover – a great couple of nights out!
The Making Waves No 6 Cinema Takeover happened in Portsmouth’s famous Historic Dockyard on the 23rd and 24th of March this year! The idea of the festival was to get young people involved and to include the audience in the festivities of screening films in an immersive, community-driven way.
The festival hosted 5 main events on Thursday, a short film competition, a networking event, and a Fashion Reimagined screening. On Friday we had the young people at motiv8 come and do a Q&A with the producer of the film County Lines, The young people of music fusion, also did a pre-screening performance before screening the film County Lines.
The short film competition was a competition between university students who created films from 3 different universities, there were 6 different films, 2 from each university; the University of Portsmouth, Southampton’s Solent University and The University of Winchester, the films shown were as follows; Project 2, The Callback, Blitz, The Julie Tapes, Hannah and Where Did We Park? The award for Best Film went to the Callback and the audience award went to Where did we Park? Each production team was given a unique handmade whale tale statue crafted by local artist James Waterfield and a £75 Pizza Express voucher.
The event was really inviting and there was a real sense of togetherness throughout the showing, people had drinks, and chats before the screening started, which was a really nice atmosphere. Something that gave the event incentive and excitement about who would win, was the awards which were sat at the front on the stage through the screening and at the end, the audience was able to participate by using a QR code to vote for their favourite!
After coming out of the screening, there was a networking event at the bar sponsored by Millstream Productions, with loads of tables laid out with sandwiches and little snacks, and everyone was mingling, it was a great chance to meet people both from the city of Portsmouth and outside of the city, there were quite a few students from Winchester there, as well as people who had come for the screening of Fashion Reimagined, overall the networking event hosted a great intersection between the competition and the film.
Entering into Fashion Reimagined, you gave your ticket to the lovely ladies at No. 6 and you were brought into the screening of the film. The film focused on two ladies who worked for a fashion company on a mission to become more sustainable and took us through the process of how our clothes are made. They visited different countries where the manufacturers were located in hopes to find a company that is completely sustainable.
Throughout the film, it shows their struggles to find this method of production and their successes. After the film, there was a bit more mingling in the bar, and a lot of discussion about whether or not people would take the sustainability pledge promoted by the film, until it was inevitably time to go home.
On Friday the night started off with being greeted at the door by the young people from Motiv8, a charity based in Portsmouth that supports at-risk youth and raises awareness about the trouble they could fall into, especially in the city. We were given cups of sweets and welcomed into the bar to take a seat ready to watch the Q&A. Megan and Rebecca from Motiv8 interviewed David Broder, the Producer of County Lines (2019), and Matt Blessed, a music leader at Music Fusion, a music-based charity for at-risk youth in Portsmouth.
After the Q&A, we all headed into the theatre where we saw performances from Matt Blessed, Kizz and Cam, 3 artists from Music Fusion, in front of the screen, before the film was shown. Everyone was excited after the music, then the lights were shut off, and the film started! County Lines is a film about a 14-year-old boy called Tyler, whose family is struggling for money, and he gets mixed up in the wrong crowd. The film raises awareness about how dangerous county lines gangs are in cities, and how easily they can be avoided. It is a very hard-hitting film, which really resonates, and was a great way to finish the festival.
Making Waves Film Festival 2023 was a great way to get the young people involved, and bring people together for a great couple of nights out at the cinema! The audience and everyone who was involved in helping make this happen truly deserves a massive thanks for making this year great! Here’s to next year being equally as great!
We all wonder about the spectacle of film and fame. Could you have been standing where famous filmmakers and actors once stood? Amazingly, the answer is potentially ‘yes’ as there are several examples of feature length films that have used a Portsmouth (or close by Hampshire area) as a key part of their blockbuster movie.
In this second instalment of Making Waves’ Famous Portsmouth, I dive into two more household names.
Les Miserables, Tom Hooper (2012)
Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables is one of many adaptations of the drama that follows the life of convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who fights to build a new life in the midst of revolution beginning to brew.
Portsmouth’s own Historic Dockyard is used in the gritty opening of the film where Jean Valjean is among the convicts pulling a ship into the dockyard. This behind the scenes video goes into more detail on The Dockyard’s famous moment.
Cast and crew at the historic dockyard for filming of Les Miserables
Transformers: The Last Knight, Michael Bay (2017)
Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. Transformers: The Last Knight brings together inventor Cade Yeager, Bumblebee, an English lord and an Oxford professor to save the world.
Going slightly further afield, The Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport was used as a location for the film, welcoming A-Listers Sir Anthony Hopkins and Mark Wahlberg. HMS Alliance was also used as a location for the film with scenes filmed on board the boat over three days. Again, this behind the scenes video goes into more detail.
Crew with HMS Alliance for Transformers: The Last Knight
You can find more in this series by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by!
