Making Waves Film Festival

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The cinematography of Love, ‘The Light: and the Little Girl.’
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 18^th 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.
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August 14, 2023
ALI & AVA: ONCE UPON A TIME IN BRADFORD
Realism meets romance in Clio Barnard’s refreshing love story.
Nominated for two BAFTA’s (Outstanding British Film and Best Actor), Ali & Ava is the centrepiece of Making Waves Film Festival 2022. Written and directed by Clio Barnard, this contemporary romance is a bold move for one of Britain’s most talented and original filmmakers.
Barnard has earned widespread critical acclaim and multiple awards for The Arbor (2010), The Selfish Giant (2013) and Dark River (2017). Exploring dark and tragic themes across post-industrial and rural Yorkshire with a mix of professional and non-actors, her cinematic social realism and poetic naturalism has been compared to Ken Loach and Lynne Ramsay. Ali & Ava, a feel-good romance, might seem a surprising follow up.
Ali & Ava meet in the rain. Ali is a happy-go-lucky landlord who occasionally gives his tenants’ daughter Sofia a lift to school. Ava is Sofia’s classroom assistant. Ali & Ava’s first encounter is fleeting, little more than a glance. Their second is a rain-drenched journey across Bradford as Ali offers reluctant Ava a lift home. Add a frisson of sexual tension and we have a classic meet-cute. Sounds like the start of a romcom? It is… sort of.
Adeel Akhtar’s Ali and Claire Rushbrook’s Ava are the eponymous star-crossed lovers embarking on a secret romance. A Bradford-born DJ and landlord, Ali lives in the predominantly South Asian neighbourhood of BD3 with his estranged wife Runa. He is determined to keep their separation hidden from his Bengal British Muslim family.
Ava is a teaching assistant from an Irish Catholic family. A widow whose husband was an abusive bully, she lives in the white working class neighbourhood of BD4. Her house is always open, a revolving door of children and grandchildren.
Ali loves dance music and when Ava shares her love of folk and country he thinks their friendship is over before it has begun.
“Oh that’s it, that’s it for me,” he says jokingly offering to pull the car over.
But this is a love story and it’s not long before Ali is dancing on the sofa to Sylvan Esso’s Radio next to Ava singing along to Karen Dalton’s Something On Your Mind: a headphone disco for two. It’s an extraordinary scene, a worthy addition to any list of all-time-great-romantic-movie-moments.
Of course, once upon a time comes before happy ever after and Barnard’s middle-aged protagonists have plenty of obstacles to overcome. Ava’s son Callum is fiercely opposed to her new relationship and chases Ali from the house while wielding a sword. Ali is still desperately in love with his first wife who longs for him to reveal their separation to his family. Ava still struggles with the memory of her abusive partner. Thinking he’s having an affair, Ali’s sister accuses him of running around with a “gori (white) chav.”
The history of romance in film has been rocky to say the least. With the great love stories consigned to the 20th century golden age of cinema, for many the genre is now synonymous with “fluff,” “melodrama,” and “clichés.” It is interesting then to note that Ali & Ava marks an evolution, not a departure, from the sombre reflection of Barnard’s early work. While Barnard treads fearlessly onto romantic ground with Ali & Ava, she retains her trademark social realism.
“If you’re brave enough to climb up, you’ve got to be brave enough to climb down,” says Ava with practised patience to Sofia who gets stuck on the school climbing frame.
If you’re brave enough to show the love, you’ve got to be brave enough to show the pain. Such is the thesis of Ali & Ava. While the film leans into pain and trauma, it never dwells. Romance is tempered with reality and, in Barnard’s words, “joy becomes an act of defiance”. Nowhere is this clearer than when a group of schoolchildren throw stones at Ali’s car as he drives Ava home. Ali quickly wins them over by turning up the stereo in his car and encouraging them to sing and dance along.
As Ali & Ava cultivate space for love in their complicated lives, it becomes apparent that love is a choice. It doesn’t negate the pain, it isn’t a miracle cure. Sometimes choosing love is the more difficult choice. Barnard reminds us it’s the right one.
After all, she chose love when she decided to make a diagetic romantic musical set in Bradford. With its euphoric soundtrack, Ali & Ava is a love letter not just to its titular characters but to the city. Bradford is beautifully shot by Judy cinematography Ole Birkeland with twinkling lights, less a post-industrial wasteland waiting for the Conservatives to level up the North; more a city of hope. Unlike most romantic films the central couple don’t exist in a vacuum and neither does the film. As Ali and Ava are woven into the fabric of their community so is Barnard’s filmmaking, inspired by, made with and for the people of Bradford.
It feels important, during a time of divisiveness fuelled by politicians, Brexit polls and world events, to celebrate love and kindness. To be reminded that within the ordinary everyday we can find the most extraordinary capacity to love.
Yes, Ali & Ava is a love story. It’s also more than that. With exquisite writing, sensitive direction and mesmerising performances, Barnard’s film reminds us that the language of love is universal. More than ever we need a language we all speak to connect us and although happy ever after might not be guaranteed (no spoilers here), once upon a time is today. Love is a choice.
Making Waves Film Festival will present a special screening of Ali & Ava preceded by a Wave Makers Q&A with Score Composer Harry Escott, winner of the Best Music British Independent Film Awards 2021. Thursday 21 April at 7pm, No 6 Cinema, Portsmouth. Book online via No 6 Cinema.
By Sophie Thomas

April 5, 2022
The Cinematic Style of Wes Anderson
The extravagant visual style of Wes Anderson is one that has been discussed a lot in the world of film and for good reason. He is a major inspiration for my interest in film and filmmaking. I am in awe of the unique way Anderson brings storytelling to life and the relationship between all the visual, cinematic and technical elements presented in his films. So, let’s explore further exactly what it is that makes a Wes Anderson film the way it is.
Symmetry
Symmetry is one of the most notable Anderson features. Action on screen is unusually centralised and/or mirrored which draws our attention to the precision involved. Plus, the psychological connection between the human brain and symmetry could explain why its use is so mesmerising.
The French Dispatch (2021)
Planimetric Composition (and Compass Point Editing)
Planimetric composition (when the camera is perpendicular to elements of the scene) is what makes his shots appear two dimensional. Characters generally move horizontally or vertically in relation to these plains and the camera. Anderson also uses compass point editing techniques such as whip pans in 90 degree increments to maintain this composition. The resulting effect? The filmic space looks and feels constructed and the viewer is likely conscious of this fact. The debate here is whether this effectively contributes to the cinematic experience or if it takes the viewer out of the film instead.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Colour
Another stand out feature of the Wes Anderson style is colour. Notably, each movie has its own colour palette – usually charming pastel colours. When he does use bright colours, it is in contrast to sad events. This overall exaggerated use of colour creates a world far removed from reality which allows Anderson to get away with more extraordinary plots.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Storytelling
As a common thread, Wes Anderson films seem to want to highlight the ‘cinema’ of it all rather than hide the filmmaking. His films are often presented as stories within stories: Moonrise Kingdom (2012) has a narrator who speaks to the camera, Rushmore (1998) uses curtains to separate chapters like a play, and The Darjeeling Limited (2007) has a character who seems to be writing the story we’re inside of.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
It’s almost impossible to talk in depth about absolutely everything that goes into a Wes Anderson film. There’s also slow motion, tracking shots, typography and more. However, the points I’ve chosen to discuss start to break down key visual and aesthetic choices. Might go and rewatch The Grand Budapest Hotel for the fifth time now…
March 26, 2022
Local Talent Spotlight: Trash Arts
Next up in the Making Waves initiative to explore Portsmouth’s local creative community and why they do what they do is indie-focused production company Trash Arts. Below is just a snippet of what they got up to in 2021!

Trash Arts is “a collective of creative minds” that aims to champion all forms of art. They have made short films, feature films, music videos, promotional videos, and documentaries. They also host spoken word and poetry nights and variety shows for example Trash Arts’ Open Ya Mouth which encourages performers of all levels to have a go at an open mic event.
Here Sam Mason Bell, founder of Trash Arts and ex-director of Making Waves Film Festival, gives his thoughts on the Portsmouth filmmaking scene:
How would you describe what Trash Arts does to those coming across you for the first time?
“Trash Arts is a production company focusing on independent films and indie horror, growing new talent and championing indie filmmakers.”
What is it about Portsmouth and the wider Hampshire area that you think makes it such a great place for filmmakers and creatives?
“I am born and raised in Portsmouth; it has [a] fantastic development structure [and] you can go through the poorest housing to the richest housing within a heartbeat. Sure that’s not great for the country or for the people but to have [a] richness of locations close by certainly helps. Having the seaside, the woods, Portsdown Hill so close is fantastic! Not going to lie, will always feel the city council should do more to allow free locations for film makers, maybe one day…”
Why do you think a film festival in Portsmouth is so important?
“Portsmouth has had a problem with supporting its artists, whether that’s down to lack of interest from the city council or the hideous competitive nature of Portsmouth. A film festival offers an opportunity for artists to be supported and for them to network with other artists. Also with so many emerging film festivals it can only help to entice an audience down to Portsmouth for the city to actually have an event!” Make sure to check out Making Waves’ film festival programme for 2022.
What’s going on at your company right now or in the coming months that you’d like to promote?
“Trash Arts has a few films in pre and post production. This year we are taking more of a creative focus on Portsmouth, its history and its rather crazy folklore.”
You can find more information about Trash Arts through their youtube channel and their social media pages linked here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trashartsuk/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trashartsuk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trashartsfilm
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trash-arts-ltd/
January 31, 2022
Riyadh Haque on Film Festival Communities
I spoke with University lecturer and active practitioner, Riyadh Haque, about his take on the role of a film festival among county-wide communities as well as his personal career before, and during, his residency in Portsmouth.
(‘White Coffee’ – A short film directed by Riyadh Haque)
Riyadh, What filmmaking or media projects have you worked on locally, in the Hampshire area?
“Unfortunately, I can’t expose the details of many projects I have been involved with publicly. I can, however, briefly mention a comission project I worked on that was shot on 35mm film. The film was funded externally. We did, though, made a conscious decision to source as much of our talent and crew from the local area. This enabled us to support local, up and coming, keen filmmakers and get them involved in larger scale productions.”
Why do you think a film festival in Portsmouth is necessary?
“The film festival is always at the centre of the community in that area. Whilst I believe film festivals are great, they’re not usually enough on their own. The festivals host events once or twice a year and they’re great, but it can’t be left to this. Continuing to hone and support the local community is the real role of a film festival. It should be the buzzing hub at the core of a group of like-minded people.”
What project are you most excited about being involved in, either locally or otherwise, in the coming months?
“Ultimately, there are constantly projects and work that I am involved in, both locally and otherwise. The thing I’m really excited about being involved in is right here at Portsmouth University. Encouraging students to become the filmmakers they want to be. I have the opportunity to grow a community of young filmmakers that will surround things like Making Waves. I’d like to nurture the talent I can see here as much as possible going forward. Building upon the community we have in Portsmouth, thus growing the tomorrow’s community is what I am most excited about.”
Riyadh’s contacts:
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ifilmlove
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/riyadhhaque/
January 11, 2022