Entry is now free.
We welcome the unconventional, we welcome the conventional. We want to get away from clichees.
We HOPE to find films that do not conform to current expectations or conventions.
We are looking for genuine independence or originality of thought and conception, and of execution
We are not looking for evermore extreme viscera, or violence or hyperbole of various kinds that often passes for “indie” style..
We want films that are not packed with the editing and acting clichees that are the usual badges of success in film-making.
We are looking for films that follow their own artistic path, for whatever it is worth.
Every so often there comes a time in film-making when there needs to be a move away from the too often repeated mannerisms of editing and acting and narrative techniques. We will support films that are doing that
One little example; we would happily do without the dip to black, tympani, blade sharpening sounds that punctuate every film- please!
This is the first year of the festival
We intend to foster an environment of intelligent receptivity, often lacking for genuinely original work in any field.
We accept films of all genres.
Being in the festival...
All films selected to be in the festival will be screened in the Empire Cinema, Sandwich, an art deco cinema.
There is a licenced bar (as well as light refreshments, tea, coffee etc.) where participants can discuss their own and each others' films, and exchange advice and experiences.
We may invite directors to take part in Question and Answer sessions, or to introduce their films.
Sandwich, is a small beautiful totally unspoilt, medieval town, in Kent, with many restaurants and pubs and shops, as well as hotels of varying sizes. It's well worth a look round.
Our priority and chief interest is to provide screenings for films. More important than awards, we hope to be able to offer further screenings beyond the festival for some films.
Some festivals give awards without even screening the films (and sometimes, we suspect, without even watching them) so that the value of awards is at last being questioned. Ours is a small but genuine festival, it's about screening films.
We award laurels to all films selected to be in our festival, to show on your publicity and posters that you have been screened at a proper festival with high standards. Awards can be given lightly, screenings can't - there is strong competition for inclusion.
To be judging between films already deemed to be good enough to be in the festival, when all films have different artistic aims, seems a misleading distraction.
The serious judging is done by choosing which films to screen.