St John’s plays host for Watersprite Film Festival

The Watersprite Festival, a free student film festival and awards ceremony, will be taking place at St John’s College this weekend.

The annual, student-run Watersprite Film Festival will be taking place 5-6 March in the Old Divinity School at St John’s College as well as in other venues around the city. Now in its fifth year, this not-for-profit, free festival recognises and rewards emerging student talent, and intends to entertain and educate broad audiences, from film enthusiasts to filmmakers.

Hundreds of submissions are submitted to the Watersprite Awards every year from 78 countries, and some of the best student shorts - hailing from countries such as Rwanda, Myanmar, Israel and Cuba – will be showcased during the course of the weekend in the Old Divinity School and the Arts Picturehouse. Awards are offered in 12 different categories, including Film of the Year, Best Animation, and Best Screenwriting, and an Awards Ceremony hosted by Sir Lenny Henry will take place on Saturday evening at the Fitzwilliam Museum (invitation only). There will also be a series of free events during the festival featuring industry-leading speakers, including interactive workshops, Q&A sessions, and discussions.

The Opening Ceremony takes place this evening at St Catharine’s College with an interview with TV and film producer Finola Dwyer, followed by a screening of last year's Film of the Year Kafal Pakyo.

Event highlights taking place on Saturday 5 March at the Old Divinity School include the following:

The Sound of Movies takes place at 10-11.15am in the Main Lecture Theatre. This event features an interview with film and television composer Ben Salisbury (Ex Machina, Life in Cold Blood), where he will discuss the opportunities that film scoring offers in the current music industry.

So you think you can pitch? (12-1.45pm, Main Lecture Theatre) enables aspiring filmmakers to present and pitch their films to a panel of experts including Donna Wiffen (Duchess Street Productions), Sara Geater (All3Media), and other guests, in front of a live audience. Winners receive 30 minutes of one-to-one advice with the panel, as well as an exclusive tour of Pinewood Studios.

Is it really ketchup? An Intro to Practical Effects takes place at 1.30-2.45pm in the Lightfoot Room. During this event, industry experts discuss the importance of practical effects in modern filmmaking – which can be more immersive than special effects if done well; think miniature models, prosthetics and pyrotechnics. Laurence Harvey, practical effects artist on films including the Game of Thrones, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Batman Begins, will talk about how the industry is constantly evolving.

Highlights on Sunday 6 March  include the following:

How to Change the World, at 12-1.15pm in the Main Lecture Theatre, is an exploration into making a difference in the world through a campaigning film, and how to be heard in a crowded and apathetic world. This event is in recognition of the new Awards category: Filmmaker of the Future. Speakers are Sir Lenny Henry (Comic Relief), Lucia Zoro (Save the Children) and Hilary Bevan Jones (Endor).

Join the two winning screenwriters from this year’s Script Lab competition at the Script Lab event at 2-3.15pm in the Main Lecture Theatre, where they will receive face-to-face advice on their scripts with top development executives Tom Nash (Endor), Philippa Tsang (Film 4) and Kristin Irving (BFI), followed by a Q&A session.

The Closing Gala is presented in partnership with A+E Networks and Lifetime, and will highlight Broad Focus, an industry-wide initiative advocating for more women behind the camera. The event will feature a Q&A with up-and-coming actresses Hera Hilmar and Emily Bevan, with the Q&A focusing on the need for more women to have influential roles throughout the media landscape. The event will begin with a complimentary drinks reception.

All events during the Watersprite Festival are free; however, a £3 booking deposit is required on ADC Ticketing, which will be refunded once event attendance is confirmed.

The Watersprite Festival takes place 5-6 March 2016. For more information visit the festival website.