Burnley Film Makers Film Festival Sunday 11th Of March 2018

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Though Festival ‘18’ was my first visit to the Burnley Amateur Film Festival, it is in its 42nd year. The film festival, held at Burnley Youth Theatre, centres on competition screening of short movies, running anything from one minute to fifteen minutes in length, made by non-profit making amateur movie makers associated with film making groups in the North West of England. The 12 movies entered in the competition were judged by Tim Stannard, an award winning movie maker. Though unable to attend personally, Tim sent a video commentary on his assessment of each film, followed by prize presentations for the films that were to receive awards (the statuettes for the winners have to be returned annually for future competitions. Attendees watched each film in turn, with breaks and a lovely buffet included too. There was a raffle, (though I never won any of the lovely prizes offered), and the event closed after the awards to the winning film making groups . The films, in order of screening, were; 1/. Moss (Warrington Cine & Video society). A very good look at the history and wildlife of Leighton Moss, with some great wildlife footage, especially deer. This was the one film I personally expected to win a prize that didn’t. 2/. All In The Mind – Southport Cine Society – A down on his luck stage hypnotist uses one of his stage stooges to rob the safe of the nightclub that has just fired him, and also to convince the police of his innocence. A fun, if predictable premise and as Tim Stannard observed, some scenes and characters didn’t help carry the plot along but it was well acted and very funny. 3/. Flying Scotsman Returns To Bury – The Bury Cine Society – A documentary on the return to glory of the most famous steam train of all, mixed with confusing images of other steam trains. Stannard’s comment that the film is weakened by an absence of the clichés of coal being shovelled and close up of wheels and pistons seemed odd. 4/. Girl In The Cellar – Bolton Movie Makers – A man tells an unseen reporter how he saved a girl from the Nazis, but in falling in love with her, he never told her the war was over, causing friction with a priest and suggesting she might still be in the cellar. It felt like an old joke and the actor does not look old enough to have been in the war, but a fun idea. It just needs to specify what year it I set in. 5/. Sabden Old Hall Tractor Run – Burnley Film Makers – Developing from a charity project following the death of a member of the Burnley based Nutter family, a farm-tractor rally and procession was organized in 2008. It drew in so may tractors that the event became an annual tractor parade and this film captures the 2017 show, with interviews with participants and a great capture of the overall feel of the event. This was one of the prize winners at this year’s festival. 6/. Lost And Found – Phase Four Films – A man tells his family that he has found thousands of pounds in cash on his way home from work. He wants to keep it but his wife and daughter want him to find the owner and give it back. Failing to trace the owner they are about to settle for keeping the money when they discover that it is all counterfeit. Seeking a reward, the father takes it to the police, but gets heavily interrogated, causing him to get a heavy parking fine, and he doesn’t keep the found money either. Lovely acting, in a film worthy of being a sitcom episode. Again, a worthy runner’s up prize went to this film. After the intermission buffet, we watched six more movies. 7/. Pilot Glasson Dock - Morecambe Bay Movie Makers – A study of the navigation pilots of the River Lune, as they guide a cargo ship in through Morecambe Bay. Though travelling on the ship, the film makers missed opportunities to interview the crews. 8/. Challenged – Bradford Movie Makers – the shortest movie at just one minute in length and the funniest. An ageing, now short sighted cowboy is challenged to a gunfight by a man convinced that in his myopia, the gunslinger is no longer a match for him, but the old timer is quick not so much on the draw but how quickly he can put his spectacles on before shooting. Hilarious and the winner of the funniest film award. 9/. The Nest – Cheadle And Gatley Film Makers. A truly extraordinary movie and deservedly the winner of the best in show award. A study, filmed over a month of a family of blackbirds through egg laying and preparing their fledglings for flight. The film has an unexpected tragic edge when two of the young are killed by a local cat. The patience behind the filming here was breath-taking. 10/. Haytime In Bowland - Pendle Movie Makers – Hay meadow restoration work, and a call for a return to hand scythe hay-picking as opposed to mechanized farming methods that are bad for hayseeds and soils alike. A very worthy documentary but overshadowed by the preceding nature film. 11/. “Moving On” A Ghost Story – Altrincham Movie Makers – The ghost of a hospital matron frightens off developers planning to demolish her old infirmary. Some very good acting and genuine jump-scares in the Matron’s appearances. Hints of The Shining, and terrific timing. 12/. Venice The Mission – Swan Movie Makers – A trip to Venice specifically to see Verdi’s La Traviata at an opera house that ha been perfectly restored following a terrible fire. The film captures the narrator’s passion for Venice neatly and his sorrow at having to return home, mission accomplished, is lovely. A great festival, where none of the films were dull, and overall, Tim Stannard’s comments were very accurate. I hope mine are too. A terrific event I hope to attend again in future years. Thanks again to Roy Logsdon for getting me there and back. Arthur Chappell