Winners
| Strand | Film | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction | End of the World | Karol Ulman |
| Animation | Blue Monday | Katarzyna Orłowska |
| Documentary | Rain Pot | Gordon Moore |
| Audience | Lost Ore Abdurrahim | Pınar Yıldırım Karaman |
Jury statements
Fiction: “An introspective view into the concept of mortality and the relationships formed through loss. The film is at once concrete and abstract. A maturely charged script convincingly carrying the weight of universal questions. The secluded setting lends itself perfectly to the often-isolating feeling of grief, highlighting loss as one of the few things that connects people of all ages. An intriguing narrative carried confidently by two mesmerising performances. Creative filmmaking, captivating cinematography and a joy to watch.“
Animation: “The artistry of this film is apparent from its opening frame, with the meticulous use of oil paint creating a beautifully haunting image of contemporary society. Each carefully placed brush stroke lends itself to the monotonous rhythm of daily life, but the fluidity of colour, texture and movement allows us to break free of this cycle, with seamless transitions from the overwhelming pressures of modern life to the freedom of the natural world reflecting an innate desire for escape. Despite its short duration, this film leaves you contemplating your own perceptions of life and freedom, proving the impact this animation has both as a film, and a piece of art.“
Documentary: “Rain Pot is a beautifully crafted documentary. The film’s exquisite cinematography and atmospheric sound design perfectly capture the artistry of the ceramicist. Moore has created an eloquent audio-visual poem, that is both enticing and evocative.“
The bird is a symbol of Liverpool John Moores University and the City of Liverpool, whilst the material of paper reflects the academic context of the LJMU MA Short Film Festival. Additionally, visitors decided on the Paper Bird Audience Award 2021, the winner of which is Lost Ore Abdurrahim, directed by Pınar Yıldırım Karaman. Congratulations!
Jury
Each of the three juries comprises one member of the film industry, joined by an LJMU Film Studies member of staff and a third year LJMU Film student.
Fiction
Dr Loreta Gandolfi
Lecturer in Film and Course Director
Dr Loreta Gandolfi is an Affiliated Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Cambridge and is the Course Director of the Undergraduate Certificate in Film Studies at the Institute of Continuing Education where she teaches a range of courses in European and World cinema, which reflects her diverse research interests. She worked as an International Programmer for several film festivals, such as the Cambridge Film Festival (UK), the Black Nights Film Festival (Estonia), the Red Sea Film Festival (Saudi Arabia) and she currently is a Senior Curator at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. She freelances in the ‘Interviews’ sections of international film journals and is a member of the European Film Academy.
Dr Holger Mohaupt
Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking
Dr Holger Mohaupt is an award-winning artist and filmmaker. Born in Germany, he studied photography, film and visual anthropology at the Art Academy in Hamburg. He completed a practice-led PhD and a postgraduate degree in Electronic Imaging at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee. His distinct lens-based work has been broadcast on TV and exhibited internationally at festivals and in galleries. He is recipient of the New Media Scotland Award and the Irish SWITCH Visual Art Award. Holger is Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking at Liverpool Screen School.
Katie Goody
Student, Film Studies and Creative Writing
Katie Goody is a third-year Film Studies and Creative Writing student with a passion for editing, scriptwriting and film criticism. In her second year, she was the director and editor for the film ‘Chatty Shoes’, which won the audience award at the ‘Film Studies – 48 Hour Film Contest’. In her third year, she was selected to work as a Location Marshall on the set of the Liverpool shoot of the upcoming ‘Batman’ film, directed by Matt Reeves. Outside of university, she is an avid writer, editor and a budding Audiovisual essayist.
Animation
Electra Venaki
Festival Director, Researcher and Film Editor
Electra Venaki is a researcher and lecturer in many Academic Establishments in Athens, founder and general director of www.altcine.com and the online Balkan short film festival, and film editor. She served as General Director of the Greek Film Centre (2016-2017) and she is a long-time collaborator of the Greek Film Archives.
Dr Demelza Kooij
Senior Lecturer in Film
Dr Demelza Kooij is an artist, filmmaker and senior lecturer for the BA(Hons) Film Studies, MA Film, and MA Art in Science at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. She recently completed her PhD, titled ”Empathising with Animals: Non-Human Subjectivity in Documentary Film”. Highlights of her art and film practice include the Jury Prize at the 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival 2019 for Wolves From Above, exhibitions and screenings at Festival Du Nouveau Cinéma Montréal, Hamptons IFF, Edinburgh IFF, Zinebi, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp [M HKA], FACT Liverpool, Wroclaw Media Art Biennale, and The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul [MMCA].
Kelsey Draper
Student, Film Studies
Kelsey Draper is a third year Film Studies student with a keen interest in film festivals and criticism. She was the UK representative for the 2019 European University Film Award jury in Hamburg, as well as the winner of the 2020 Pesaro Film Festival (Re)Edit competition, with her video essay ‘Safe Bodies, Safe Environments: The Atmosphere of Todd Haynes’ Safe’.
Documentary
Droo Padhiar
Head of Marketing at Dogwoof
Droo Padhiar has worked in UK film distribution for over ten years across Hollywood studio, British independent and world cinema in both marketing and publicity. Having previously worked at STUDIOCANAL and Peccadillo Pictures, she joined Dogwoof in April 2019 to manage all marketing for the company’s releases across corporate, production, international sales and U.K. distribution, including the UK marketing campaigns for Apollo 11, Marianne & Leonard and the festival sales marketing campaigns for Hillary (EFM) and Mark Cousins’ Women Make Film (TIFF).
Dr Keith Marley
Programme Leader MA Film
Dr Keith Marley is a documentary filmmaker and Programme Leader of MA Film at Liverpool John Moores University. Keith’s documentary filmmaking has been influenced by the experimental filmmakers of the early 20th Century, including Dziga Vertov, Joris Ivens, Alberto Cavalcanti and Jean Vigo. He has produced a number of City and Industrial Symphonies, which explore how film aesthetics can convey a particular sense of place. He also has a deep interest in the writings of Dziga Vertov, Jean Rouch and David MacDougall.
Nathanial Eker
Student, Film Studies and Creative Writing
Nathanial Eker is a third-year Film Studies and Creative Writing student who is passionate about film criticism and scriptwriting. In his first year, he was chosen to produce a lecture and report on the status of disabled representation in the film industry as part of an academic internship. In his second year, he was selected to make a documentary film alongside the students of Shanghai Normal University and present a cross-cultural Film Festival in the heart of China. Outside of university he works as a freelance film critic for the UK Film Review.