Congratulations to all the winners announced recently at the Grand National Final of the Rialto Channel 48 Hour Film Competition. The competition kicked off on April 4^th when over 700 teams were given a genre, a line of dialogue, a prop, a camera angle, a character, and 48 hours to complete a short film. The films were then judged at a regional level with the top films, along with Peter Jackson’s wildcard selections, judged by an international judging panel. 

This year there were 14 incredibly strong finalists up for Best Film, and the Grand National Champion award was taken out by team Lense Flare for their short Pants on Fire. The Runner Up award went to team Noise and Pictures for Rubble. 

You can catch these impressive shorts, as well as meet the talented teams behind them, when Rialto Channel screens 48 Hour Film Competition 2014 on Wednesday 25th June at 8pm.

Congratulations to all the winners announced recently at the Grand National Final of the Rialto Channel 48 Hour Film Competition. The competition kicked off on April 4^th when over 700 teams were given a genre, a line of dialogue, a prop, a camera angle, a character, and 48 hours to complete a short film. The films were then judged at a regional level with the top films, along with Peter Jackson’s wildcard selections, judged by an international judging panel. 

This year there were 14 incredibly strong finalists up for Best Film, and the Grand National Champion award was taken out by team Lense Flare for their short Pants on Fire. The Runner Up award went to team Noise and Pictures for Rubble. 

You can catch these impressive shorts, as well as meet the talented teams behind them, when Rialto Channel screens 48 Hour Film Competition 2014 on Wednesday 25th June at 8pm.

Here are my picks for the week:

Africa United

It doesn’t sound particularly British, but Africa United is the debut feature from theatre director Debs Gardiner-Paterson, who was born in Taiwan, raised in Yorkshire and educated at Cambridge. It’s a delightful family-friendly road trip through the heart of Africa, led by three Rwandan children who set off for Rwanda’s capital city Kigali to audition for the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Unfortunately, football prodigy Fabrice, manager Dudu and Dudu’s little sister Beatrice catch the wrong bus and end up in the Congo. Foreman George, a mysterious teenager, convinces the trio to travel straight to Johannesburg, encountering wildlife, gun wielding thugs and the people of Africa along the way. It’s a film with a sunny disposition thanks to its charming performances, upbeat soundtrack and a spirit of determination and optimism, but which also touches on very real issues such as AIDS, child soldiers, poverty and education.

Ill Manors 

Starring: Krister Henriksson, Charlotta Jonsson & Douglas Johansson
Directed by: Ben Drew
Screening: Tuesday 10th June, 8.30pm 

Ill Manors is a hard hitting, gritty urban drama that tells the story of four drug dealers and two prostitutes, and is the debut feature from Ben Drew, also known as British singer/songwriter Plan B. The film is inspired by the 2011 summer riots in London, and focuses on the criminal underclass in East London, especially it’s youth who are caught up in a world of violence, drugs, and a lack of hope. It starts off with a hiss and a roar thanks to Drew’s solid cast of both professional and non-professional actors, a driving soundtrack by Plan B himself, and cool effects that make a normal scene look like a stop motion animation. However as much as Drew keeps the intensity levels high, as the film progresses, the energy driving this film wans. Fans of Guy Ritchie’s films will enjoy.  

Perfectly timed to co-inside with the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, is a documentary that explores the idea that an unsanctioned football World Cup took place during World War II in Argentina. It’s a rather far-fetched, but compelling story – a tale you really have to hear to believe – that involves a eccentric Hungarian Count, indigenous Indians with hypnotic powers, and even William “Butch” Cassidy, the bank robber son of an even more famous bank robber. After years of meticulous research, exploring the intricate history of 20th century soccer and walking that delicate line between rigorous documentary style and the spirit of true cinema, this film finally presents the true story of the 1942 World Soccer Championship – or does it? You decide.