Organisers of a Holme Valley film festival want to find the Disney and Pixar animation geniuses of the future.
They’re searching for young film makers, aged from five to 20, who can come up with an award-winning short film on the theme of Psychedelia. The winners, in each of three age categories, will see their movie screened at the Picturedrome in Holmfirth on Thursday, May 25.
Holmfirth Film Festival director Stephen Dorril explained that the theme had been chosen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the psychedelic explosion of music and art in 1967, and, in particular, the influence of rock band Pink Floyd.
“We would like to see short, flashy, colourful films using lots of animation techniques,” he added. “They can shoot the films with whatever media they like. These days everybody’s got access to make films and software to edit them.”
The closing date for the competition, which is a collaboration with animator Doctor Simpo and local company Red Ledge, is Friday, May 12.
For entry details email doctorsimpo@hotmail.co.uk and visit holmfirthfilmfestival.co.uk.
Holmfirth Film Festival is taking place from May 20 to 26 at a variety of venues, from Holmfirth and Hepworth to Honley and as far afield as Marsden. The Picturedrome, one of the country’s oldest cinemas, is the focus for many events.
During the festival there will be screenings of more than 70 films, including blockbusters such as LaLa Land and A Monster Calls as well as works from world cinema, documentaries and the ever-popular local history films. New for this year is a series of outdoor screenings, which take place on Saturday and Sunday (May 20 and 21)) in the Old Bridge Hotel car park.
Stephen, who is course leader in music journalism at Huddersfield University and a lecturer in film, says the festival, now in its eighth year, attracts visitors from all over the region and as far afield as London.
“It’s known as the ‘quirky’ festival,” he added, “because we have unusual events. We show films that people might not have the opportunity to go to the cinema to see. We’ve got films from Korea and Eastern Europe, a strand of films about disabilities and films with black actors and black directors.”
“This year’s festival is dedicated to the memory of Karen Summers, who died unexpectedly, shortly after last year’s Festival. It was a shock and a great loss. Karen was a stalwart of the Festival and did a great job organising the volunteers. We are organising a screening of Eight Days a Week, the film of the Beatles live, her favourite group. Profits will go to charity.”
The full programme for the festival will be available online from April 20.
