Brighton Rocks

It is reported that there are 9 stillbirths every day in the UK. ‘Stillness’ follows the journey of a photographer who strives to support a new family as they struggle with their loss. The following article contains content which might be difficult for some to read and watch. ‘Stillness’ is an admirably brave and powerfulContinue reading “In Review – ‘Stillness’ by Rachel Fowler”

In a dark, grimy corner of a bar somewhere in LA, three old Barflies get to bickering about one salty, charming, two faced swindler from the past… So pull up a barstool, get a drink and find out just “who the F**k is Jacky Bumpers?” in this candy coloured Super8mm film. Before the screening atContinue reading “Video Interview with Alan Richard Halls Writer and Director of ‘Who the F**k is Jacky Bumpers?’ & Chip Carey Actor and Producer”

StartStop is the greatest and most important punk rock band of all time! Now the truth, that they invented punk rock, will finally be proven thanks to Jim Banfield. A feature film premiering at Brighton Rocks in June this year is guaranteed to delightfully assault all of your senses from start to finish. ‘StartStop (TheContinue reading “In Review StartStop (The Untold Story as told by Mary Applestone a film by Jim Banfield) by Kew & Michael Bennett Leroux”

James Card is an award winning short-film director who eventually gave into the burning desire to make a feature film and produced his brilliantly engaging, improvisation-based feature ‘Finally Nearly Getting There’. Inspired by the mumblecore subgenre of American independent film, ‘Finally Nearly Getting There’ takes us on an all-too-typical British meander through the countryside toContinue reading “Interview with James Card, Writer & Director of ‘Finally Nearly Getting The

Heartbreak and the ways in which we deal with it is a rich and well-trodden path, so it is always a treat when we come across a freshly delivered perspective, as shines through in comedy short ‘Pigeon’. Directed by Kiki Allgeier, founder of creative production company Go Parachute, the US-based filmmaker was looking for aContinue reading “Interview with Kiki Allgeier, director of ‘Pigeon’”

Mark Nelson’s ‘A Place About 50 Miles West Of Nowhere’ is a beautiful experimental exploration of life in New York City through an abstract expressionist and surreal lens. The film is gorgeously layered with images from the city, allegory and poetic observations and musings narrated by actress and producer Andromeda Godrey. Alongside being a delightContinue reading “Interview with Dancer Georgia Poole & Choreographer Annie Waller from Latitude Dance on ‘A Place About 50 Miles

Films, among so much more, encourage debate. They are a vehicle for expressing ideas, beliefs and spark something deep within us. These are the aspects which filmmaker Mark Nelson wanted to explore in his latest project ‘A Place About 50 Miles West Of Nowhere’. Mark has taken his background in photography, years of buddhist beliefContinue reading “In Conversation with Mark Nelson, Director of ‘A Place About 50 Miles West Of Nowhere’”

It is thought 1 in 50 people may suffer with OCD. And that figure is expected to actually be higher due to the shame people can feel about opening up. The whole team behind ‘Waving’ are keenly aware of the difficulties some may have reading this article and watching the film. Executive producer Catherine BenfieldContinue reading “In Review: ‘Waving’ by Rolfin Nyhus & Steven Brumwell”

The film essay is a form which has been embraced by many of the greatest filmmakers over the years – Chris Marker, Agnes Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, to name a few. When filmmaker Adam E. Stone lost his father, he wanted to pay homage to and explore writings and unsolved mysteries left behind. Adam, a greatContinue reading “Interview with Adam E. Stone, director of ‘Atmospheric Marginalia’”

Forbidden love, systemic prejudice and senseless suffering are three themes deftly explored by NFTS graduate Director Em J. Gilbertson’s clever and nuanced depiction of a time where the imbalance of gender roles and expectations on women were patently absurd. ‘Requiem’ is set against the backdrop of the violent witch trials of the 1600s and centresContinue reading “Interview with Em J. Gilbertson, director of ‘Requiem’”

Today marks one year since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine. A year in which the world seemed to take a giant leap backwards, with the upheaval causing trauma and tragedy for millions of lives. ‘Once Upon a February’ by Russian filmmaker Julia ​​Shlenskaya is an intensely personal project that makes a brave attempt to comeContinue reading “Interview with Julia Shlenskaya, director of ‘Once Upon a February’”

Filmmaker Mick Child, founder of Forge Photography & Film Production, first graced our screens at Brighton Rocks in 2022 with his live action short ‘Villa’. He is back with a thought-provoking micro movie, ‘This Bee Movie, Our Future’, focusing on the increasing strains on our climate. Mick has been tinkering with photography since the ageContinue reading “Interview with Mick Child & Dane Foxx, director and narrator of ‘This Bee Movie, Our Future’”

Generative AI in all of its weird and wonderful forms is set to bring about a huge revolution in filmmaking. Whether ultimately this is for better or worse, whilst this technology is continuously evolving, now is the time to be embracing the advances and playing with the various forms. This is exactly what artist andContinue reading “Interview with Matteo Di Gioia, director of ‘Italian Boi’”

Brighton Rocks International Film Festival is proud to be showcasing ‘Today I Wrote Nothing’ by Keith Sargent, aptly named after the work of the absurdist avant-garde Russian poet, Danill Kharms. By employing his incredible aptitudes in animation, music composition amongst so much more, Sargent has weaved together a beautiful 3-minute experiential film proving that theContinue reading “Interview with Keith Sargent, Writer, Director & Producer of ‘Today I Wrote Nothing’”

Crime fascinates and repels us all at the same time, and detective stories draw us into their dark and complex webs and the characters hidden within. When the chance arose to develop a sequel to a 2016 short ‘The Private Investigator’ by BRIFF alum Alex Lines, writer James Alexander Allen and director Luke Martin joinedContinue reading “Interview with Luke Martin and James Alexander Allen of ‘Edge of Insanity’”

Who amongst us cannot claim to have whiled away the hours watching others around us going about their daily lives? Darcy Vanhinsbergh, whose background lays predominately in front of the camera, used the forced moments of contemplation driven by the pandemic to consider the people he has been observing, their intricate social dynamics and whatContinue reading “Interview with Darcy Vanhinsbergh & Alex Lawton of ‘Cold Water’”

A not-so-sunny day in the life of a downtrodden millennial Director Tracy Mathewson’s short film ‘California’ deals with the startlingly relatable and heart-rending tie between father and daughter, and the rippling aftereffects of a tumultuous past. All the while, the film works toward highlighting the limits and failures of our increasingly relied upon, modern-day form ofContinue reading “In Review: ‘California’”

We got a chance to speak with the Steve Sale, writer/director behind one of the most exciting films screening at this years Brighton Rocks Festival, Dogwood. He shared with us the story behind the film’s conception, how achieved such epic cinematography, and why artists must suffer for their art. Can you share with us whereContinue reading “Brighton Rocks Interviews: Dogwood Writer/Director Steve Sale”

One of the standout films at this year’s Brighton Rocks festival is Dogwood, an epic meditation on today’s throwaway world with a particular focus on the human cost of society’s slavish work culture. Dogwood, by writer/director Steve Sale, follows Martin (Joe Newton) – an undervalued and overworked cog in the corporate machine. One day, overrunContinue reading “Brighton Rocks Spotlight: Dogwood”