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WinnersAnnounced:7thBAFTA-RecognisedAestheticaShortFilmFestivalCloses

Image:BenjaminCleary&TJO'GradyPeyton,Wave,(Ireland,2017)ASFF2017DramaProgrammeTheclosingnightoftheseventhAestheticaShortFilmFestival(ASFF)wasfilledwithexcitement,anticipationandcelebrationsastheprestigiousAward’sCeremonytookplace,afterthefestival’sfive-dayrunacrossYork.Acelebrationofthebrilliantanddiversefilmmakingonofferatthisyear’sfestival,approximately200guestswereinattendanceincluding,filmmakersandfestival-goerswhomadetheirwaytothehistoricNationalCentreforEarlyMusictodiscoverthewinnersofthecovetedFestivalAwards.Over300filmsinthisyear’sOfficialSelection,wereincompetitiontoreceiveawardsthatrecogniseoutstandingtalentinfilmmakingpractice.Inadditiontoselectingawinnerfromeachgenrecategory,theJuryalsopresentedfourotherawardsonthenight:BestofFestAward,ThePeople’sChoice,YorkYouthAwardandtheNorthernFilmSchoolAwardforBestScreenplay,sponsoredbytheNorthernFilmSchoolatLeedsBeckettUniversity.Thisyear,theoverallBestofFestwinnerswereBenjaminClearyandTJO’GradyPeyton,fortheirfilmWave,thestoryofamanwhowakesfromacomaspeakingafullyformedbutunrecognisablelanguage,whichalsowentontowintheBestDramaAward.ClearywasalsoawardedtheBestofFestin2015forStutterer,whichlaterwentontoreceivetheOscarforBestLiveActionShortFilmatthe88thAcademyAwards.TheArtists’FilmAwardandTheNorthernFilmSchoolAwardforBestScreenplaywenttothecreativeanddeeplyoriginalForRealThobyBaptistPenetticobra.Agroupofteenagersgathersatnighttomakeafilmandwhenthegroupdecidestomessupthefilmthey’rein,afeudstartsbetweenthefilmanditscharacters.Reachingpastthepossibilitiesofdesignandtappingintobrandethos,BestAdvertisingwenttoLucaFinotti’s#WeBelieveInThePowerOfLoveandBestFashionfilmwenttoThatJamforTheSleepingField.Asoneofthemostvisceralandall-encompassingstrandsofthefestival,

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theExperimentalFilmAwardwaspresentedtoNoémiVargawithTheHappiestBarrack.BestDocumentarywenttoSamPeetersforhisportrayalofanironiccaricatureoflikeintheFlemishsuburbsinHomeland.BestMusicVideowenttoMetaxas–SirensdirectedbySavvasStavrou.Anelderlymanreminiscesoverallthathasdefinedhimovertheyears–hisfidelityandhislove–whilsttimesteadilymovesbackwardsandunfolds.Celebratingtheartofperformance,BestDancewasawardedtoAndrewMargetsonforLilBuckwithIconsofModernArt.Revellingintheliberationofcreativity,theAnimationAwardwenttoJohnno’sDeadbyChrisShepherdandtheBestComedywenttoTeemuNiukkanen’sFuckingBunnies.Plungingintothedarkersideofhumanity,IanHuntDuffy’sGridlockwasawardedBestThriller.Thisyear’sYorkYouthAwardwaschosenbythestudentswhoattendedASFF’sYouthEngagementProgramme,forchildrenagedbetween11-14yearsold.Thedayfeaturedaseriesofspeciallycuratedfilmsdesignedtoencouragecriticalengagementandadeeperunderstandingofthefilmmakingprocess.ChrisOverton’sTheSilentChildwasselectedastheirwinner,afilminspiredbyreallifeevents,thattoldthestoryofadeaffour-year-oldgirl,whosesocialworkerteachesherthegiftofcommunication.TheSilentChildalsocaptivatedfestivalaudiences,takinghomethePeople’sChoiceAward.AsaBAFTA-Qualifyingfestival,allfilmsthatscreenedatASFFareeligibletobeconsideredforaBAFTA,whichoffersagreatopportunityforfilmmakerswhomightnototherwisebeabletogettheirfilmsinfrontofthecommittee.FestivalprogrammersinattendanceatASFFhavepreviouslyselectedASFFfilmstoscreenatotherfestivalsinternationallyandprofessionalconnectionsmadeatthefestivalhaveresultedinseveralhigh-profilecollaborations.Thisyear,ASFFwelcomedrepresentativesfromtheBBC,CreativeEngland,BFIandLondonCollegeofFashion,astheyjoinedwinningdirectors,storytellersandotherindustryspecialistsfromaroundtheworldtocelebrateshortfilmandparticipateinindustrymasterclassesandpaneldiscussions.CherieFederico,ASFFDirector,says:“Forthefirsttimeinsevenyears,ASFFhasrunacrossfivedays,bothtomeetaudiencedemandandtohelpusshowcaseanevengreaterdiversityoftheincrediblefilmmaking.Thisyearwepridedourselvesonbeingmorebroadlyrepresentativethanever,withspecialguestprogrammesincludingtheIrisPrizeseriesofLGBTQ+inspiredshortfilms,aswellasastrandofPolishfilmswithEnglishsubtitles,andafocusonurbancultureandculturalpioneers.It’sbeenourstrongestyearyetintermsofindustrysessionsanddeeplyoriginalfilms.It’sbeenwonderfultoseethebuzzthatisgeneratedacrossYorkthroughouttheweek–wecan’twaituntil2018!”ForPressImages,downloadhere:http://aestheti.cc/meu3aNotestoEditors

1. ASFF2017ranfromthe8-12ofNovemberinYork,UK:www.asff.co.uk2. ASFF2017screenedover300filmsfrom41countriesworldwide,includingUSA,

Canada,Australia,Croatia,Iceland,Spain,Italy,Qatar,Brazil,Switzerland,France,GermanyandtheUK.

3. Official2017Programme:http://aestheti.cc/vy5qp

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4. Official2017FestivalTrailer:http://aestheti.cc.g8nfj5. ASFFgenresincluded:advertising,animation,comedy,dance,documentary,drama,

experimental,fashion,musicvideoandthriller.6. TheASFF2017Juryinclude;AdamGee(LittleDotStudios),AndrewFryer(Leeds

BeckettUniversity),ChristineMorrow(NorthernIrelandScreen),GisliSnaer(LondonFilmSchool),IsabelleCroissant(HOME),LydiaBeilby(EdinburghInternationalFilmFestival),MatimbaKabalika(BFINET.WORK),PhilipIlson(LondonShortFilmFestival),PhilipSindall(AssociationofCameraOperators),RobbieGibbon(Editor),SarahAhern(ADIFF)andStephenWhelan(PulseFilms).

7. ASFFsponsorsandpartnersinclude;Aesthetica,BarleyHall,BelfreyHall,BoothamSchoolYork,BritishFilmInstitute,CityofYorkCouncil,CityScreenPicturehouse,CreativeEngland,CreativeScotland,ExploreYork,FalmouthUniversity,FfilmCymruWales,Firefly,FriargateTheatre,GrandCentralRail,HerefordCollegeofArts,HiltonYork,HolidayInn,King’sManor,LeedsBecketUniversity,LondonCollegeofFashion,LondonFilmSchool,MakeItYork,MarriottYork,MiddlesexUniversityLondon,NAHEMI,TheNationalCentreforEarlyMusic,NorthernFilmSchool,NorthernIrelandScreen,ParkInnYork,PlymouthCollegeofArt,RADA,RandomActs,RidingLightsTheatreCompany,Safestay,ScottishFilmTalentNetwork,TheSmalls,ThirteenThirtyOne,UniversityofLincoln,VisitYork,YorkConferences,YorkExplore,YorkMeansBusiness,YorkMuseumsTrust,YorkTheatreRoyal,YorkStJohnUniversity,YorkTheatreRoyal.Seeallsupporters:www.asff.co.uk/partners

8. Aesthetica,oneoftheleadingartsandculturepublicationsproducesASFF.Showcasingsomeofthemostimportantartistsfromaroundtheworldatworktoday,thebi-monthlypublicationincludesin-depthcoverageofnewartistsandexhibitions,photography,filmandperformance.www.aestheticamagazine.com

Forquotes,imagesandinterviewspleasecontactHannahSkidmoreon01904629137oremailhannah@aestheticamagazine.comJointheconversationusing#ASFF2017andfollowon:Twitter:@ASFFestInstagram:@asffestival