Making a buzz

While Cannes has its palms and Camerimage has its frogs, it’s rather fitting that Manchester Film Festival has its bees.

The bee has been an emblem of the city for over 150 years and represents the hard work ethic of its inhabitants – a resourcefulness and persistence shared by the talented filmmakers attending this year’s film festival.

La Chimera, Alice Rohrwacher’s Tuscan-set period piece, was awarded the Golden Bee for a feature. Starring Josh O’Connor as a British archaeologist who falls in with the wrong crowd, the film features Hélène Louvart AFC’s stunning cinematography in a continuation of a collaboration with Rohrwacher that began in 2010.

Self-taught filmmaker Salomon Ligthelm took home the Golden Bee for a short for Moeder/Mother. Lensed by Farhad Ghaderi, the short tells the story of a miner on the Ukrainian-Russian border who discovers a ringing phone in his backyard.     

Best Cinematography for a feature was awarded to Kei Ikeda for DitO (pictured in header image), directed by and starring Takashi Yuki. The film, which also won Best Narrative Feature at the US’s Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, is a family drama set in the world of boxing and follows an aging Japanese fighter who’s trying to make a comeback in the Philippines.

After accepting the award, the DitO team wrote on the film’s Facebook page: “Only when a work we’ve poured our hearts into is praised and loved all over the world does it truly come to life. Our team is proud. Thank you, Manchester.”

Piece of Cake, directed by Jack Hartley, was the top short in the Best Cinematography category. Winning cinematographer George Haydock said on Instagram: “I was happy enough with having four projects screening this year – but getting this extra bit of recognition is really, really, really lovely.

 “I wanted the film to visually feel very bold but also very simple at the same time. Impossibly bright and positive, but with something always not quite right. Something dark and uneasy beneath the surface.”

British Cinematographer was delighted to host a panel dedicated to all things cinematography during the festival’s industry days. Cinematographers James Oldham, Ben Saffer, Jenni Suitiala and Esther Vardy ACO shared fascinating insights into their careers behind the camera and reflected on the latest industry trends and challenges.

This year’s special guests included actor Richard Armitage and director Rebecca Snow, who presented a screening of their new film The Boy in the Woods (cin. Adam Madrzyk).

The festival opened with the UK premiere of The Convert, starring Guy Pearce. Directed by Lee Tamahori and shot by Gin Loane, the film tells the story of a preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand whose violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith tested, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Māori tribes.

The closing night film, Rose Glass’ lesbian romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding (cin. Ben Fordesman), made a huge impact with audiences, with three packed screenings at the festival’s home at Odeon Great Northern.

2024 marks a decade of Manchester Film Festival, and over the past 10 years the festival has solidified its status as one of the UK’s must-visit events for cinephiles. Here’s to the next 10!

Full list of Manchester Film Festival winners

Special Jury Prize – Feature – Die Before You Die
Special Jury Prize – Short – Such a Love
Best UK Feature – Of God’s Men
Best Documentary Feature – The Rising Sun
Best International Feature – I Think I’m Sick
Best UK Short – A Warrior’s Dance
Best International Short – Icelandic Poppies
Best North West Short – Firefly
Best Student Film – Kimaya
Best Documentary Short – Puffling
Best Animation – Worry World
Best Experimental – NO DRINKS ON THE DANCEFLOOR
Best Music Video – Wait in the Car
Best Director – Feature – Dan Pringle, Die Before you Die
Best Director – Short – Jonny Powell, Black Sunflowers
Best Actor – Feature – Hamza Medley, Of God’s Men
Best Actor – Short – Dietrich Hollinderbäumer, Bittersweet
Best Actress – Feature – Chloé Groussard – Pratfall
Best Actress – Short – Emily Stott, Monitor
Best Cinematography – Feature – DitO
Best Cinematography – Short – Piece of Cake
Audience Award – Feature – The Boy in the Woods
Audience Award – Short – Hello?