Straight 8 has announced that it will bring 25 new Super 8 short films from 11 countries to BFI IMAX on 23 May, with a Top 8 preview taking place at Cannes Film Festival on 16 May.
This marks the third year of collaboration between BFI IMAX and Straight 8, “exhibiting the smallest film format on the UK’s biggest screen”.
“The 90-minute show is an array of bold and ambitious cinematic shorts created entirely in camera – each on a single roll of Super 8 film, with no opportunity to edit or undertake any post-production,” said Straight 8.
“Despite the technical restrictions, the global community of Straight 8 entrants have once again achieved a high bar of creativity, with films ranging in genre from comedy to horror to heartfelt documentary.
“Expect to see diverse films featuring in-camera visual effects, ambitious one-shotters, hand-crafted set designs and more. A refreshing break from the worlds of digital polish and AI.”
Processed and scanned at London-based film laboratory Cinelab Film + Digital (Sentimental Value, Bugonia, Wuthering Heights), and projected in 4K digital, the films are presented to the filmmakers – who will not yet have seen them – on a screen five times higher than a London bus.
The jury for this year’s competition included:
- Rachel Clark BSC – Director of photography (I Am Ruth, Finding Emily)
- Hedda Archbold – Producer (MK3D, Girls On Film)
- Joanna Duncombe – Senior film programme consultant: new talent lead, British Council; Freelance curator
- John MacLean – Director (Tornado, Slow West)
- Justine Wright – Editor (Locke, Last King of Scotland)
- Madeleine Mullett – BFI IMAX programme manager
- Mark Jenkin – Director (Bait, Rose of Nevada)
- Stuart Brown – BFI director of programme and distribution
After “intense deliberation”, the jury elevated a selection to the joint top prize: the Top 8 films preview one week earlier, on Saturday 16 May, at Cinema Olympia in Cannes during the film festival.
The Top 8 are:
- Aryk! by Ilya Wray – UK / Kazakhstan
- Blackbirds by Joey Kaushik – India
- Born To Die by Jean Louis & Nya Jonele – USA
- Descendant by Lily Blunsom – UK
- Flow State by Tristan Copeland, Richard Forsdyke, Daniel Johnston, Sam Mitchell, Rupert Waring – UK
- Kurogo by Yugo Suzuki – Japan
- La Salu by Pau Colomina – Spain
- Overlooked by Lola Blanc – USA
More information on the Top 8 preview and BFI IMAX showcase are now available online.
