The Wine Dark Short Film Festival has revealed the programme for its second edition, taking place on 15 November.
Designed as a celebration of narrative and documentary short filmmaking made by D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent teams, the festival is the first of its kind in London.
This year, 21 films by UK-based and international filmmakers will be showcased, and there will also be a neurodivergent-friendly networking session.
Science fiction screenwriter Bonnie MacBird will give a talk titled “Tools for the artist: How to survive and thrive through personal challenges” followed by a Q&A, while Sarah Leigh, the director/writer and founder of Inclusivity Films, will discuss her disability advocacy as a filmmaker and agent.
WDSFF organisers and programmers revealed: “We are thrilled to present our festival for a second year, with the generous support of ActOne Cinema, as well as that of our sponsors, such as esteemed photographer Ivan Weiss, London’s City Academy, the restaurant Dans Le Noir, and the RichMix escape room centre Escape Plan.
“There are so few opportunities for filmmakers who are disabled, neurodivergent or have a lived experience of mental illness, and with this festival, we hope to support them in their storytelling and offer a platform that amplifies their voices.
“As many of us are Mediterranean, we’ve cheekily added some references to Greek mythology and connected it to themes of disability and neurodiversity, so keep an eye out for that.
“Whether you want to see one or all four blocks of films we’ve programmed at our festival, we look forward to welcoming you to ActOne Cinema & Cafe.”
More information on the full screening programme – provided by Wine Dark – is below.
Block 1: Threads of Fate
In Greek mythology, the Moirai (known as The Fates) were the personifications of destiny. Starting with last year’s Best Short Film Winner, you will see the animated short Just One Pint and a girl’s struggle to cope with the aftermath of emotional trauma. The rest of your hero’s journey will continue with interweaving stories of connection: two people on a speed-dating event; a clumsy college student’s interconnected mental processes; an autistic woman as she ventures into the world of romance; two siblings breaking free from lasting family control; a young woman who learns that to love means to let go.
- Just One Pint (Last Year’s WDSFF winner) by Lauren Hammersley, UK
- Deal Breakers by Asia Cakala, UK
- Orbit of Attention by Thomas Labow, USA
- Eros by Spike Hogan, Zoe McDonagh, Australia
- Alfredo by Sveva Solimene, Italy
- Kaleidoscope by Clay Antonio, Australia
Block 2 – Crossing the Styx
The Styx is the in-between, and as our heroes cross it, they become disconnected from all they knew before. A documentary about schizophrenia, depression and stigma; a narrative about a girl and her struggle to access support beyond an automated helpline; a drama of a woman whose world mysteriously slips away; the fresh comedy of two sisters who balance agency and freedom.
- The Mood Swings by Conor O’Mahony, Ireland
- Cereal Haze by Katy Held, UK
- The Stranger by Yousef Mohammadi, Iran
- Housemates by Georgie McGuigan, UK
Block 3 – Herculean efforts
Just as Hercules was made to complete 12 impossible labours, our heroes here have had to face tremendous challenges. An escapist glass child finding acceptance; the poetic journey of a survivor; how 19 seconds changed a man’s life; an animated short about late-diagnosed autism; an experimental documentary about a recondite – and misunderstood – eating disorder; the adventures of a passionate skier.
- Avocado Heart Girl by Keeley Gainey, UK
- Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage by Rhiannon Barker, UK
- Fire in my Belly by Steven Speliotis, USA
- Crybaby by Eleri Edwards, UK
- Mashed by Emily Freer, UK
- Mike’s Journey by Alexandra Henry, USA
Block 4 – Dionysiac Dreams
Dionysus was the god of wine as much as he was the god of chaos – in our Dionysiac dreams, the heroes we meet reinterpret the world both as it could be and as it might be. From the tale of a young non-binary person escaping to the moon; an experimental drama about disabled climate refugees facing the future; a wheelchairball team training their newest recruit; a comedy short of a daydreaming IT professional navigating complex new ground; the dark-fairytale of a model under pressure taking things into her own hands.
- I would like to live on the moon by Emily Burke, UK
- Our circle in the storm by Ray Jacobs, UK
- Misfit by Tristan Zerbib, France
- Remote Strutting by Lorna Fitzsimons, Ireland
- The Beneath by Lisette Vlassak, Netherlands
At the end of the evening, there will be an award ceremony selected by a team of judges, consisting of industry professionals such as directors Kosmo Crocco, Nicole Sarah Fry and Sarah Leigh, screenwriter Jasmine Fry, award-winning writer/director Bonnie MacBird, actor/producer Marilou Tamvaki, along with the Wine Dark programming team of Andreane Rellou, Tessa Battaiotto, Fabrizio Quagliuso, Robyn Wisker Stilling and Josseth Mabuti.
Tickets are now available on the ActOne Cinema website.
