A look at Canne-t, a DIY short film festival bringing friends, creativity and plenty of humour together at Nottingham’s Mammoth Cinema. From heartfelt stories to surreal comedies, the festival was a reminder to make something simply for the joy of creating.
On a rainy Saturday afternoon at the end of August, a group of friends piled into Mammoth Cinema to watch the short films we had been challenged to create and share by our friend and organiser of the mini film festival, Lewis French. Lewis single-handedly organised this short film festival, ironically naming it “Canne-t”. He encouraged us to make any short film we felt compelled to create- the emphasis being on the amateur: “it's important not to put too much pressure on yourself. The film is the entry ticket into the festival (for you or your duo), but it's ultimately just a fun little excuse to do something silly that you might not do otherwise. Take it easy and have fun with it!” Lewis wrote in the email to us.
It couldn’t have come at a better weekend. The gloomy afternoon meant Mammoth Cinema offered cosy shelter from the spitting rain. Notts County were playing at home, so the city felt bustling afterwards, and with the chill of autumn beginning, a familiar sentiment crept over me that afternoon. As the nights begin to draw in, I feel we inevitably move towards the arts venues, going to gigs, or the cinema or theatre; a familiar nostalgia may settle over those of us who grew up going to the Bodega or Broadway on a familiar rainy afternoon. Mammoth was a new venue to discover amongst these familiar places.
But I digress. Amongst some of the films created was “Best Picture”, Reaching Out. A film about depression that follows two female cast members as they run through the University campus, bathed in beautiful summer sun, chased by the imaginary figure of sadness, an anonymous figure in a mask. The message of the film ultimately urged anyone to reach out when struggling, and the undertones of the message were communicated through the spoken poetry written by the film creator (it made my sister cry!). In total contrast, we watched Richard Hole, a parodic Swedish crime noir in black and white. The short film was a hilarious parody of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series (ironically, Richard Hole - being Harry Hole’s lesser-known brother) and combined Swedish and English-speaking.
Other concepts included: a man travelling through a car portal to reunite with his dog in another reality (Man's Best Friend), being possessed by an unknown demon (Poppet), and a budding relationship between an AI chatbot and a young man, turned sinister, and told entirely through messages (Sweet Dreams).
The films ranged from the conceptual to the comedic, and Lewis went to the effort of printing a programme, making bingo cards for us to strike off, and delivering a light-hearted awards ceremony at the end.
Mammoth Cinema were great hosts, the screening room ideal for hosting events, and a bar available with local craft ales, ciders, and beers from Nottingham breweries (including Castle Rock and Magpie Brewery). Described as a ‘Climate Action Cinema’, their work is committed to sharing ideas towards a greener future focused around film, and they provide opportunities for grassroots organisations and film clubs to screen films.
Most of all, the festival pushed us to create something. With the pressure off, it was a unique experience to try your hand at something artistic (for fun!), flex a creative muscle, and that’s what people did. Through this festival, Lewis urged me, and I’m sure others, to sit down and try something we wouldn’t normally think to do in day-to-day life. And I made something tangible and physical. Ultimately, it got us to look outwards and notice what’s around and put it into art. We need to remember to do pointless creative things more than ever now, because they’re ultimately never pointless...
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