Dahdi
F**k UKIP.
Not my words, the Nottingham Alternative Film Network’s. Though, of course, I will happily claim them for myself. The term particularly relates to the Network’s recent evening of short films, all with a migration theme – thus the fucking of the UK Independence Party.
Held at the Nottingham Writer’s Studio, in a nice space in the basement, we were treated to eight really good quality shorts; one of the best overall selections I have seen for such an event.
Dahdi from Singapore, and director Kirstan Tan, got us off to a very strong start. It tells the story of an old Chinese woman who finds a recently off the boat Burmese immigrant in her crib. The acting and cinematography are wonderful and it mixes humour and sadness perfectly. Un Seul Corps from France, and director Sotiris Dounoukos, is also as strong in the same departments. It tells the tale of two African immigrant friends and the disdain one of them has for another immigrant. Auntie Maam Has Never Had a Passport was a beautifully bonkers Thai film from director Sorayos Prapapan, about an elderly Thai masseuse and part time actor trying to get the relevant documents to attend a film premiere abroad.
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Shipwreck
There was a good UK presence as well. The Scottish Seagulls, from Director Martin Smith, did still have subtitles, though. It followed a teenage boy who works with his mother on a small travelling fair in a little seaside town and his attempt to make friends. Another Scottish film comes from Ian Waugh – As He Lay Falling is beautifully shot film about a Greek immigrant working in the Scottish Highlands. The Interpreter, directed by Kyla Simone, was really powerful and interesting. The title character, an immigrant himself, works for UK immigration and is faced with an upsetting moral conundrum in the case assigned to him.
There were a couple of documentaries too. Firstly, Xenos, a Greek and Danish production from director Mahdi Fleifel. Certainly no prizes for how well it was shot, but a really quite horrific spotlight on a group of Middle Eastern immigrants living in Greece. Director Morgan Knibbe’s Shipwreck, from the Netherlands managed to be even more horrific in its simplicity. With whirling camera movements that reminded me of the first scene of Irreversible, the audience are left to watch and digest the fallout from an immigrant shipwreck. With family members uncontrollable in their grief, throwing themselves over coffins, it certainly ended the night of a bit of a downer. (Exactly. Why does everything bad happen to me?)
The Nottingham Alternative Film Network are planning more short film nights, so keep a lookout. The turnout was not great for this event, but they took the same selection straight to the Cafe Roya in Beeston and sold out.
F**k UKIP was held at Nottingham Writers' Studio and then at Cafe Roya on Monday 4 May 2015.
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