Virgin Shorts shortlist announced at Hackney Picturehouse

The finalists for this year’s Virgin Media Shorts film competition were announced at Hackney Picturehouse last night.

The 13 top picks are in the running to win a grand prize of £30,000 funding to make their next film, with invaluable mentoring from the British Film Institute along the way.

You can see the finalists here:

A Brush with a Bee by Katie Parnell & Joachim Mala
Dream Girl by Alice Seabright (pictured above)
Little Larry by Andrew Lee Potts
Man Up by Carolina Giammetta
Mourning Rules by Daniel Castella
Rocket by Jennifer Sheridan
Skirt by Amanda Boyle
Sprockett by Hazel Meeks
Super Fast Samosa by Sundeep Toor
The Best Medicine by Dan Smith
The Plotters by Thomas Guerrier
Without Saying by Paul Dingwall
PJ, Tiny Planet Explorer by PJ Liguori

This shortlist was decided by a panel of eight judges, including actress Julie Walters, director Phyllida Lloyd, film critic James King and Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media.

The shortlisted film makers are hoping to follow in the steps of previous winners such as Luke Snellin, a talented film maker who won Virgin Media Shorts in 2009 with his film Mixtape, which went on to receive BAFTA recognition.

The contest gives film makers the opportunity to have their work showcased to millions of people across the country through cinemas nationwide, on TV, on mobile and online. Now the fans get chance to become judges too, through the People’s Choice Award, where the winner will scoop a prize fund of £5,000 by garnering the most public votes through virginmediashorts.co.uk

Director and judge, Mat Whitecross said: “I know how challenging it can be to break into this industry and so being there to reveal the shortlist was a truly special experience. The hard part now begins for us judges in choosing from the wealth of talent submitted this year, and I’d really urge all film fans to check out virginmediashorts.co.uk for their chance to vote in the People’s Choice Award.”

What do you think of the films? Let us know!