Press Release: 8 October 2015

BAFTA Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) 2015 Programme Announced

Image credit: Monica Menez, Odditory (2013)

Celebrating 5 Years of ASFF with an Even Bigger Programme of Films, Masterclasses, Guest Screenings and Special Events

View and share the ASFF 2015 Programme: http://aestheti.cc/m24ks View and share the ASFF 2015 Trailer: http://aestheti.cc/trailer2015 View and download ASFF 2015 Press Images: http://aestheti.cc/q7ghy  The BAFTA Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) announces its programme for 2015, with an even bigger line-up of films, masterclass sessions and networking opportunities to celebrate the festival’s 5th anniversary. With over 300 films selected for screening across 11 categories including advertising, animation, artists’ film, comedy, dance, documentary, drama, experimental, fashion, music video and thriller, as well as a record number of 24 masterclasses and panel discussions, ASFF’s fifth anniversary edition is set to be one to remember.

Taking place from 5-8 November, the festival returns to the historic city of York to host a stunning selection of world-class, innovative works and offers audiences the chance to view an exclusive series of UK premieres. Calling upon the talents of both established and emerging filmmakers, ASFF proudly champions and supports independent film from across the world, and this year welcomes special screenings from guest countries China, Brazil and Cuba.

For the 5th edition, the festival takes the time to reflect on an ever-expanding programme. In five years, it has screened over 1,500 films from more than 65 countries and hosted hundreds of masterclasses, networking sessions, parties, and more. Since gaining BAFTA accreditation in 2014, ASFF has also been able to offer the added bonus of eligibility for the BAFTA British Short Film and Animation Awards to all films in the Official Selection. This year, the universal appeal of film and storytelling shines through in a range of traditional and contemporary genres including fashion and advertising, which return after a successful debut in 2014, and dance, which is showcased this year as an independent film strand. The festival celebrates past winners in carefully curated 5th Anniversary screenings, as well as outstanding film in the French language. It also plays host to a special showing of Simon Armitage’s and Richard Heslop’s film The Raft and reunites with Creative England for a selection iShorts films. ASFF’s 24-strong masterclass series provides an opportunity to connect with industry leaders. This year, the festival welcomes speakers from major film organisations, including creative agency White Lodge (Vogue, Karen Millen and Louis Vuitton), Channel 4, Rankin Film, the Association of Camera Operators, Oscar and BAFTA Award Winning VFX Giant Framestore and many others. Alongside this, the festival’s accompanying events also provide excellent networking opportunities and include Meet the Film Festivals. This enable audiences to connect with programmers from organisations such as Raindance, London Short Film Festival, Dublin International Film Festival, Berlin Fashion Film Festival and more, and find out exactly what festivals from around the world are looking for while expanding their contacts list. Transforming the city’s most iconic locations through cinema, the festival invites viewers of all ages to create their own unique viewing experience and discover new film from a global filmmaking community. The 2015 programme offers film lovers the chance to experience their favourite genre while discovering something new, and includes a dedicated family friendly programme for younger audiences.

For ASFF 2015 Tickets and more information, visit www.asff.co.uk/tickets View and share the ASFF 2015 Programme: http://aestheti.cc/m24ks View and share the ASFF 2015 Trailer: http://aestheti.cc/trailer2015 View and download ASFF 2015 Press Images: http://aestheti.cc/q7ghy

ENDS

For information, images and any other press related enquiries please contact Alexandra Beresford, alexandra@aestheticamagazine.com or phone: 01904 629 137

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Notes to Editors

1. ASFF is a BAFTA Qualifying Film Festival 2. ASFF 2015 runs 5 – 8 November 2015 in York, UK 3. Venues include: York St John University, King’s Manor, City Screen York, National Railway Museum,

Grand Opera House, Friargate Theatre, The National Centre for Early Music, Thirteen Thirty One, St. Peters School, Bootham School, Yorkshire Museum, Reel Cinema, Barley Hall, The Organ Factory at Middletons Hotel, Explore York. For more information visit www.asff.co.uk/venues-2015

4. The Festival Hub is located at Visit York, 1 Museum St, York. Opening times: Thursday 5 – Sunday 8 November, 9am – 5pm www.visityork.org

5. Partners and supporters include: York St John University, BFI, City of York Council, York Science Park, University of Arts London, Grand Central, Creative England, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Creative Skillset, The Guild of Television Cameramen, Brandy Brown’s Cinema, York Museums Trust, Visit York, York Conferences, Riding Lights, Mosaic Events, Firefly, According to McGee, New Visuality, Make it York, York Means Business, Richer Sounds, Transdev, Shooting People, The Advertising Bike Company, Cellhire, BfFF, Tate, Hepworth Wakefield, Popchips, Taylors of Harrogate. See all partners www.asff.co.uk/partners

6. Hotel partners: Marriott York, Middletons Hotel, Holiday Inn York, The Grange York 7. Media Partner: One&Other 8. ASFF 2015 will screen 300 films spanning 11 genres: advertising, animation, artists’ film, comedy,

dance, documentary, drama, experimental, fashion, music video and thriller. There is a family friendly programme

9. All films in the Official Selection are in competition for: Best of Fest, People’s Choice and Best of Category awards

10. The VIP Opening Night is on 5 November and the Awards Ceremony is on 8 November 11. Industry delegates include representatives from Channel 4, Warp, Rankin Film, Ridley Scott Associates,

Oscar and BAFTA Award Winning VFX giant Framestore (Gravity, Guardians of the Galaxy), Association of Camera Operators (Star Wars, James Bond) RADA, Little White Lies and more. See www.asff.co.uk/tickets

12. Meet the Film Festivals attendees include: Edinburgh International Film Festival, Encounters, Glasgow Short Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, Raindance, Castellinaria in Switzerland. For the full list see www.asff.co.uk/asff2015/meet-the-film-festivals

Screenshot from Odditory, 2013Directed by Monica Menez, Germany. Fashion Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from The Art of Je Ne Sais Quoi, 2015.Directed by Corinne Delaney (CHOCHENG), UK.Fashion Finalist in ASFF 2015.

The images below are available under the following terms and conditions:

• Images are accompanied by the name of the director, the title and date of work, the owner credit line and photocredit as provided below.• Images are not cropped, overprinted, tinted or subject to any form of derogatory treatment without the prior approval of the copyright owner.• Images are only reproduced to illustrate an article or feature reviewing or reporting on ASFF

(section 30 (i) and (ii) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988).• Reproductions that accompany an article are not used for marketing or advertising purposes.

Press images are available to download from aestheti.cc/q7ghy or contact Alexandra Beresford at alexandra@aestheticamagazine.com

Press Images

Screenshot from The Maltese Fighter, 2014Directed by Arev Manoukian (MaltaFilm), Malta / Canada. Drama Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from The Tie, 2014.Directed by An Vrombaut, Belgium.Family Friendly Animation Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Ventilator, 2015.Directed by Romain Laurent (Solab), France.Advertising Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Stillness Arises, 2014.Directed by Benjamin Dowie (Beanpole Productions), France / Australia. Documentary Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Pinch Me (For Ted Baker), 2015.Directed by Crowns & Owls (White Lodge), UK.Fashion Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Dialelo (Vicious Circle), 2015.Directed by Miriam Albert Sobrino (Also Sisters), Spain / USA. Artists’ Film Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Eleanor, 2015.Directed by Alex Warren & Tobias Ross-Southall (Eleanor Productions), UK.Experimental Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Out for a Walk, 2015Directed by David Warwick (IK FILMS / STRAHAN FILMS), UK. Drama Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Lure, 2014.Directed by Wunna Winter & Linda Luitz,Germany.Animation Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Symmetry, 2015.Directed by Ruben van Leer (CTM Pictures, NTR & TRUTH.IO)The Netherlands / Switzerland / Bolivia. Artists’ Film Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Towards the Possible Film, 2014Directed by Shezad Dawood (Film and Video Umbrella), UK / Morocco. Artists’ Film Finalist in ASFF 2015.

Screenshot from Strange Weather, 2014/2015.Directed by Tom Shrapnel (Loose Change Films), UK. Drama Finalist in ASFF 2015.