The very first Mansfield Town Film Festival attracted hundreds to the charming Palace Theatre - but what were some of the best movies on offer? Well, have a look and find out...
The inaugural Mansfield Town Film Festival arrived in, you guessed it, Mansfield this weekend - bringing an eclectic mix of shorts and documentaries from across the globe.
Organised by Notts native Jay Martin - himself a filmmaker, having put together the powerful documentary Redt’Blue - there were comedies, dramas, thrillers and everything in between, bringing a hearty dose of innovative cinema to the historic town.
I was fortunate enough to be invited onto the festival’s Awards Jury, and I had an absolute blast poring over the finest entries that the event had to offer. Sometimes, you don’t need a big budget to make a big impression, and the talented filmmakers who were put forward for prizes proved that with aplomb.
But if you don’t have the time to check out hours upon hours of local and international delights, fear not: We have three of the best for you to hunt down…
Three
Winner of the Women’s Voices Award, this stunning, raw exploration of the challenges of becoming a mother feels authentic and unapologetic. Unafraid to dive into the tests that parenthood can provide - throwing up marital tensions, personality crises and more - it’s unflinching in its willingness to ask important questions around an important topic.
It’s also beautifully shot, and is led by a phenomenal Matti Houghton, boasting an impressive array of talent both in front of and behind the camera.
A Last Resort
This is a title that’s received a lot of attention from LeftLion over the past few months - featuring in February’s Screen special of the mag - but it’s well worthy of the praise. Notts-based filmmaker Leanne Davis blisteringly blends emotion with humour in this offbeat tragicomedy, which follows a mother-daughter duo who are at odds over how to approach a tragic revelation, hitting equally hard with both its drama and its jokes. If you’re wanting something that tackles heavy issues without ever becoming too heavy, this one’s for you.
Margin
Since this one took home the most coveted prize - the Heart of Mansfield Award (as well as the Working Class Voices Award, as it goes) - it hardly needs bigging up by us. But we’ll do it anyway. Coming from exciting up-and-coming writer-director Daniel Rands, this is filled with anger at our country’s societal injustice, takes aim at the barriers holding back too many in our communities, but does it all with grace and poise. It’s real, it’s genuine, it’s perfect. It’s a must-watch.
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