Clean to screen in competition at Clermont Ferrand 2023

Miranda Stern's short documentary 'Clean' has been selected to screen in the 35th International Competition of Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival.

The festival received 8500 submissions and only 78 films were chosen to make up the International Competition.

Very happy that Miranda's deeply personal and poetic film has been recognised and will be screening at this prestigious festival in 2023.

Clean:

A short and personal female-centred documentary about addiction and long-term recovery from it. This film weaves together observational and lyrical elements to take us into the challenging, deeply personal and relatively unknown world of recovery – along with the processes of care that follow in the years after a period of active addiction.

This is one couple’s journey together as they negotiate the world of recovery and how to plan for a future with so much uncertainty in it.

A female-centred film about addiction. And long-term recovery from it. Made by an addict. Not by an outsider pointing a camera at addicts struggling with relapses and failure and turning that struggle into entertainment for others.

Not focusing on the dark descent into heroin’s seedy underworld but rather taking us into the challenging, deeply personal, and unknown world of recovery and hope.

Most representations we see on these topics sensationalise a manic, animal-like desperation for the next fix, but rarely frame it in the context of why people are that way...

Miranda Stern

Screening date and tickets

Schedules and tickets will become available mid January.

Miranda Stern

Miranda has worked as a self-shooting PD for the BBC and other broadcasters, as well as making campaign shorts, PSAs and immersive 60” films for Scottish Ensemble, UK Says No More, The Red Cross and others.

Her short drama ‘Revert’ was selected by the BFI Sharp Shorts scheme (2021), she came second place at 16 DAYS 16 FILMS and has had work screened at the Ch4 cinema in association with Film 4.

Further information

• Directed and Edited by Miranda Stern

• Cinematographer: Julyan Sinclair

• Producer: Reece Cargan

• Executive Producer: Sue Bourne

• Composer: Rotem Frimer

• Edit Consultant: Emiliano Battista

• Colourist and Online Editor Karolina Matela

• Sound Designer: Alina Ushakova

• Dubbing Mixer: Joseph Russell

Developed, supported and executive produced by the Scottish Documentary Institute's Bridging the Gap programme and Screen Scotland.

Screening or distribution requests

Please contact Alexandra via festivals@scotdoc.com

Prosopagnosia: For Your Consideration at the 95th Academy Awards

Steven Fraser's short documentary Prosopagnosia is currently qualified for the 95th Academy Awards and the voting has begun! The film has been submitted by distribution partner The New York Times in the Best Documentary Short category.

We are very excited to qualify and our keeping everything crossed that this Scottish, Stop Motion Animation and deeply personal account of Prosopagnosia can make it to the Academy Award shortlist and maybe bring a gold trophy home to Glasgow in March 2023.

The film

Steven's film uses expressive animation to investigate intimacy, communication and memory.

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia means face-blindness and to understand this neurodiverse behaviour, the contents of a memory box are intricately explored.

Steven uses his sketchbooks, photographs and diaries to tell a unique, engaging and personal story.

In partnership with the New York Times - you can watch the film via their Op Docs site.

If you are a voting Academy member in documentary - please watch the film and of course - vote for it if you like it.

The film had its International Premiere at the world renowned IDFA Documentary festival in Amsterdam. Steven returned to screen the film again and take part in multiple Q&A sessions as part of the IDFA School Programme Screenings.

Other screenings

Since the premiere, the film has appeared at over 40 International festivals and had many more screenings. It was Grierson nominated and has won multiple awards for best film, experimental awards and a variety of grand jury prizes.

The Sebastopol Documentary Festival was our first Academy Award qualifying festival where the film won the Jury Award.

Sebastopol Jury Note:

“Beautifully shot, edited, and produced.

A warm, uplifting story about resilience and creativity. “A personal, vulnerable, and vibrant exploration of a fascinating yet little known topic – face blindness.

The jury was impressed by the visually rich design and stop motion animation, poignant narration, and profound questions raised.”

North American screenings and successes

The film continued stateside success and won an inaugural Marvels of Media award sponsored by AMC networks. Following this Steven attended the event to pick up his prize and artefacts from the film are now hosted in the Museum of the Moving image (MOMI).

The film is continuing to show across venues in North America across 2022 and 2023 thanks to Reel Abilities.

Watch the trailer

Watch the film online via the New York Times

We were thrilled when we gained support from the New York Times and if you have a subscription - Prosopagnosia is now featured to view on their Op Docs site.

Further information

• Developed and supported by the Scottish Documentary Institute's highly acclaimed Bridging the Gap programme and Screen Scotland.

• Written, animated and edited by Steven Fraser

• Produced by Reece Cargan

• Composed, sound designed and mixed by Tom Drew

• Colourist: Jack Lang at MTP

'Just Jackie' commissioned by Short Circuit & BFI NETWORK

Thrilled to announce that short film 'Just Jackie' has been commissioned and will be heading into production.

Short Circuit announced today that 'Just Jackie' is one of the seven films that will be produced through the BFI NETWORK backed short film scheme Sharp Shorts.

The film

Just Jackie is about plus-sized 9 year old Jackie, who loves dressing up in his mum’s clothes, seeks sweeties (and approval) from the girl-next-door.

Just Jackie is an uplifting bubblegum pop tale of friendship, acceptance and belonging.

The team

Writer: Ali Taylor

Ali was on the inaugural BBC Writersroom Scottish TV Drama Room and has been a finalist twice for the BBC Writer's Prize for Drama. Her pilot 'The Hotel at the End of the World' was shortlisted to the last 21 of the C21 International Drama Competition.

“I’ve wanted to tell a story about a young queer character that’s joyous and celebratory for some time.

Thanks to Sharp Shorts’ support, I’m delighted and excited to be going into production with ‘Just Jackie’.

Michael was the first person I told the idea to and, from the outset, I had my heart set on them directing, so I’m thrilled to be working with them as well as our wonderful producers, James and Reece.”

Director: Michael Lee Richardson

Michael Lee Richardson is a writer and youth worker based in Glasgow.

Michael’s short film, My Loneliness is Killing Me – directed by Tim Courtney – won a BAFTA

Scotland Award in 2018. It has been shown on BBC Scotland, and at film festivals around the

world.

"I was so, so excited when Ali sent me this script. I love the warmth of her writing and the compassion she has for her characters - and I was over the moon when she asked me to direct it!"

Michael currently has film and television projects in development with Kindle Entertainment, Balloon, Projector Pictures, Tigerlily and feature project A Good Spell with Bombito.

Producer: James Heath

James Heath is a BAFTA nominated producer of feature film The Fitzroy (SXSW award winning), written and directed by Andrew Harmer ‘The Fitzroy’.

James joined MTP as an Exec in 2019, with a focus on developing a slate of original projects and international co-production.

"Delighted and excited to have the support from Short Circuit to bring Ali’s bold and uplifting script to life.

Michael is the most exciting director imaginable to get the opportunity to bring this script to the screen and its thrill to be partnering with an experienced and skilled producer as Reece – I can’t wait to get started!"

Producer: Reece Cargan

Reece is a producer and founder of Bombito Productions.

"I'm really happy to begin working with Ali and her amazing script and continue my working relationship with both James and Michael.

Extra delighted that, I'm able to produce Michael's first narrative short as director - while Michael and I continue to progress our feature project: 'A Good Spell' together".

Reece was recently selected by Screen International as a Rising Star Scotland.

The scheme

In April 2022, Short Circuit invited filmmaking teams to submit a one-page outline of their film idea. After a rigorous selection process, 12 ideas were selected to take part in further development.

The twelve teams then pitched their project to a panel that was formed by Short Circuit Talent Executives; Claudia Yusef, Head of Development at BBC Film; and Brian Coffey, Producer at The Highland Midgie for the chance to receive production funding to make their film.

Next steps

We are excited to work with experienced casting agent Anna Dawson to find our perfect Jackie and start pre production in earnest with a view to shoot late 2022 or early 2023.