David Kitchen is the writer and director of Family Reunion, the Best of the Fest winner of TriForce Short Film Festival 2015. Here are his reflections on the day of the 2015 festival.
Regent Street was heaving with early Christmas shoppers, Piccadilly Circus was its usual neon glare, BAFTA, inconspicuous as it is, had a door open. Inside and upstairs the faux, white birch trees twinkled with their fairy lights, we mingled for coffee and croissants. The festival was December 5 with casual dress during the day – networking, talks, seminars and exceptional short films of all categories. Dress up for the evening, the finalists’ showcase.
New friends, new contacts, filmmakers young and old but all of us new, mingled and felt welcome to this home of British film. The magic of film deserves a magic setting. TCN had brought Christmas forward by twenty days.
The transition from daytime events to the formal evening allowed us to meet with our friends and creative teams in the festive bars scattered around London’s West End then back to BAFTA for the full on photo-calls, the laughter and glamour were as though we were being captured for the frontage of a multi-cultural Christmas calendar.
The introductions and welcome were delivered by Minnie and Fraser, then the surprise appearance, like Santa, of Jimmy, reinforced the message that every film screened this evening was a winner in so many ways.
At so many festivals this just doesn’t ring true, at TriForce it does.
Having spent the day at the festival I’d seen the films and met the filmmakers of the winner of the Amy Winehouse award and the Audience award, so I thought the night was done. As mentioned, Christmas had come early last December and Family Reunion was named Best of the Fest.
Having fumbled through my un-written thank you speech, and deferring to Karen (producer of Family Reunion) for inspirational words, we returned to our seats. The man in the row in front turned to shake my hand, it was Adrian Lester. Cheeky thing, asked if he could have my award; I reminded him he has enough already but if he wanted to be in my next film I’ll guarantee him an award. A dream come true.
After the obligatory yet uncomfortable (well, for me) publicity shots, it was off to the Century Club in Shaftesbury Avenue where we danced the night away.
December can often be a bit of a blur, for various reasons… did December the fifth really happen? Yes, I have the award to prove it and again, with TriForce it never ends with just a pat on the back.
TriForce isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for a sustainable and supportive relationship into a forward thinking, diverse and truly 21st century future in British film.
For more information about this year’s TriForce Short Film Festival 2016 click here, or for more on David Kitchen and Karen Bryson’s TFSFF 2015 winning film Family Reunion click here.
Submit your film to TriForce Short Film Festival 2016 today!