ALCHEMY OF THE WORD
1873 - The damned poets, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, have eloped to London where they struggle to keep the faith in their love and their work.
Despite the downward spiral of poverty and violence, it’s here that Rimbaud will pen his aptly named masterpiece, “A Season in Hell.”
Writer & Director: Jessica Benhamou
Cast: James Craven and Jordan Luke Gage
Director of Photography: Adam Etherington BSC
Status: Beginning festival fun. More updates soon!
LOVE TYPE D
Bad news. Being unlucky in love is genetic.
This BIFA-longlisted comedy feature was theatrically released in the US with Vertical Entertainment. Available on Amazon Prime.
'Best Screenplay' - WINNER - RiverRun International Film Festival
'Best UK Film' - WINNER - Manchester International Film Festival
'Best Feature Film' - WINNER - Washington DC Independent Film Festival
'Audience Choice Award' - NOMINATED - Edinburgh Film Festival
'Best New Director' - NOMINATED - Seattle International Film Festival
'Best Feature Film' - NOMINATED - British Independent Film Festival
Writer + Director: Sasha Collington
Cast: Maeve Dermody, Rory Stroud, Oliver Farnworth + Tovah Feldshuh.
Producers: Jessica Benhamou, Harry Dodd-Noble + Sasha Collington
SAMOVAR
Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, saved up to 100,000 Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust before disappearing, allegedly into the Soviet prison system.
There were sightings of him as late as the 1980s. What would that do to a person? What does it mean to be a hero?
Selected for UK Jewish Film Festival, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, This is England.
Available on ShortsTV and Directors Notes
"A fascinating rendering of the prison life of a man who remains quietly defiant of a bleak and brutal world." Directors Notes
Writer: Frank McGuinness
Director: Lia Williams
Cast: Angus Wright + Alex Lawther
Producers: Jessica Benhamou + Oscar Hausman
In association with Arrogant Films
LOVE IS A HAND GRENADE
Mixing drink, drugs and a friendship on eggshells is an explosive mix in this bittersweet mini drama.
'Best LGBT Film' - WINNER - Bristol Independent Film Festival
Selected for BFI Flare, Show Me Shorts, Bolton, Rhode Island's Roving Eye.
Available on Omeleto and ShortsTV.
"This intimate piece will feel all too familiar to some, and it is this sense of realism that allows the film to succeed as well as it does." Upcoming On Screen
"This short film goes from humour to intimacy and eventually to tragedy in no more than 13 minutes." LesFlicks
Writer + Director: Jessica Benhamou
Cast: Genesis Lynea + Saffron Hocking
Lead Producer: Victoria Thorson
HOW CAN I FORGET
A bittersweet, musical short film about two lonely individuals brought together on a blind date, who discover they share the same magical powers.
Jury's Citation Award - WINNER - Black Maria Film and Video Festival.
Selected for Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, Bronze Lens Film Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival, Bolton International Film Festival.
Gained more than 200,000 views on Omeleto. Now available on ShortsTV.
Co-Writer/Director: Natalia Andreadis
Co-Writer: Richard F. Russell
Producers: Jessica Benhamou + Clement Fernandes
Cast: Genesis Lynea, David O'Mahony, Shaun Cowlishaw + Devika Joshi
Made with Directors UK and ARRI through their Alexa Challenge
EVIE
A teenage boy is under pressure to lose his virginity to a sex robot.
'Best Sci Fi Short' - WINNER - St. Louis International Film Festival
Selected for Encounters Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Rhode Island Film Festival and St Louis International Film Festival.
Writer/Director: Miranda Howard-Williams
Producer: Jessica Benhamou
Cast: Harry Gilby, Jack Loxton + Caitlan Barrett-Ward
Executive Producers: Jacob Lorek + Marcie MacLellan
Made with Directors UK and ARRI through their Alexa Challenge
JULIET REMEMBERED
A retired actress with dementia struggles to remember day-to-day things, but can remember every single line of her most famous role: Shakespeare's "Juliet."
'Best Short Film' - WINNER - British Independent Film Festival
'Best Screenplay' - WINNER - Oxford International Film Festival
Cointreau Creative Crew £20,000 Grant - WINNER
Distributed by ShortsTV and available now on Vimeo
Writer/Director: Tamzin Merchant
Producer: Jessica Benhamou
Cast: Matthew Lewis, Rakhee Thakrar, Maggie Steed, Joshua Higgott + James Smith
Covered by BBC One in the clip below.