Lessons in Bravery
How do you face your fears? This is a question young Vanja learns to answer in Marita Mayer's award-winning short film I'm Not Afraid! Dressed in a tiger onesie, the little protagonist steps outside into the dark night during a
June: Exciting News from #ASFFAlumni!
It's time to spotlight all of the wonderful things our #ASFFAlumni have been getting up to! Here are all of the headlines, from Duncan Cowles' Feature-Length Debut to Stacha Hicks' film festival win. Duncan Cowles Premiered Feature-Length Debut at DocFest Silent Men is
Playing in a Dreamscape
Desta: The Memories Between was a highlight from of our first-ever Games Lab! Here, players follow the titular protagonist as they fall into a dream world every night. It's a vibrant space that is filled with the uncanny memories of
Strength in Vulnerability
Multi award-winning documentarian Duncan Cowles will premiere his first feature-length project at Sheffield DocFest this summer. The film is called Silent Men and it explores the stigma and taboo surrounding male mental health in the UK. It's a project that
A Celebration of Film Artistry
This year’s Cannes Film Festival has just drawn to a close, with the 2024 Palme d’Or being awarded to American filmmaker Sean Baker for his wild tale of a Brooklyn lap dancer in Anora. Yet, closer to home, the British
Pride 2024: An Exploration of Queer Cinema
June is Pride Month! This is a time when people all over the world come together to celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices. It's a time to celebrate how far we've come as well as fight against the discrimination and injustice that still
The Joy of Animation
Cardiff Animation Festival (CAF) celebrates the diverse beauty of animation. Established in 2018, the event has grown into a highlight on every animation-lover’s calendar. This year’s edition followed in the footsteps of the hybrid format, which began in 2022. Attendees
Meet the Vanguard of Documentary Filmmaking
The Listening Pitch is a cinematic exploration of the unheard. For the past four years, Aesthetica and Audible have come together to offer a £20,000 grant for filmmakers to make a documentary about the power of listening. This year’s theme
Award-Winning Drama Shorts from the Festival
Strap in for a trip down memory lane! Today we’re cruising back through the amazing drama shorts that have won in this category throughout the years. From broken relationships to beauty pageants, which one is your favourite? The Golden West (2023)Tom Berkeley
Studio Spotlight: Failbetter Games
Plunge into the depths of Fallen London, the Gothic world of mystery and shadow created by Failbetter Games. We were thrilled to have the indie game developer’s Gothic romance game, The Mask of the Rose, as part of our first-ever Games Lab last