Make A Baby

Make A Baby featured in ASFF 2022 and is the official promo Australian folk outfit The Maes.  It comes directed by Emily Dynes, an award-winning Melbourne-based filmmaker and visual artist, who shot it on 16mm in natural light. The utterly charming video follows six couples at different stages of their lives. With the band in close quarters, the camera glides in and out of intimate settings as pairs laugh, kiss, dance and find joy in close company.

Mountainside

Created by UK Beatbox champion, live looping pioneer and all round musical chameleon Beardyman, Mountainside is a wondrously dreamy dance track. Lewis Rose is responsible for the accompanying video – a touching and funny story of two loved-up ravers who meet on the dance floor. They kiss, smoke, talk “rubbish” about Earthly vibrations and Finding Nemo, kiss some more and then … well, you’ll see. A very poignant and spot-on tale of ships that pass in the night.

Playing With Fire

From alt-rock Arizona band Breakup Shoes, Playing With Fire is an upbeat song about choosing a lover over your bandmates. Directed by June Hucko, the video that goes with it is a fun, primary-coloured narrative – almost like a comic book come alive – as the band try and get their drummer back. A perfect example of how to tell a love story in song-and-video form, it even concludes with a rather fiery twist in the tale.

Ups & Downs

Raheem Bakaré is a singer / songwriter from South London, who blends R&B with rap and takes inspiration from the likes of Boyz II Men and D’Angelo. Ups & Downs, directed by former dancer Remi Laudat, played at ASFF in 2016 and showcases Bakaré’s soulful, sensual vocal chords. Shot in moody late-evening light, we see the artist in a reflective mood, as his mind races through happier times with a former lover. A very smooth, silky track and video to match.

C.T.R.L

Mariana Conde’s short has been selected for over fifty festivals worldwide – including ASFF in 2015 – and has won several prizes. It’s a smartly directed tale that uses dance, rather than dialogue, and a dollop of humour, to express itself. Set to an infectious electro track, Matthew Biancheri and Helena Dowling star as two strangers walking down the street, giving each other the eye. They’re about to walk past each other – until their body movements are taken over by two bystanders using apps on their phones. The most adorable meet-cute you ever did see.