BIAFF, the greatest amateur film festival in the British Isles, is organised by the IAC, the Film and Video Institute. The IAC encourages and supports amateur film and audio-visual makers throughout the UK and overseas. One of the major ways it does this is through BIAFF, the British International Amateur Film Festival. Each year around 200 movies arrive from all round the globe for the competition.
BIAFF is most unusual in having no limit on length, subject matter, type of movie or age of film maker. In February teams of judges come together and assess all the entries. These are graded according to their quality and the very best go forward to a final jury which awards special prizes. Towards the end of March the results are announced. In April or May the British International Amateur Film Festival is held showing a wide selection of the best entries and runners-up. The highlight of the weekend is an awards show screening the winning films.
On 18the September, SDFM showed some of the winning films from this years BIAFF festival held in Birminham in April.
Forgotten
This was a very moving film which was made over two days by Robin Slater, Jill Lambert, Phillip Harvey and Julian Austwick. In World War Two a pilot is shot down over England. He lies aware but helpless in some woods. This was a diamond award winner which also won the best British entry and the award for the best creative use of sound.
Benjamin’s Magical Kitchen Birds
This film won the best under-16 award and the maker, Benjamin Taylor was just eight when he made it, and he is still not yet 10!
In the Land of Submarines
The first five star film in the programme was made by Larry Hall, who entered seven films, two of which were on behalf of his club. This is the only one to achieve an award. The film demonstrates his fascination with the music of the 1960s but also his remarkable skill as a movie maker and musician.
Hollywood nights
The Wales High School has quite a high profile nowadays. Whether on Radio 4s Today programme for a comment on education policy or the effects of disruption in schools, they turn to this school, which is not in Wales but is in fact in Sheffield. The school has had a number of very successful films in BIAFF over the years, all as a result of the children’s expert mentoring by Liam Sanderson, who teaches media studies at the school. This is their first entry since Covid and achieved five stars and the best comedy award.
RNLI Exmouth
This film achieved one star but has spectacular photography alongside certain obvious failings, which explains the rating. It was entered as a film but is much like an AV sequence in many respects.
Bunny Jake is missing
Fans will find much to amuse and entertain them in this mystery told from an unusual angle.
Yippiyoodoo
This fun film was made by Kate Jackson who told us that it was inspired by getting bored by the music on her car radio, so that she had to go home and write her own pop song and get it recorded by a friend. But then took all the summer of 2023 getting sufficient relevant material to put the film together.
Come, Heaven or Hell
Peter Wischhusen is a member of Spring Park Movie Makers, and he tells us that this is a story he has known for many years but only just got around to filming. It is a completely one-man production shot on his phones camera.
Most of these films and many more can be seen on the BIAFF website at https://www.biaff.org.uk/2024-watch-on-line.html
Chris Morgan
SDFM Competitions Co-ordinator