By Betsan Branson William, First Year, French and German
Welcome to Epigram! Initially I want to ask you about the Short Film challenge. We have been invited to take a look at the process, and we all want to know a little more.
Yeah! So last Monday we made 24 groups of five to ten people who were all given an album as a prompt, chosen by the committee. The albums can be used as little or as much as each group desires and they now have until the 30th of November to complete their films of up to 10 minutes.
Can you tell us a little more about the premiere for the Short Film challenge competition?
Yes! We do one premiere a term and this term’s will be for the Short Film Challenge, taking place in early December, meaning every group will have their films premiered at a black-tie event! It’s a really nice chance to just dress up and celebrate with fellow members what everyone’s managed to accomplish. It’s not just for members either, last year someone invited their uncle who acted in their short film so it’s really fun!
We’re just shy of 100 years of film history as we know it, with the first ‘talkie’ having come out in 1927 – what impact have films had since then?
Everyone has ‘their’ genres or ‘their’ films but for me it’s so much more about feeling connected to the characters. When it is done well, the film makes you feel as though you are experiencing someone else’s life – I think of Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000) when thinking of this sentiment. They are also just such a fun escape – people have fond memories of watching ‘Studio Ghibli’ films throughout their childhood, films that anyone can enjoy. They are also a relatively accessible art form. You can watch so many films on YouTube.
What have you enjoyed most about InFilm?
Definitely meeting people through InFilm. When you’re in such a small group making a short film, you really do bond – all of my current flat-mates are people that I’ve made films with! I also find that from the ‘committee’ point-of-view, seeing what everyone can achieve in such a small space of time is so cool - at the Fresher’s Fair we had so many people coming up to express interest and who will hopefully be able to realise their dreams.
Do you have a favourite director?
On our ‘Meet the committee’ Instagram post I put Stanley Kubrick down, but I watched most of his films over the summer so it might not be the sincerest of answers! A slightly more niche answer would be Masaki Kobayashi. His dialogue is always written so well, and you really empathise with every character.
On Letterboxd: I’m wondering what you think the difference between a ‘Film-Bro’ and a ‘Cinephile’ is?
In my head there is a difference – I can understand why people see them as being the same thing. I find that ‘Film-Bros’ often idolise hyper-masculine’ characters such as ‘Jordan Belfort’ from The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) or ‘Patrick Bateman’ from American Psycho (2000), despite their depictions as often being satirical and certainly not role-model worthy. I can definitely see why people find the term ‘cinephile’ cringe worthy – I don’t really use it – but I think it’s for fans of film who appreciate filmmaking as well as entertainment and who analyse a film’s artistic value – maybe this is a pretentious answer itself!
How frequently do you go to the cinema? And are you a staunch advocate of cinema etiquette?
Let’s just say I definitely make the most of the Watershed’s 24-and-under £6 tickets and yeah – I’m not super strict, some people will say that if you arrive late you shouldn’t go into the theatre, I wouldn’t go that far but of course – be quiet, if you are someone who needs to use the toilet a lot maybe consider the ends of the rows and when the film starts, no talking! That is non-negotiable. Oh, and I always try to pre-open any particularly noisy snacks but in general I don’t bring snacks!
Jenna Baker
On a more administrative note, what is going to happen this year with the society’s schedule- any crazy socials planned, workshops?
We are bringing workshops back this year, in addition to socials every week! We’re trying to do something every Monday, whether it be the short film challenge, a pub quiz etc. We’re doing three large scale workshops this term, one for pre-production, one for production and one for post-production. And a karaoke night is in the works! However, I’d say that the premieres are always the most anticipated events.
Hot takes / controversial opinions: Simon Pegg, smash or pass?
I’ll go smash, without maybe the sexual connotations that come with the question! He’s our most famous University of Bristol alumnus! I love Shaun of The Dead, classic.
Favourite film of 2025?
Oh definitely Sinners (2025) – I saw it like three times, and it was great. I actually think it’s the best in the series! However, I wasn’t a fan of One Battle After Another (2025)- I’m going to watch it again and see how I feel but yeah, no!
Featured Image: Unsplash
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