Nothing in this newsletter is from my perspective as a producer, or even from a Look Aside perspective, but rather, simply from my personal perspective as a filmmaker.

I’m in the midst of an endless internal conflict: in its core, this conflict is between my desire to be appreciated as a filmmaker, and my desire to be interesting as a filmmaker. Both exist, and they are both very equal desires, but in very different ways, and I catch them fighting each other in my subconscious daily.

To put this in simpler terms: logically, I know that my personal desire for filmmaking, the filmmaker I want to be, is to try things, to experiment, to speak from the heart, to break boundaries, to do things that are transgressive or provocative or new. Then the other side of me comes, which is the desire to be a filmmaker makes things that are universally loved, and appreciated, and generally ‘critically appraised’.

I do assume - and please correct me if I’m wrong - this is something that many filmmakers struggle with. Film is, whether we like it or not, an ego-driven artform - the saying goes, a film is never complete until it’s in front of an audience, so by definition, our art is to an extent, dependent on the response of other people. Ego is a part of film, whether we like that or not. In fact, I speak with my partner a lot about how a filmmaker needs an ego to be a great decision-maker and how our job is to strike a balance between that and humility.

In many ways, it’s completely normal to want to make something that is universally loved and critically appraised. In many ways, it’s in fact often essential to make something like that to truly ‘break out’ in the indie scene. You try and make something for years, sometimes decades, it lives inside of you day and night, so it’s absolutely human nature that when you show people this baby of your mind, you want them to love it.

On the other hand, it’s also true that this often a little boring - I think there’s something absolutely beautiful about two people walking out of a cinema, one person loved a film and the other person hated it, and they have a heated argument about it all. I think there’s something so amazing in the passion that comes out when someone tries to defend a film they adore, the absolute frustration that comes when you simply don’t understand how someone could not like!, or understand the film you’ve just watched at all! This is really something I do personally want - I want my films to spark conversation, I want people to be inspired, whether by hate or love, and I want to make things that aren’t for everybody. To me, that is what makes cinema interesting a lot of the times, and what makes people connect with cinema, and what makes people connect between one another.

But this is also where that immediate internal conflict comes - for example, if there’s a room with people who’ve watched a film I’ve made, and 10 people loved it and 1 hated it, I would absolutely focus on the one that hated it. Even though the ratio is 10:1 and even though I want the conversation in the room, I want the work to not be universal, I know I’d still focus on the negative perspective. If there were dozens and dozens of people who loved something I did, I’d not sit awake at night remembering all the kind words and all the inspiring interactions - but I would absolutely read that one negative review again and again, I’d villainize the critic, I’d curse them in my mind, and then I’d rationalise why they’re wrong, and then eventually I’d wonder - are they wrong? - and then the next day, I’d be back to not caring what they think.

Me and my film friends speak a lot about objectivity and subjectivity in cinema and there’s a lot of inside jokes about it all because I actually do think there is a level of objectivity in cinema; yes, it absolutely is a subjective artform, but there’s a level of objectivity to it all based on our understanding of the medium. You cannot say that Sharknado is objectively a good film and you cannot say that The Godfather is objectively a bad film (this is where my film friends will screenshot this paragraph and the argument will start all over again in the group chat). Having said that though, a lot of the times it is subjective, so us as filmmakers, we cannot define ourselves by good opinions or by bad opinions - all we can do it try and logically look at both and decide what to take from either.

But that’s easier said than done. The conclusion I’ve come to is that it all comes down to genuine confidence and genuine self-belief: of course, you need the confidence to make good and interesting work, but also the confidence you have to understand your work, and to not let it be entirely defined by others, whilst still being able to take feedback on board and to understand the reception. And from that point forward, you can try and remain interesting, but also receive that sense of appreciation from where it really matters - to you, personally. This process of course takes experience and years, for many a lifetime - these are not qualities forged in a day. So my internal conflict persists for now, but it won’t forever.

I am really curious, you tell me - what do you think about all this?

And really, at the end of the day, honestly, it’s not at all that deep - I think I made it sound heavier than it really is! - but rather just a part of life, art, filmmaking, and our nature as people. Just make what you want to make and try and make it fresh and good.

But again - easier said than done.

As a reminder, this is an accelerator program designed to support the creative development of feature film projects, as well as develop effective finance, packaging and pitching strategies for the films. The Lab aims to both improve the creative quality of the scripts, but also teach the filmmakers about things like development, financing, sales, festivals, and applications, so that projects under the cohort can get off the ground and into packaging, or even production. The Lab will conclude with a pitch panel, where each filmmaker under the cohort will have the chance to present their project in front of various film companies.

Our line-up includes:
- Lindsay MacKay, writer/director
- Lisa Leach, Bankside Films
- Carlotta Roveri, Head Gear Films
- Triin Tramberg, Artistic Director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
- George Handscomb, Film & TV Charity
- Christine Hartland, Co-Founder of MySmashMedia
- Joseph Bushell, Co-Founder of Marauder Pictures
- Maxine Gordon, Co-Founder of Marauder Pictures
- Celtx: ScreenWriting Software

To read more about the partners and mentors, the projects we’re looking for, the schedule, or to submit, click here!

We’re so deeply excited to run this and aim to provide as much support as possible to the cohort. We can’t wait to read your stories!

Thank you to our partners - Marauder Pictures, MySmashMedia, The Film & TV Charity, and CeltX.

Please read the outlined submission guidelines carefully before submitting!

Once again, we need to reiterate how floored we were by the level of talent, passion, and hard-work we saw. We take our fund seriously - we know it means a lot to you, and it means a lot to us too - and we’re really honoured allow us to look at your stories. One day, you have our word, we’re going to be funding not one or two shorts a year, but ten, and maybe even beyond that.

But for now, let us showcase these brilliant films.

Our 2026 film fund recipient is…

MISS UNIVERSE

Writers/Directors: Amber Gadd & Evie Ward-Drummond
Producers: Nina Georgieff & Emily Radakovic
Country of production: UK

Bambi’s wish has been granted. Dinner Lady by day. Local Royalty by night. But when her crown goes missing, her new found dream topples into a nightmare.

An absolutely brilliant script by such a talented team! Amber & Evie have created a deeply visceral word that is rarely represented so well through film, and have done so through such a vibrant script and exciting story. Nina & Emily have been so well-prepped, responsive, and a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. We’re genuinely so excited to board this project, and can’t wait to share more with you in the upcoming months and years.

And our 2026 Top 10 finalists are…

HANDBRAKE

Writer/Director: Lydia Steiner
Producer: Eden Campbell
Country of production: UK

A terminally ill elderly man spends his final months teaching his wife to drive, helping her reclaim her independence while they navigate love, loss, and the humour in their shared memories.

KEY TO FREEDOM

Writer/Director: Emma Zinha
Producers: Anna Keeley & Nora Dahle Borchgrevink
Country of production: UK

When a new law is introduced in the young British colony of 17th century Virginia, the whip smart and newly pregnant daughter of an enslaved African and an English landowner must decide whether or not to fight for her freedom.

LANDSLIDES

Writer/Director: Vicente Gonzalez Monroy
Producers: Cristina Sánchez Salamanca & Duván Duque Vargas
Country of production: Colombia

After his mother’s sudden death, Marcelo inherits a half-built country house and a devastating accident. Forced to face guilt and loss, he must rely on the estranged father he resents.

LEAK

Writer/Director: Ella Dorman-Gajic
Producers: Carlotta Roveri & Peter Vaughan
Country of production: UK

When a young asylum seeker’s period comes early, while staying in temporary accommodation, she goes to great lengths to conceal it from the world around her – until a male employee discovers her secret.

MOKO

Writer/Director: Mary Cecilia Walker
Producer: Nadine Jose
Country of production: Barbados, US

As she wrestles with her first true spark of attraction, 15 year old Zaria must face the ghosts that haunt her - both metaphorical and literal - to accept the part of herself she has buried for too long.

SATSUMA

Writer/Director: Faoileann Cunningham
Producer: Eli Banfield
Country of production: UK

Self hate saturates the body. The rave wrings it free.

SCRATCHING POST

Writer: Abigail Hardingham
Director: Louisa Connolly-Burnham
Producers: Rebecca Baker, Alice Duke, Louisa Connolly-Burnham
Country of production: UK

A submissive must prove their devotion to their Domme whilst at their dad's birthday party.

SEVEN OF BOROMBO

Writer/Director: Rani Nasr
Producer: Caroline Audi
Countries of production: Lebanon, France

A worn-out mechanic stumbles upon supernatural luck after a minor accident. With unearned success, he attempts to climb the social ladder but faces the inescapable weight of his already determined destiny.

TILL THE END

Writer/Director: Precious Mustapha
Producer: Lisa Leach
Countries of production: UK

On the eve of a major gig, a rising band’s tight bond begins to unravel when a wild night leads to a secret none of them are ready to carry.

WORK OF OUR HANDS

Writer/Director: Ese Obrimah
Producer: Florence Imo
Countries of production: Nigeria

In a small tailor shop, Mama and her workers spend a day stitching, cutting, and patching their way through dreams that slowly come undone under the strain of survival.

This is an accelerator program designed to support the creative development of feature film projects, as well as develop effective finance, packaging and pitching strategies for the films. The Lab aims to both improve the creative quality of the scripts, but also teach the filmmakers about things like development, financing, sales, festivals, and applications, so that projects under the cohort can get off the ground and into packaging, or even production. The Lab will conclude with a pitch panel, where each filmmaker under the cohort will have the chance to present their project in front of various film companies.

To read more about the partners and mentors, the projects we’re looking for, the schedule, or really any details at all, click here!

We’ve opened this lab to provide more opportunities for emerging voices and filmmakers. We know first hand how many talented artists and filmmakers there are, and how few resources for further development, so we want to do as little or as much as we can to help bring more stories to life.

The lab is a mix of script development, directing workshops, various talks and lectures on things like development and financing, and networking with fellow writer/directors and other industry professionals. Our partners are also there to provide additional support to the cohort. We’re looking for original, non-IP-based works that demonstrate a distinctive voice, perspective, and storytelling approach. We are particularly interested in elevated, high-quality films that maintain clear audience appeal and market awareness. We are genre-agnostic and welcome submissions across all genres.

We’re so deeply excited to run this and aim to provide as much support as possible to the cohort. We can’t wait to read your stories!

Thank you to our partners - Marauder Pictures, MySmashMedia, The Film & TV Charity, and CeltX.

Please read the outlined submission guidelines carefully before submitting!

The upcoming webinar date is:
April 8th, 17:30-19:30 BST: BOOK HERE.

We’re excited to share everything we’ve learned about starting, growing, and running your own film company. We will cover topics like what the different types of film companies are, business strategies, project development, building a brand, company admin, investments, financial sustainability, resources, social media, networking, advise on the reality of running a film company in today’s market, and more. The webinar runs for 90 minutes, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session where all questions are welcome.

More information on our event page. We look forward to chatting!

After almost four years of relentless work, we’re so deeply excited to announce that DALI, our BIFA-Longlisted & four-time Raindance-nominated feature film, is now available for you to watch, whereever you are. At the moment, the film is on AMAZON PRIME, but the rollout will continue in the upcoming few months and you’ll be able to watch on various platforms, some of which we’re beyond excited to announce.

This is a deeply surreal moment and something we’ve been working towards for such a long time, so needless to say, it’s exhilarating and we’re popping some champagne over the weekend. Thank you to the entire cast, crew, and the hundreds and hundreds of people who have helped us along the way, in any way - we’re deeply grateful.

This film has taken everything, changed us as people, and brought endless magic into our lives. Go watch it now, and don’t forget to spread the word, and to review on Letterboxd, IMDB, and Amazon.

And this is only the start...

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN FILM COMPANY: aimed at creatives and producers looking to start or grow their own film development and/or production companies.

The upcoming webinar dates are:
April 8th, 17:30-19:30 BST: BOOK HERE.
May 16th, 14:00-16:00 BST: BOOK HERE.

We're excited to share everything we've learned about starting, growing, and running your own film company. We will cover topics like what the different types of film companies are, business strategies, project development, building a brand, company admin, investments, financial sustainability, resources, social media, networking, advise on the reality of running a film company in today's market, and more. The webinar runs for 90 minutes, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session where all questions are welcome.

Spaces are limited and as always, filled at a first come, first served basis. Lately all our webinars have been filling up quite quickly, so we recommend grabbing a spot as quickly as you can.

We look forward to chatting!

Speaking to Stones

Two NASA scientists disagree on the nature of meteorite stone whilst on excavation: can stones have consciousness?

A short film by Emmanuelle Soffe.
Produced by Mickey Angelov.
Poster design by Abel Carrillo.

We completed Speaking to Stones very recently - less than a month ago - and fun fact, Emmanuelle Soffe held a friends & family screening less than 24 hours after final export. We’re starting the festival circuit now, we’re in really early stages, but we hope to share some great news soon.

Doll

When Natalie heads back to Roman’s place to carry on their date, the lurking presence of a strange looking doll unnerves her. As the night continues, Natalie must weigh up what being part of his family might mean for her future.

Written & directed by Daniel Lipton.
Produced by Mickey Angelov & Joseph Bushell.
Look Aside Films, in association with Marauder Pictures.
Poster design by Harry King.

We completed Doll a while ago, maybe in Autumn 2025, but there were a few things we had to get done before officially starting this short’s festival circuit journey too. Now we’re working with Festival Formula, who’ve composed a brilliant strategy for the film, and we’re really excited to premiere Doll sooner rather than later.

We hope to share further updates on all other projects - The Commitment (feature), Dali (feature), The Mermaid Complex (feature), Water (short), Peter (short), and two further unannounced shorts, and two further unannounced features - very soon, too.

The upcoming webinar date is:
March 11th, 17:30-19:30 GMT: BOOK HERE.

We cover topics like self-funding, crowdfunding, product placement, grant finance, and private equity when talking about short films. We cover topics like development funding, co-productions, pre-sales, national & regional funding, development strategies, and more when talking about feature films. We’re hoping that this will at least inspire you to seek new avenues when developing your projects.

More information on our event page. We look forward to chatting!

I’m sure 95% of the receivers of this newsletter use Letterboxd, or at the bare minimum know what it is, and I imagine most of you have now also probably heard about Letterboxd’s Video Store.

This Video Store is a VOD film rental platform inside the Letterboxd app or website - it is not a streaming service, you rent only individual films you want to watch (this is an important distinction for later on!); the Store generally selects recent festival & audience darlings, rediscoveries from the past, and selections from guest curators. Right now, there is a total of twenty films available to rent, although not all twenty are available in all territories. This number seems to have expanded or is still expanding, if I remember correctly when the service launched they had eight or ten films to start with (Letterboxd can fact check me here).

To be blunt: I think this service has the potential to be an absolute and genuine game-changer in the indie distribution world - if Letterboxd plays their cards right that is. I absolutely adore the concept already, and I’ll first share a few reasons why, and then I’ll let you know of some things I dislike, and then I’ll share some ideas I’ve been having as well.

Why I’m Really Optimistic About This

Letterboxd is essentially providing distribution to good films that lack distribution - which is obviously great for the films and the filmmaker - but the key thing here is that they’re providing said distribution directly to the mass audience that would generally seek to watch these films. If distributed traditionally, a portion of this same audience would’ve maybe gotten round to watching the film, but not the majority of it. Letterboxd’s distribution model much more direct - a traditional distributor would market a festival-darling widely to the niche it’s aimed at - they would try and reach as many festival-darling watchers as they can, but they wouldn’t reach everyone, or the release would sometimes get lost in the noise - but Letterboxd will bring the same film in the lap of its entire perfect audience. And because of the brand of the distributor (in this case, Letterboxd), even more people end up watching the film than usual.

It’s reminding me of the early years of A24, in concept at least - where a niche audience would seek out anything A24 would put out simply because it was A24, so for any filmmaker to have their film distributed with that company meant immediate eyes on the film, and more importantly - the right type of eyes. Now A24 has expanded so much, so they’ve generally lost this, and they also need to position their films to a much larger audience - which is undoubtedly better for the company overall (that’s a whole other newsletter), but when it comes to this, A24 can no longer instantly cultivate that audience-filmmaker relationship it used to.

When Letterboxd brings these films to the right crowd, the obvious pro is that the films actually get watched, which is amazing financially for the filmmakers (and of course Letterboxd), but also in terms of exposure for them, and again, it’s exposure to the perfect crowd (as used to be the case with A24). I don’t know if it’s a coincidence that director Alex Ullom had his film It Ends on the Video Store (great film by the way), and then only a month after he signed a second-picture deal with Neon. I’m not sure whether Neon was interested in Alex Ullom before It Ends went on the Video Store, but even if they were, I’m sure the immediate audience exposure to Alex Ullom and his debut helped sway Neon’s decision massively. So because Letterboxd is a respected brand, especially amongst cinephiles, a Video Store deal not only exposes the filmmakers to the right crowd, but legitimises their careers.

I also think this is just generally a good deal for the producer; Letterboxd seems to be a legitimately good company to work with - whilst most people only know in name the good distributors out there, I can assure you there are more scammy and bad distributors than good ones, so getting in business with a company like Letterboxd is a great choice. I imagine a Video Store deal would also be very financially lucrative for the filmmaking team - I don’t know if Letterboxd takes 20% off the rental price (as most traditional distributors do) or if they take 50% off the rental price (as a cinema normally would for a ticket sold), but in either case, the filmmakers will earn way more by having their film on the Video Store than they would on any other VOD platform, simply because of - once again - the brand and the exposure to the right type of audience.

That is, if the Video Store doesn’t sizzle out. Which is a lovely transition into some things I’m not currently the biggest fan of. These points hold way less value and are more aimed at the service itself - if you didn’t notice above, I’m a already big fan of the concept.

Things That Need Work

Letterboxd needs to up their marketing game regarding the Video Store. When it launched, it was such big news, and now, only a month later - I feel like it’s already not as hot as it was. I think Letterboxd needs to push a bit more - to build hype, but also to get people to create the habit of using the service. They need to maintain a consistent wave of promotion across the first few months after launch in order to gain that initial traction, I think; and I imagine they might not doing that ar the moment as the Video Store is still - in many ways - essentially in beta, and they are probably working out bugs and business models, but they should get on it before the hype calms down, as it would be very difficult to build the same hype later.

The price was very high, but I think they listened to feedback and fixed this. I’m not sure if there’s still going to be films that are rented for above £10 - which is a lot in my opinion, for a digital rental - but if they manage to keep the price below that, I think that’s completely fair. Most people think a rental around £3 is fair, but I would personally say more like £5-7 is the sweet spot - to benefit Letterboxd in their new venture, and also most importantly the filmmaking team, and also to keep the cost still accessible.

The UI is bad - a clear criticism, and this is a big one. It’s weird, it’s buggy, and it’s very obviously still being worked out. Just in concept, I think it’s weird that the Video Store is inside Letterboxd, but I also don’t think they should make a separate service, so the where-of-it is sort of a lose-lose. I do think they need a SmartTV app, and to just generally fix their streaming system. I’m not too worried about this as I’m sure all the current issues are only temporary and they are working to resolve them all, but it cannot not be mentioned.

Lastly, I don’t love the system of selecting what to program: Letterboxd selects titles seemingly based off what its user base wants - when people make a list of titles they’d like on the store and tag this list, Letterboxd reviews all these tags and collects films that get mentioned a lot, then presumably reaches out to those teams to secure that license deal. I don’t know if this curation system is Letterboxd’s long-term plan, but I don’t think it’s sustainable for a few reasons. One, it makes it so that only titles with existing interest are secured, which is not what I think is the smartest play (I talk more about this below). Two, it creates a niche within a niche: I use Letterboxd all the time and a lot of my friends do, but I don’t know many people who make lists as a hobby that often, or who track festival releases that don’t have distribution yet that they would like to see - in fact, I imagine the group of people that tracks this is quite small, so by essentially having only this group curate the Video Store, Letterboxd is only servicing only a select niche of their core base. Three, I don’t think there’s longevity in this model: sure, some people will treat this as a hobby, but others - I’d argue most - will get bored of making these lists.

Now here are some ideas I had for the future of the Video Store, as someone who does not work for Letterboxd and does not run a VOD service, but as someone who does love to think about stuff.

Secure festival partnerships. I would certainly imagine they are thinking about this or even already working on it, but I have to mention it. Letterboxd should offer distribution, for a limited time only, to films that premiere at any of the big festivals, should the filmmakers fail to secure other deals and should the filmmakers want said distribution on the Video Store. Think about being able to watch on Letterboxd all or most Sundance features that don’t manage to find a home - these titles would be absolutely devoured by the Letterboxd crowd, and it would be a fantastic opportunity for the filmmakers as well, as mentioned above. Admittedly, I haven’t given much thought on how exactly a Letterboxd-festival partnership would be structured and I do think it’s easier said than done (when do you license? what if the filmmakers want to wait a bit longer?), but I do think there’s a nugget of gold in the idea.

Distribute both films that already have buzz and interest - what they are doing now - but also distribute good films without any buzz that Letterboxd feels deserve the spotlight and would be right for their audience - which is more what a traditional distributor does. I fully understand why Letterboxd is only focused on films with existing interest, but I think their brand is strong enough to speak for itself - and by showcasing good (key: good) films that audiences haven’t heard of, they would not only help the filmmaking teams, but also themselves, as that way they would solidify themselves as a peak curation platform.

Expand the list, but not by much. I would say thirty films at max at any time. If you remember Mubi’s initial model - thirty films a month, with one film rotating out each day and one film rotating in - I think this model was one of the things that made them really successful in the space, in those early days. It essentially said we don’t have much, but there’s a reason why we don’t have much - it’s because everything we have is great, and specially chosen for you. I think this would also fit the Letterboxd brand very well.

Don’t pick a niche - Letterboxd’s brand is good cinema, so that should be the niche - they shouldn’t focus on any one genre or budget or vibe. I don’t think they would do this anyway, but a lot of companies tend to change as they develop further, and I don’t think that would be a good idea.

Don’t become a service that distributors distribute to, be the distributor. I think Letterboxd should work directly with the production companies rather than license existing titles that already have a distributor; that would be smart as it would further solidify their curation, but it also massively help the brand as it would make them sort of the good guy of independent film distribution. It says, your film is great, but couldn’t find a distributor? Don’t worry, we got you.

Don’t become a streaming service. It’s a VOD Video Store - that’s the vibe, and the model, and it’s smart and it’s a vibe. I don’t think Letterboxd would ever do this for the record, but I had to mention it.

Generally - I do honestly think the Video Store could - and should - be massive. I’m really optimistic for it and I think it’s really great news for the indie film world. Letterboxd just needs to continue making it a priority and build and develop further - which again, I’m positive they are probably doing, which is one of the reasons I’m so excited for it and rooting for it. It has crazy potential to be a big influence and my interest is peaked.

And also, it’s so nostalgic. I remember going to the physical video store almost every day when I was a kid and browsing and browsing for hours trying to pick a movie. Letterboxd is already recreating that aesthetic a little and I love to see it. Maybe even - someday - a physical pop-up?… One could only dream.

This WILL Be You is aimed at people looking at or already building a career in film, hearing from early-mid career film creatives on their journey, work, and top tips.

We’ll be exploring some of the multitudes of ways in to doing something you love, with people in film who you can actually see yourself in. One day very soon, it’ll be you...!

The event is on the 21st of February in Dalston, London. To see the full programme or book a ticket (they are only £12!), go to this link.

A wonderfully planned day&night event by our friends at Are You Seeing This - we can’t wait and we hope to see you there.

The upcoming webinar dates are:
February 10th, 17:30-19:30 GMT: BOOK HERE.
March 11th, 17:30-19:30 GMT: BOOK HERE.

We cover topics like self-funding, crowdfunding, product placement, grant finance, and private equity when talking about short films. We cover topics like development funding, co-productions, pre-sales, national & regional funding, development strategies, and more when talking about feature films. We’re hoping that this will at least inspire you to seek new avenues when developing your projects.

Spaces are limited and as always, filled at a first come, first served basis. These film financing webinars tend to fill up quite quickly, so we recommend grabbing a spot as quickly as you can!

We look forward to chatting!

This year has been by far the best year for us so far and we’ve hit so many milestones we’ve wanted to hit and we’ve gone above and beyond on so many other goals. Of course, we’ve also hit some bumps along the road too — but that’s part of the fun.

I usually do a type of end-of-year reflection newsletter around this time of the year - something this is pretending to be - but I think this time around, I’ll leave that for 2026. Tell you the truth, it has been such an overwhelming time for us - 2025 as a whole, but also these last few months particularly - that we need a few days to rest and think. There’s also a lot of things that we’re changing in 2026 - we’re completing some projects and ventures and beginning other ones - but all of that will be shared in due time.

However, it’s good to keep track, so here’s a list - without getting into too much detail - on most things that we’ve done this year:

Completed 3 short films.
Financed 2 other short films.
Premiered 1 feature film.
Actively developing 3 other feature films.
Released online & exhibited 10 short films.
Managed 2 rounds of film funding.
Launched 1 product.
Hosted 10 events.
Added over 7000 new members to our community.
And we’ve also done a plethora of other work we will share in 2026.

As you can see, for a small indie company so much has happened that’s it’s genuinely hard to reflect on all of it at once, and so quickly. Which is why you’ll be hearing from us - loads more - in the new year.

Now, I would also like to remind you that our 2026 FILM CALENDAR is still for sale and you can grab one here. It’s a beautiful product that we’re really proud of and the response to it has warmed our hearts. We still have a few in stock, so get yours before it’s too late - or before 2026 has started already.

As a reminder:

Our calendar reimagines iconic film scenes through the lens of the crew members who bring them to life - a tribute to the art, labor, and illusion of cinema.

Each month is also inspired by a different genre of cinema.

The calendar artwork is completely AI-free and drawn by hand. The paper we use for the print is fully recycled. This product is also fully made in the UK and designed by UK artists.

The calendar has all dates you would expect a regular year calendar to have, and additionally we’ve included notable film festival dates, historic dates from cinema history, award ceremony dates, an about section for each month, and renowned director birthdays.

Each month also challenges you to watch a film from a different country in order to expand your palette of world cinema.

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm in 2025. It honestly means the world to me, and to the team, and it’s actually genuinely surreal how far we’ve gotten in under two years of full-time work.

For now, I’ll only share that in 2026 our focus will be on larger projects - both shorts, features, and other ventures - as well as more active support for you. We will share more of our plans soon.

For now, I’m done being cryptic, I’m jumping on a flight to go to a place where I will sleep a lot and probably consume a concerning amount of red wine, and I will speak to you in the new year.

Mickey

Sure! I’m from Verona, a small city in northern Italy. I did high school there and spent most of my life in Verona. During my fourth year of high school, I decided I wanted to become a filmmaker. That’s not an easy industry to enter, so I started researching film schools and found Civica Scuola di Cinema in Milan. I completed a BA in Film Production there over three years.

During that time, I also began working on sets. After finishing my BA, I took a gap year to reassess what I really wanted to do. My dream had always been to direct, but my degree was in production.

During that year, I worked on a feature film as the director’s personal assistant. That experience was incredible because I was involved in every stage of the process - rehearsals, meetings with art and costume departments - essentially shadowing someone who was doing exactly what I aspired to do. Around the same time, I finished writing my first proper short film. I had made a short during my BA, but that was more of a school exercise with limited creative freedom. This new short took almost a year to write and revise due to time constraints. During that gap year, I shot the film while continuing to work in advertising.

In September, I moved to London and started the MA in Filmmaking at Raindance Film School. I’m currently finishing the script for my next short film, which I’ll produce through Raindance, and I’ve started looking for producers, funding, and collaborators.

What are some pros and cons to the UK film industry vs. the Italian film industry that you have noticed so far?

I came to London believing the industry here was significantly easier to enter than in Italy, but after talking to people, I’ve realized that’s may not be the case! But being part of Raindance gives me access to a lot of opportunities - networking events, masterclasses, exclusive screenings - which is incredibly valuable.

London, in general, offers many chances to meet people: screenings with directors, producers, actors, and strong short-film collectives that help with networking and funding. That’s something Italy really lacks, especially when it comes to short films, which aren’t highly valued there.

The biggest challenge is starting from zero again. In Italy, I knew the system, had a network, and had job opportunities. Moving here means rebuilding everything from the ground up. I’ve done it before, so I’m not discouraged, it’s just part of the process.

You’re studying directing, which is such an instinctive discipline. What do you think, about directing, is better learned in an academic environment versus on set?

What’s great about this MA is that it’s not solely focused on directing but on independent filmmaking as a whole. One of the most important things I’m learning is how to conduct artistic research. For a director, that’s essential - you need time to discover your voice, your style, and who you are as an artist.

That said, I do believe 70–80% of filmmaking is learned on set. Film is collaborative, and understanding human relationships is fundamental. It’s a craft, and you learn it by doing.

Film school’s biggest strengths are time and safety. You’re given space to experiment, fail, and learn without the pressure of the industry. You also build a network with classmates, tutors, and professors - people who will likely be filmmakers themselves.

You’re also a composer. I can imagine how being a director makes you a better composer, but how does being a composer make you a better director?

Interesting question! Well, my research focus during this MA is film music and its narrative value - how music shapes the audience’s perception of a scene, character, or story. Music is one of the most instinctive and universal art forms. Without words or images, it can evoke powerful emotions.

In film, communication is more layered, and music helps break down those barriers. It’s been part of cinema since silent films, and it’s the one element audiences accept as being “added” to the world of the film.

Understanding music allows a director to use it intentionally - knowing when to include it, when to remove it, and how it alters meaning. Even choosing silence is a powerful decision. If you’ve ever seen a scene with different music underneath, the emotional impact completely changes. That power makes musical awareness essential for directors.

Let’s talk about FAME, your short film which we’ve included in our Short of the Month programme. The film fits into the obsessed-artist genre, like Black Swan or Whiplash, but it still feels deeply personal. How did you balance homage with originality?

The story emerged while I was in film school. I noticed how relationships in artistic environments can be double-sided: genuine, but also driven by ambition. Everyone wants to succeed, and that creates pressure and competition. You realize you’re not the only one chasing the dream.

That experience inspired the film’s central conflict - the inability to fully belong in the world you’ve chosen. I wrote the characters based on my own emotions and on people I knew, grounding everything in reality, and making it very personal in that way.

The film is in Italian - was that a creative or practical choice?

Both. Practically, I was in Italy and writing in Italian at the time. Creatively, I wanted realism. We don’t have many Italian films like this - especially not musical-inspired ones. Jazz and American cinema are deeply influential in Italy, and I wanted to reflect that aspiration.

I was inspired by Bob Fosse and wanted the performances to feel grounded, not like classic MGM musicals. The handheld camera, long takes, and intimate framing were meant to make the film feel almost documentary-like, keeping the audience close to the characters.

Your work really balances grit and beauty. Do you find yourself leaning more toward one of those directions?

I think I live somewhere in between. I’m drawn to realism, but I like to introduce moments of dreamlike beauty - magical realism, in a way. Even in Fame, the performances are intentionally eerie rather than glamorous.

The costumes reflect characters aspiring to be something they’re not. They’re not polished or perfect, and that tension is important to me. I want beauty to feel fragile and slightly uncomfortable.

Finally, Jacopo - what’s next?

Right now, I’m finishing my MA. My next short film will be shot in London, in English. It will be the first project where I write, direct, and compose the score myself. It’s an experiment and a personal challenge.

Next summer, as part of the MA, I’ll also write my first feature-length screenplay. Together, the short film and feature script will serve as my calling card as I move forward toward making an independent feature.

Grab a ticket here!

The screening is followed by a NETWORKING HOUR - a perfect chance to get to know each other, grab a mulled wine, indulge in the Christmas spirit, and celebrate all your successes of 2025.

The line-up is:

Misnomer, dir. Aella Jordan-Edge.
Lily clings on to the past as her partner redefines their identity.

Farmers Dating, dir. Alexandra Hsu.
In rural France, a young farmer’s heart is broken. Her name is Victoire. Struggling to understand the new world of dating via technology, she’s not sure her tomatoes are ripe for anyone.

Are You With Me?, dir. Christian Søgaard.
Follows a set of young people who wrestle between wonder and self-doubt and with who they are - and who they fear they might become.

Out Of The Grey, dir. Marta Baidek.
Laura, a pregnant environmental refugee, is forced to leave her haven in the hope of finding medical support and safety for her unborn baby. The film touches on present-day issues such as the cost of living, global warming, and the refugee crisis in an inhospitable world.

Interview, dir. Tai Carter.
Luke readies himself for a graduate job interview. Resisting panic, he makes a series of calls to his mother, partner and mentor, reflecting on ideas of identity, purpose and belonging.

My Hand Is The Extension of My Heart, dir. Isadora Ribeiro Canguçu.
During the pandemic, a woman in isolation reflects on her life and identity through the capabilities of her hands.

Aydan & Evan, dir. Elizabeth Cassidy.
After a chance encounter, a filmmaker tries to unravel his feelings for a man from the memories of the night they met.

Very, Very Open, dir. Isis Hope Lloyd
A couple discuss opening their relationship as they navigate new temptations, but can they balance desire and pride within these unknown territories?

Our mission - as a company - is to make some great cinema, but also to nurture a more kind and honest film industry. Curation events like this are so important to us as they not only showcase incredible filmmakers to wider audiences, but also allow for us all to come together as a group. The film industry is a deeply communal space and we’re so excited to do our part by hopefully making it a little more welcoming.

FAME | SHORT OF THE MONTH - November ‘25:
In the shadows of the stage, ambition and desire blur the line between reality and imagination, as a ballerina’s fixation spirals into a dangerous obsession.

FAME is a skilful exploration of artistry, insecurity, desire, and our our common addtion to success. Brilliantly directed by Jacopo Sala, ‘Fame’ draws inspiration from previous obsessed artist stories, but puts its own spin on the theme and manages to present a fresh take through a fresh voice and a new perspective. All the performances work perfectly in elevating the story further, as do the visuals from DoP Catleia Lanfranchini.

Our interview with the director of the short - Jacopo Sala - where he shares a lot about his background, his influences, his aspirations, and the making of this particular film - is out later this month, but for now - go watch the short and give Jacopo all your love and support.

Don’t forget to BOOK YOUR TICKETS to our SHORT OF THE MONTH SCREENING on the 10th of December in London. Come watch all the brilliant films under the programme, meet the filmmakers, and have a glass (or three) or wine.

Grab one right here.

Our calendar reimagines iconic film scenes through the lens of the crew members who bring them to life - a tribute to the art, labor, and illusion of cinema.

Look through the artwork here or on our Instagram.

Each month is also inspired by a different genre of cinema.

The calendar artwork is completely AI-free and drawn by hand. The paper we use for the print is fully recycled. This product is also fully made in the UK and designed by UK artists.

The calendar has all dates you would expect a regular year calendar to have, and additionally we’ve included notable film festival dates, historic dates from cinema history, award ceremony dates, an about section for each month, and renowned director birthdays.

Each month also challenges you to watch a film from a different country in order to expand your palette of world cinema.

That’s a big question! Well. I started acting when I was about fifteen or sixteen. I got signed by an agent, started auditioning, and worked on some BBC and ITV shows, just little parts here and there. It was fun, but what really stuck with me was watching how everything around me worked - casting, directing, pre-production.

After university, I worked for a few years as an assistant to a film director. It was amazing training: development, dealing with execs, production. But I realised I didn’t want to just assist forever. I wanted to create.

So I started freelancing and working with creative studios on pitches. Around that time I sent Kate Shelley at House on Fire Productions my first draft of Very, Very Open. It was 50 pages long, which is ridiculous for a short, but she loved the tone and helped me develop it. She introduced me to DPs and producers, and we got it made.

Most recently, I wrote a film called Morvoren for director Katie Burden. It’s entirely in Cornish, which is incredible, and was commissioned by Screen Cornwall. It’s Katie’s first narrative project after doing docs, and it’s been such a creative exchange.

So right now, I’m freelancing, writing, directing, producing, I’m keeping lots of plates spinning, but that’s how I like it!

Your acting background really comes through in Very, Very Open. The performances feel absolutely authentic, which I think is rare in shorts. How does being an actor influence you as a director?

Massively. From the start, Very, Very Open was meant to test me as a director who knows how to work with actors.

We got over a hundred tapes, then held chemistry readings pairing people up. That’s how we found Daniel and Olivia. Daniel’s RADA-trained, so super process-driven. Olivia was newer and freer in a sense, which created a great balance.

We rehearsed it like a play, with full run-throughs, blocking, movement exercises. We also worked with an intimacy coordinator. That was really important to me. The entire experience gave me a sensitivity to how actors need to feel - supported but not micromanaged. It’s all about trust, freedom, and clarity. That’s everything to me as a director.

You write, direct, produce, and act - but unlike a lot of people, not all necessarily on the same project - you can take one short to produce only, another to write only, a third to write and direct, etc. - is that deliberate?

It’s more instinctive than deliberate. Someone once asked if I write just so I can star in my own stuff - definitely not!

With Very, Very Open, I wanted to focus on directing and performance. But for smaller projects, like music videos, I’ll do everything because that’s what you do when you’ve got no budget. For Morvoren for example, I’m just the writer. Katie found me through an open call for scripts, picked my idea, and made it her own. I’m proud of it - it’s probably my best writing - and I love seeing it evolve beyond me.

I think collaboration is the best part of filmmaking. Each project is an ecosystem. Whether I’m producing, directing, or writing, it’s always about building that creative organism together.

You also produced a stop-motion short called Nudity. How was that experience different?

Oh, it’s a completely different world! The director started animating in his bedroom during lockdown. When he showed it to me and my co-producer, we were blown away. We helped him finish it, put in some funding, helped polish the edit, and handled festival submissions.

It’s a stunning film. It’s called Nudity, but there are no faces, it’s all about bodies, form, and emotion. It screened at BFI Future Film Festival on NFT1, which was wild, then went to Aesthetica and Manchester.

Stop-motion gives you total control, but it’s still deeply human. The emotion comes through body language instead of faces. It’s beautiful.

You’ve said one of the main themes your work often explores is female sexuality. What draws you to that, and why do you think it’s underrepresented?

My dissertation at university was about female sexuality and the idea of becoming a woman, so that’s always been in my work. But I think in many ways, what I’m really exploring through female sexuality is desire - how we desire, how we want to be desired, how it feels to be seen. Desire can mean wanting to be sexy or wanting to be cared for, and those can exist together.

Women often live in this dichotomy: wanting to be fiercely independent and self-sufficient, but also wanting to be cared for or held. That doesn’t even have to be romantic. I live with three single women, and the way we care for each other is deeply loving and nurturing - a kind of platonic intimacy.

When it comes to Very, Very Open, how intentional was the blocking? Most of it is set in a kitchen - a tight space - yet it never feels stale in angles or actor movement, nor does it feels as if it has movement for the sake of movement - how did you approach this?

I focused on it heavily, yes! Though it helps that it’s set in my parents’ kitchen. It’s gorgeous - my mum has amazing taste! - and shooting somewhere familiar (and free!) was great.

But the blocking was carefully designed. During rehearsals, we literally mapped out the space like a stage with two tables representing the two kitchen counters. One was Warren’s “side”, the cooking area, solid and grounded, and the other was Jen’s, more open and fluid.

Warren mostly stayed still, solid, while Jen buzzed around him - pulling, teasing, testing boundaries. That physical dynamic was essential: she’s always moving toward him, pushing at his space, reaching for connection.

I’m obsessed with exploring intimacy - not just romantic, but all forms of it. How people connect, how they touch, how they almost touch. There’s a moment near the end where it’s completely silent, no dialogue, just presence. For me, that’s the purest expression of intimacy.

So, Isis - what’s next for you?

Morvoren starts filming in March. We were originally going to shoot sooner, but we wanted to give it more time to develop properly. It’s fully funded and ready to go, which feels surreal!

I’ve also got a couple of music videos in pre-production for early next year. And I’m writing a new sci-fi project, which is low-budget, but still conceptually big. I’ve mapped out the feature, but I’m planning to make a short version first as a proof of concept, a little portal into that world.

So yeah, lots of projects are bubbling! The Cornish film feels really special, and this new sci-fi thing could be the next big one. I just need to sit down and write it!

VERY, VERY OPEN is showing in Arthouse Cinema on the 10th of December as part of our Short of the Month Christmas Curation Screening. Get your tickets here!

This programme is a monthly curatorial experience focused on showcasing exciting voices of worldwide short filmmaking. We aim provide a platform for filmmakers, as well as collect a high-quality selection of shorts for viewers and colleagues. In the end of the year, we celebrate all the shorts with a cinema showcase.

The screening is followed by a NETWORKING HOUR - a perfect chance to get to know each other, grab a mulled wine, indulge in the Christmas spirit, and celebrate all your successes in 2025.

TICKETS ARE HERE.

Our mission - as a company - is to make some great cinema, but also to nurture a more kind and honest film industry. Curation events like this are so important to us as they not only showcase incredible filmmakers to wider audiences, but also allow for us all to come together as a group. The film industry is a deeply communal space and we’re so excited to do our part by hopefully making it a little more welcoming.

Selection Includes:
SHORT OF THE MONTH:

Misnomer, dir. Aella Jordan-Edge.
Lily clings on to the past as her partner redefines their identity.

Farmers Dating, dir. Alexandra Hsu.
In rural France, a young farmer’s heart is broken. Her name is Victoire. Struggling to understand the new world of dating via technology, she’s not sure her tomatoes are ripe for anyone.

Are You With Me?, dir. Christian Søgaard.
Follows a set of young people who wrestle between wonder and self-doubt and with who they are - and who they fear they might become.

Out Of The Grey, dir. Marta Baidek.
Laura, a pregnant environmental refugee, is forced to leave her haven in the hope of finding medical support and safety for her unborn baby. The film touches on present-day issues such as the cost of living, global warming, and the refugee crisis in an inhospitable world.

Interview, dir. Tai Carter.
Luke readies himself for a graduate job interview. Resisting panic, he makes a series of calls to his mother, partner and mentor, reflecting on ideas of identity, purpose and belonging.

My Hand Is The Extension of My Heart, dir. Isadora Ribeiro Canguçu.
During the pandemic, a woman in isolation reflects on her life and identity through the capabilities of her hands.

Aydan & Evan, dir. Elizabeth Cassidy.
After a chance encounter, a filmmaker tries to unravel his feelings for a man from the memories of the night they met.

Very, Very Open, dir. Isis Hope Lloyd
A couple discuss opening their relationship as they navigate new temptations, but can they balance desire and pride within these unknown territories?

TBD: December’s Short of the Month

It’s called The Commitment, it’s very different in style and tone from Dali and the script is nearly there, maybe one or two polishes away from being ready ready I would say. It’s been budgeted, the deck is complete, and we aim to shoot end of next year as this particular film is shooting in Finland, so we have a very contained window in the year when we can go there, as the light is so specific there.

By all purposes and definitions, the film is ready to progress further, however this time, our process - and my personal development timeline - is a little different. We’ve been pretty much solely focused in the last few months, and will be solely focused on the upcoming two months ahead, on casting the film. Before we even complete financing so we can fully greenlight the film, and before we think about many of the larger scope decisions, we want to lock in the two leads.

I don’t mean attaching A-listers to get the film packaged or financed, I’m mean attaching brilliant up-and-coming actors simply for the purposes of the story and the creative process - this timeline is not a business or a strategic decision. But it’s a very conscious choice, and a really important one.

Over the last three or four months, we’ve been sending the script to great actors we know and/or have worked with in the past, I’ve then been speaking to all of them pretty extensively about the film and their character, then they’ve self-taped, and now we’re beginning to pair actors together for early-stage chemistry reads - overall, it’s a pretty extensive and long process. This particular film is essentially two characters in one place for 100 minutes, and a lot of the depth and themes of the film come through the internal complexities of the characters themselves, so getting the actors right is incredibly important to me, and to the team. The story is built around the characters and communicated through the characters, so I know finding the perfect actors will elevate the script so much more.

There is a reason I’m starting this newsletter with this context, it’s not just to speak about the early stages of The Commitment.

I’m seeing a trend lately, a really interesting and odd trend, of first-time feature or short film directors who are really underestimating the power of the actor and the importance of getting their casting right.

I’m also seeing that a lot of directors don’t focus that much of directing the actors, but rather put so much more of their effort on the technical side of filmmaking.

The latter is incredibly important as well of course - the director’s job is to build the world, the tone, the atmosphere, the pace, so much of which is dependent on many technical decisions. However, characters are in the heart of most stories and they dictate so much of what the audience interprets the story to be, or what the audience takes away from the film, or simply how they react to it instinctively.

Both matter greatly - technical filmmaking decisions matter and acting matters - so a director needs to actively focus on both, never put the actors to the side, as their value directly and greatly impacts the value of your film. This really sounds obvious, and still, many early-stage creatives tend focus primarily on the filmmaking side of film directing - they are passionate about lens choice, the lighting of that particular shot, the prosthetics - all of which are very important things as we’ve established, but then you cannot put the story to the side. That concept in itself is strange because the filmmaking is there to work in favour of the story, not the other way around. And of course most of the time, what’s in focus in the story is the people.

So find brilliant actors. Allow them to collaborate with you. Point them in the right direction.

These are massively important things that I’m noticing new directors often overlook, or entirely forget. We see great directors like Scorsese or Kubrick build immaculate sets and engineer such exquisite camera work in and around those sets, so it can be easy to assume that is the job of the director. However those exact directors - pioneers of the artform - consider the performance and the right actor to absolutely be the heart of their films.

I always say that casting is 85 to 90 percent of the picture for me. So, all of you just starting out ... insist on what you want, and ...don’t settle for close enough or second best. - Martin Scorsese.

Directors often say that choosing the right DP or the right editor is the most important choice as that their closest collaborator, and whilst those two roles are in fact so essential to making a great film and in fact very important collaborators, I would disagree.

Your closest collaborator is your lead actor.

And there is honestly a plethora of talented actors here in the UK. There’s nearly 100,000 actors on Spotlight and from experience I would say a solid third of them are great. If we then say that a conservative 10% of those that are great are brilliant, you’re still left with thousands and thousands of A-class (not A-list!) actors available to work with you. So I would say that there are a lot more brilliant actors than brilliant crew members out there, simply because of how many actors there are out there to begin with. A-class talent is not exclusive to A-list actors. You don’t need to work with Leonardo DiCaprio to have a breathtaking performance in your film.

My background is in acting and I went to acting school, so I still have many actor friends. If I can tell you one thing with complete confidence, it is that actors want to act. You spend three years in drama school working on the most brilliant plays and performing the most meaty characters, but then when you leave drama schools, most of the jobs out there - at least optimistically for the first few years - are not ones that would require you to be that A-class performer. In their first years in the industry, a lot of actors will get an episodic role here, and episodic role there, maybe an ad here, maybe a small role in a feature - but it’s not often anything that showcases them in their full ability. So believe me when I say, if your film is good and meaty and requires a detailed and dense performance, most actors will not only crave it more than anybody else in the industry, but if selected will also give it more passion than almost anyone else you’re working with.

You also cannot fix bad acting in post.

You cannot even fix decent acting in post. You just can’t. You can have the most detailed film with the most brilliant cinematography, and it can be paced great and the tone of the film can be unique - and it can be brilliant in virtually every way, but if the acting is bad, it will not be a great film. It will not land and audiences will not connect - and even if the story is great, there will still be something there that just doesn’t work for the audience, and maybe they won’t even understand continuously why they couldn’t love it quite that much, but the answer, so often, is that the acting was not good. On the other hand, you can shoot a scene with a single shot coverage and if the script, story, directing, and acting in that scene is brilliant, that can absolutely then be a brilliant film.

Of course, mistakes happen.

I know this, I’ve experienced this, and I know you have too. Sometimes you go through this entire process, you do everything right, you cast an actor that is great and that you like, you’ve done your due diligence, but then you go on set and something is just off or doesn’t click right. Maybe their performance isn’t as good as you know it can be, or maybe they don’t understand the tone of the film, or there could be another one of thousand reasons why, but it’s just not working. That happens too. That’s the reality of making films.

What I’m hoping comes through this newsletter is my advice not to underestimate actors.

There is a weird stigma around actors in the film industry - when you’re at that networking event and an actor, one that doesn’t have many credits or anything you’ve seen them in, comes to you to introduce themselves, the reaction is often to find an excuse to go to the bathroom or get another drink because, oh, here’s another actor that wants a role in my film. I know this feeling is there, you know this feeling is there, so let’s not pretend the stigma isn’t real!

It really shouldn’t be this way though. As a director’s closest collaborator, as the creative in the heart and literal middle of your film, actors are often overlooked and under-appreciated in the industry when both the filmmaker and the actor are in early stages of their career. If you think about it, this is so odd and paradoxical.

My point is: if you’re trying to connect with great DPs or great editors, you should try to connect with great actors as well. I guarantee the quality of your films would improve so much.