Top British filmmaker praises Harrogate Film Festival

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Last week's festival enjoyed eight completely sold out events and audience numbers exceeded previous years; recording an all-time festival high.

A total of 15 filmmakers attended the festival from across the world and critically acclaimed filmmaker Mark Cousins, who came to the festival for a Q&A with the Harrogate Advertiser’s Graham Chalmers, said: “The role of a film festival is to engage audiences, give people confidence, connect them to other filmmakers and Harrogate Film Festival is doing a very good job of all of those things.”

In the independent filmmakers’ competition, British filmmaker, Clancie Brennan took home three awards.

The Audience Choice Award, Critics Choice and Best Drama for the film Early Days.

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A short film about a new mother, Kate, (Maimie McCoy), it tells the story of the days following her return from hospital, where she’s rocked after finding her world altered beyond recognition. The film has previously seen success at the Raindance Film Festival.

Swedish filmmaker Viktor Hertz won the ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Comedy’ awards with his hilarious film, How it Feels to be Hungover.

Young British filmmaker Jethro Massey won the award for Best Sci Fi for a silent movie shot in Paris.

Other highlights included a workshop in the Royal Pump Room Museum with storyboard artist and animator, David Bunting, best-known for his work on The Tigger Movie and Shaun the Sheep.

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Supported by Harrogate Film Society and local businesses including Raworths LLP Solicitors, this year’s festival ‘experience events’, taking over venues across the town were also hugely popular during the weekend.