Justine

A 26min short film about Justine Whitwell in the lead up to her 18th birthday - she cannot communicate through words like many of us. Instead, she communicates through gestures and sounds, very often accompanied by a smile.

Particularly endearing was her interest in the rabbits at Hazel Court School and her family's imitation of the animals from Old Macdonald's farm. My favourite moment of the film was at the park where little boys were running back and forth to fill their buckets from the tap and pour it in the sand in the sand pit, as Justine looks on excitably, exclaiming 'happy', 'happy'. One little boy approached the gate she stood at with his hands full and concentration focused completely on keeping the water in the bucket. Justine sees this and reaches out to open the gate for him - a sign that Justine knows exactly what is going on in the world around her but is just unable to communicate fully with it. It doesn't stop her trying though. 

As much as the situation seems sad, Justine's love for everything around her is uplifting and instead, you cannot help but smile.

As a film it struggled with a lack of voice and no narrator. Its structure suffered too by featuring all of the interviews at the end. There are moments in the film that lend themselves well to be placed after a particular interview response but instead they came one after another at the end of the film. If revisited I note particularly the comments of her mother when she explains that she is endearing, which would lend itself to being shown prior to the scene in the park. Another opportune moment for an interview response would be when the father talks about funding and all those who worked to help Justine get to the good place she is in. It could easily have led into the scenes at the school with the staff helping her. Some cutaways over the interviews could also benefit the piece, images that reflect the dark times of Justine's life and the happy place that she now finds herself in. She often observes the people around her and it intrigued me to know what she was thinking, how she analysed the situation. Commentary from her family may help offer an insight for the audience into the world of Justine.

It was a good attempt at film-making from Pratap Rughani that won me over mainly with the endearing nature of our protagonist. I'd quite like to know what happens to Justine in later life - but maybe with a little more thought into how best to tell her story.

'Happiness' by Thomas Balmes

'Happiness' was our first screening of Sheffield DocFest, held at the Peace Gardens in Sheffield Centre. It was, if nothing more, the wettest screening of all the films we saw this weekend as we endured the sharing of a singular umbrella between two of us as the heavens truly opened. However, to say that the rain was the film's most notable attribute would be a complete misrepresentation. It is testament to the film that despite the constant heavy rain for its 80min duration, there were still those who sat to admire its cinematography and aura of tranquility.

Perhaps the Peace Gardens were the perfect setting for the film. Although, I do feel as though I did not feel the full benefit of the voices within the film as it wasn’t always possible to hear them. Good job I had the subtitles to help me out. I just felt I would be granted a better insight into our protagonist’s life and his sometimes-hard-to-read expressions if given the opportunity to hear the intonation in his voice.


That aside, we were presented with some stunning scenery and a reality check that saw our role as audience drift away into a wishful contentment and a lust for mountain living. I was transported to a world where the hopes for the future lay in the arrival of television. Wouldn't that be nice.

We follow our 8yr old friend Peyangki whose father passed away when he was young. With his mother rearing yaks and struggling to keep the family afloat, she decides it is best for him to join the local monastery. We see a very lonely life for him with only one other young boy for company. We almost will him to rebel, as he runs down the road to play archery with the kids at the local primary school - against the lama's wishes.



The best thing about happiness for me, were the subtle indications of childhood that found their way into an otherwise quickly matured 8yr old Pelangki. The moment where he tries to scare the sweeper girl by wearing the mask, the moment when he runs through the mountain paths like a bird and clambers over the roofs of the huts in the village. And best of all, the inquisitive excitement that comes with his trip to the city - accompanied by a rather violent case of travel sickness due to the excitement of travelling in a car!

It was almost as though Pelangki's eyes open wider for the first time, as he excitably paced through the city questioning whether mannequins were in fact real people. I adored the scene where he asked his uncle about the drunk man in the street with crutches. He was so fascinated by the crutches it was hard not to crack a smile. I also loved the hint of a smile that came when he discovered his sister working as a club dancer - quickly replaced by great emotional intelligence in lying to his mother and agreeing that she works in an office in the post department.

The score was perfect and equipped the film with a light-hearted comic tone that charmed us all. I particularly laughed when the music fell silent as Pelangki fell over on the roof. We all knew it was going to happen but the music made it less of a heart-stopping moment and more of a heart-warming one. Beautiful cinematography meant we couldn't help but stick around in the pouring rain to admire it.

'Happiness' was an intimate look at an otherwise very separate community and I would be interested to know how filmmaker Thomas Balmes got access to them. I'm so happy he did; the finished production was a charming portrayal of life in the Bhutanese mountains with a heart-warming sense of childhood innocence that made me want to up and run right there in the Peace Gardens.

'Happiness' is still available via the videotheque platform. I know I'll be watching it again, you should too!

Http://videotheque.sheffdocfest.com

ALL IMAGE RIGHTS RESERVED BY THOMAS BALMES

Night Will Fall

'Night Will Fall' was the second film I managed to see during my weekend at Sheffield DocFest. I attended the screening not only as a producer of a film similar in themes but also, as a regional ambassador for the holocaust educational trust with an interest in learning more about the aftermath of the holocaust.

Co-produced by Angel TV, Spring films and Israel's Cinephil, the film boasts a story that seems completely unfathomable to me, in that, not only are there horrific images and archive reels reflecting an atrocity you cannot begin to comprehend, but that the footage in existence was all part of a documentary film that was tragically never broadcast.

The proof that the holocaust happened, the horrific nature of the treatment of so many millions, was hidden away from the TV screens of the public, in an attempt (according to director Andre Singer) to repair relations with Germany as the allies prepared to fight the Russians against communism. At least, it was until now:

'40 years later an American researcher found a rusty can marked 'F3080' in the vaults of London's Imperial War Museum. It was in very poor condition and the last roll was missing, but in 1985 a scratched and blurry copy was shown on PBS in America. Now, after three years of work by Dr Toby Haggith of the IWM, the entire film has now been fully restored and piece by piece, frame by frame, the lost last reel has been put together from the original shot lists. for the first time in history, the completed 'F3080' is ready to be shown.' Spring Films

The film is brilliantly put together, with some original and insightful archive reels showing Bernstein and his team cutting the film that was originally supposed to be shown to the German public after WW2. We see vivid and devastating images from the camps showing a number of victims you cannot put an exact number on. From the film, we gather quite quickly that Bernstein's film was unlike any of the usual propaganda films and instead carried a moral message that Bernstein wanted his audience to learn from. He writes 'We who live, will learn' and yet, unfortunately until recently, his message lay buried along with the unfinished film.

Another addition to the narrative of 'Night Will Fall' is the revelation that not only was this a film that could have changed our perception of the holocaust in the immediate aftermath of the atrocity, but that it was the only factual film that ever had a brief encounter with the one and only Alfred Hitchcock.

As I admitted in the Q&A, I have seen many of the clips of archive reels shown in the film, many times before. Until now, I never knew that they were all in fact a part of Bernstein's film. What 'Night Will Fall' did differently from other films I've seen the footage within, was enhance the footage to the point where you could see the whites of the victims eyes and work out every part of the image you were witnessing. It didn't matter how many times I'd seen the footage before, it had always been blurred, or graining. this time there was no shying away from the vivid images before us, which is something I've felt has always been necessary if we wish to even attempt to reflect upon the horror that was revealed to the world upon liberation.

Night Will Fall explores some touching recollections from elderly survivors, allied troops and cameramen, some of which are as difficult to watch as the archive footage itself. It is clear to see that the ghosts they came across at Bergen-Belsen and similar camps, are ghosts that have haunted them ever since. It added both to the humanity of the production, which had Bernstein's values at its core. It was clear that both Andre and Producer Sally Angel, had both taken on that value in their portrayal of the events within the film. Of course, without these men, there would be no images of the camps at all.

Another value championed, are the politics that surrounded the discovery of the camps. To-ing and fro-ing, this way and that. The film's going ahead, the British are taking too long, it's not going ahead....Andre did a fantastic job of portraying the strain upon Bernstein's team, as well as the steadfast nature of their dedication in not leaving the job incomplete. Testament also to the team's expertise, was the fantastic casting of survivor contributors that actually personally feature within the reels filmed by army cameraman on liberation.

'Night Will Fall' comes in good time, with the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Belsen in April next year. With backing from Channel 8 and with a reputable team behind the camera, there is no doubt in my mind that it won't be picked up and broadcast within the next year. I can't wait to share the film with the other ambassadors of the Holocaust Educational Trust and with my family who have, until now, only heard of the vivid imagery I'd seen at holocaust research centre, Yad Vashem, Israel. This film shows it all and does not hold back from horror - for the right reasons - not to shock but to give Bernstein's film the showing it deserves - for us to take heed of his words, to live, and to learn.

'Night Will Fall' is still available to watch by all delegates via the videotheque platform. Log in here: http://videotheque.sheffdocfest.com

I look forward to seeing it on our TV screens in the near future.

The 53minute version of Bernstein's film 'Memory in the Camps' can be seen here:

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

For information my own documentary film 'After Auschwitz' which similarly is available for delegates and decision makers via the Sheffield videotheque platform:
Please visit http://www.katmace.co.uk/ReadMyBlog/after-auschwitz/
Or read this post http://watchinabitotheatrenstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/after-auschwitz-at-sheffield-docfest.html

One Rogue Reporter

'One Rogue Reporter' was a bit of a drastic change in tone from all of the other films we saw at Sheffield DocFest. It was intended as a quick hit of comedy to round off a weekend of rather intense screenings - and that is exactly what we found, with Rich Peppiatt and partner in crime Tom Jenkinson, sporting a production with a promiscuous quality for playing with fire. I came to the conclusion pretty quickly that although Rich may be a rogue reporter, he's a loveable one at that.

Rich Peppiatt quit his job as a journalist with the Daily Star amidst the storm of hacking scandals back in 2011 - with the public release of his resignation letter exploding in the next day's 'Guardian'. He quickly became one of the only journalists man enough to emerge from the Leveson Enquiry relatively unscathed, due to his truthful account of journalistic life at the paper. However, not only was that a risk in taking on the media giants, but it was also 'career suicide' - which Rich comically tells us is the only suicide he manages to carry out again, and again and again.

The film is exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to turn over to Channel4 for. Its playful spirit in playing some the greatest villains to emerge from the hacking scandals at their own game, is enchanting. Rich maintains a Dom Jolly-esque approach to pranking that comes with a moral agenda that we can't help but encourage, with the clever addition of some very apt archive reels from black and white films.

There's no holding back from the boys either. The film boasts many cock and bull stories - shown in the most literal way possible. A particular 'favourite' being in response to the News of the World story of a naturist B&B where Neville Thurlbeck really launched himself into his research. Nothing like a good old nude massage and some idle flirtatious chit-chat with another man's wife. It's crazy to think that Rich was out of a job as a journalist and Neville was still running around forgetting his underpants as the cornetto among the capitalists. I'm not sure I could ever agree to a meeting with the boss having seen the video that's shown within the film. MAJOR FACEPLANT! - and not just from the audience - waheyyyy.

The last prank of the film was another great one. The victim - Kelvin MacKenzie. Famous for the kiss and tell stories of our celebrities and his 'moral obligation' to share it with the world, how would he fair against Rich's sword when probed about his own saucy text messages. Well, I'm sure his wife wasn't pleased - but there is something satisfying in seeing the intense stare of a rocky balboa performance turn more into a speedy getaway from road runner. Brilliant!

You could argue that Rich is no better than his superiors as he uses the same methods as they do to meet them at their own game - although as Rich maintained in his Q&A - that was sort of the point. He wanted them to hate it, to feel like their own previous victims and empathise with them when it went to print. It's testament to his cause when he manages to secure interviews with Max Mosely, Steve Coogan, Hugh Grant and John Prescott all in the name of vengeance. I think Rich can at least sleep at night knowing that he quit his job for the reasons he protests against in this wonderfully angsty and opinionated production.

The Q&A showed a two-man team who set out with no idea that the film would get such a response. That's almost Sheffield in a nutshell this year to be honest. It was refreshing to see a Q&A that quite honestly presented the film's success as a completely unplanned occurrence. It is presented to us as retribution for his time at the Daily Star and as a healing process that needed to happen in order to leave it behind. I'm not sure it'll be forgotten any time soon though, it's a hit destined to find its way to prime-time TV screens across the country. Or it should be anyway.

Guest Post for FLETCHERWILSON

Today I wrote a guest post on storytelling for FLETCHERWILSON - the real story company!

Check the post out here:
www.therealstorycompany.com/2014/06/the-shortest-stories-ever-told.html

'After Auschwitz' at the Sheffield DocFest Videotheque

And so the day has finally come. From tomorrow, Saturday 7th June, my documentary 'After Auschwitz' will be available to view at the Sheffield Videotheque at this year's DocFest.

The Perimeter Fence at Auschwitz 1

It's been a long road in getting it this far. We began production of the project way back in January 2013 when I flew out to Auschwitz with my wonderful sound operator Euan Tennant and along with the Holocaust Educational Trust. We were carrying nothing but a canon 7D and a zoom H4N.. And not nearly enough batteries.

As the project picked up pace in April we were privileged enough to speak to three amazing holocaust survivors who feature in the doc. You can find out more about their stories via the website (link at the bottom of this post). It left me extremely humbled to have heard three harrowing yet inspirational testimonies first hand as they recalled painful memories of atrocities that seem unimaginable - and now you can hear them too. 

Rt Hon. Theresa May

May was a busy month. We travelled to St Andrews, Scotland to speak to contemporary violence expert, Jeffrey Murer and Golden Dawn Academic, Ffrossyni Charitopoulou. Following this, there was even time for a quick pitstop at home-town Maidenhead to steal some time away from the busy schedule of our Home Secretary, Theresa May. 

Editor: Kamal Shaddad

Now the pace really got going. June brought with it the opportunity to air the film on Freeview as part of my end of university Degree Show 'R13' at Ravensbourne which saw extensive hours in the edit suite, racking up a huge 176hrs in just 8days. This saw the collaborative efforts of 5 fellow students and even my mum, in gaining access and usage rights to images and video footage that showed examples of violence in Modern Europe. It also saw the extensive scouring of archive footage reels and of VoiceOver talent. With absolutely no time to spare we passed QC and aired at 9pm on June 12th.

Since then, the film has undergone many changes. From the colour grade, to sound balancing, to revised graphics, a newer cut and perhaps most notably, the VoiceOver. At this stage I was lucky enough to have an amazing VoiceOver artist Karoline Newman approach me and record a version. Her voice is one that I feel offers a resonance and relativity to the subject matter as well as maintaining an authoritative yet sympathetic tone that is so important when dealing with sensitive content.

And so, this last week has been spent editing together a trailer to attempt in 3mins to show some of the most striking attributes of the film. It's been a huge learning curve for me as a young producer and the final result is one that I feel immensely proud of, whatever may come next. I am extremely grateful for all those who helped make it possible and truly cannot think of better people to have shared the process with.

So without further ado, here it is - the 'After Auschwitz' Trailer. See you in Sheffield!

After Auschwitz Trailer from Kat Mace on Vimeo.

For more information visit:

Http://www.katmace.co.uk/ReadMyBlog/after-auschwitz

The film is now available here (Login to view):

Http://videotheque.sheffdocfest.com

I will be at the festival this weekend so if you like the film, or if it sparks an interest, I'd love to engage in conversation over a beer or a coffee in Sheffield centre. Get in touch!