The SHORTS TO DEBATE strand at the Cambridge Festival 2019 is a collection of short films intended to allow for a constructive conversation about a range of issues, from race tensions to politics. Each short resonated with the Festival audience long after the screening.
GRACE comes from directors Alexia Oldini & Steven Gray. It follows the story of a young black woman who is evicted from her home, illustrating the struggles many black people experience in the same position. She quickly learns that one problem can escalate much faster for a black person in particular. This results in an explosive conclusion where she is pepper sprayed in the eyes. Although the story is more straightforward than the others, the sheer violence will leave you feeling shaken.
ALINA, directed by Rami Kodeih, is reminiscent of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS – but rather than focusing specifically on the action, it lets the tension build and build to a point that is almost unbearable. This short film will leave you feeling very tense and uncomfortable, perfectly capturing how many jewish people must have felt during the rise of Nazi Germany. Truly and utterly terrifying.
THE AFGHANISTANS asks why a paintball wonderland could be important to the government, and how something two brothers built their lives and dreams around could be taken in an instant. Director Adrian Silisteanu allows us a look into how a government’s interest could ruin an everyday citizens person’s life. What would you do in that situation? Would you fight against the government for your land, or would you take a big cash sum and start a new life?
IN BLACK AND WHITE is a perfect representation of how we all feel about the media and politicians. Director Ares Ceylan captures the frustrations of how the media can interfere with politics for better or for worse, and how difficult that must be for both the politicians and the journalists. What may first appear to be a political scandal could just be a fluke or a lie made by journalists to snag the most interesting story. IN BLACK AND WHITE shows us that what matters is how that information is presented. It must be researched and triple checked until everyone who is working on the exposé knows the situation back to front.This short shows us what happens when this does not happen…
SURFACE NOISE is another jewel that really stands out, Ella Rose Howlett directed this short about a young girl who is suffering from PTSD due to a sexual assault. What is so powerful about this film is that it brilliantly captures how she overcomes her fears. This mute girl who is afraid of pretty much everything evolves as she takes up martial arts classes with her therapist in order to be able to defend herself. The relationship between the young girl and her therapist is one that anyone who has been to therapy can empathise with. A mix of cathartic and optimistic, this film is inspiring for people who suffer from mental health issues.