On Thursday 25/9/25, we visited ICVL in Bristol for a talk by Alejandro Acin about Photography, publishing and exhibitions. ICVL
Projects discussed included:
Also looked at Photography books including:
There was also a visit to: Gender Stories | Bristol Museums; The Child Inside Us All - Arnolfini and time to take photographs around the city.
Film & Media Arts Production, BA (Hons) students attended Encounters Film Festival 2025 at Watershed in Bristol.
Some highlights included:
Wild Dog (Australia) Director: Chelsea Ingram. In rural Queensland, fourteen-year-old Sam wrestles with a crush on Matt, his sister Bianca’s boyfriend. With their father away, the teens spend a weekend pushing boundaries and tension builds to a confrontation.
An Ongoing List of Things Found in the Library Book Drop Usually Being Used as Bookmarks (USA) Director: Kayla Abuda Galang. Library worker Daniel catalogs an assortment of forgotten objects left in returned books.
There Will Come Soft Rains (UK) Director: Elham Ehsas. Haunted by rising sea levels, a daughter digs up her father’s grave to move his body to higher ground. (Winner of the Encounters 2025 Best of British Live Action award!)
From Studio Shoots to Street Scenes: Supporting Filming in Bristol | Encounters Film Festival 2025 - A UNESCO City of Film since 2017 and winner of the 2023 Global Production City of Film Award, Bristol is one of the most film-friendly cities in the world. From studio space at The Bottle Yard to location assistance from the Film Office, the city provides tailored support for filmmakers creating content across a range of genres, budgets and formats. Join The Bottle Yard Studios and Bristol Film Office – part of Bristol City Council’s Film Services - to learn more about practical support on offer and their future priorities for enabling sustainable sector growth. Hear examples of how their collaborative work with productions is helping improve industry sustainability, support entry-level talent behind the camera via All Set West, and increase local benefits of filming activity.
Brief Encounters 6 | Encounters Film Festival 2025
Revert (Scotland, UK) Director: Miranda Stern. A newly single dad struggles to quiet his baby to pray. Losing faith in his ability to raise her alone, he drives north to leave her with his mother. As old habits and traumas resurface, he must confront his faith and redefine what fatherhood means.
Nora Can't Score (Scotland, UK) Director:Joséfa Celestin. An amateur basketball player faces mounting pressure to score, both on and off the court.
Genealogy of Violence (France) Director:Mohamed Bourouissa. A young couple sits in a car when two policemen pull up to command a routine identity check. They ask the man to get out and proceed methodically with a pat-down, as he stands in front of the car, watched by his dismayed girlfriend. (Drama, Experimental, Art)
Artist Masterclass: Jay Clarke on storyboarding for Wes Anderson | Encounters Film Festival 2025
Filmmaker Masterclass: Havana Marking | Encounters Film Festival 2025
Filmmaker and documentarian Havana Marking (Undercover: Exposing the Far Right, Afghan Star) discussed risk-taking and her filmmaking career in this masterclass delivered in association with the Documentary Film Council and the Bristol Doc Club, hosted by DFC Co-CEO and Senior Lecturer in Film and Television at the University of Bristol, Steve Presence.
Marking is known for finding the human stories behind the headlines, personal journeys that reflect the wider geopolitics. Her latest film, BAFTA-nominated Undercover: Exposing The Far Right, followed an undercover journalist infiltrating a global far right network in the build up to 2024’s riots.
Filmography includes: Afghan Star (2009), winner of two awards at Sundance, a Grierson and the Prix Italia; Smash & Grab (2011), gaining access to the world’s most successful diamond thieves and; The Kleptocrats (2018), a gripping story of financial fraud, stretching from the parliament of Malaysia to the studios of Hollywood.
In addition, Marking has worked as an EP / Senior Producer on premium docs and series inc Welcome to Earth, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, and To Hell and Back Again which garnered an Academy Award nomination and several Emmy and Sundance awards.
Watch Undercover: Exposing the Far Right | Stream free on Channel 4
Film, Photography & Media Arts students from UCW visited Photo Frome festival last week. We are really keen to trips on our degree courses as we feel this really enhances learning. Providing opportunities for Primary research, working on location and having fun social experiences that enhances learning.
Angela Merrick who is currently on Creative Academic Skills to HE course said ”My favourite part of the trip was just that it was a lovely day spent with people sharing the same interest, it was good to be able to wander to different venues in our own time.”
Viktorija echoed this saying “My favourite part was exploring a new town, a new place 😅😂 impressed by the exhibition silk mills, I'll post photos later”
Photo | Frome again brings an inclusive and thought-provoking perspective on photography to Frome & the Southwest. The festival approaches contemporary documentary with a broad lens, and the artist line-up reflects that vision, featuring world-class national and international names, photography to explore the history of the Southwest region, and showcasing the talents of local and student photographers.The 2025 theme is inEquality.
See Programme at: http://photofrome.org/exhibitions/
COME!
Encounters is the UK’s leading short film, animation and virtual reality festival.
We are excited that Encounters Film Festival is back on the big screens at Watershed cinema in Bristol. We will be visiting the festival Weds 28/9/22 Thursday 29/9 and Friday 30/9. This is an important research opportunity that will feed into all of your modules this year and hopefully provide lots of inspiration and network opportunities.
The festival discovers, supports and develops new talent in filmmaking, providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers from around the world, and continues to be a unique meeting place for the industry.
We are subsiding this trip so a 5 event pass is £15 (usually £25). We will share a link in Teams so you can pay this via weston college ‘shop’.
Plan for week
Tuesday 27th SEPTEMBER – TV STUDIO – UCW Loxton Campus 1.30pm
ENVIRONMENTAL Documentary FILM Talk and Screening: AGE OF STUPID
Part of https://greatbiggreenweek.com/
Aimed at Year 1 – BA Film & Media Arts Production students (Documentary module) but open to all.
See more details at: http://poool.co.uk/climate
WEDNESDAY 28/9/22, Thursday 29/9/22 and Friday 30/9/22
ENCOUNTERS FILM FESTIVAL and Photography Field Trip
You will need to make your own way to Bristol. Please discuss with us if this is an issue.
Meet outside Watershed 9.45 am Address: 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX
Please see schedule and film guide at: https://2022.encounters.film/schedule
Choose from selection, depending on your interests, below is a few we would recommend (as an example):
Wednesday
Kids Against The Machine - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 10:00 AM Watershed Cinema 1
UK Student Competition 1: Reconnections - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 1:00 PM Watershed Cinema 3
When the Revolution Comes, We Are Together - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 4:00 PM, Watershed Cinema 1
Ghetto Film School Networking (non ticketed networking event - free) - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 6:00 PM, Watershed Café & Bar
DJ Yoda presents: Stranger Things live AV Set - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 8:00 PM, Lost Horizon
Thursday
Hiding From the Sun - Thursday, September 29, 2022 10:00 AM, Watershed Cinema 1
Look at Me, and Listen - Thursday, September 29, 2022 12:00 PM Watershed Cinema 1
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You - Industry Talk, Thursday, September 29, 2022 2:00 PM Waterside 3
British Council Film, BAFTA and BFI NETWORK Short Film Toolkit Preview (Non Ticketed Event - Free) - Thursday, September 29, 2022 6:00 PM, Watershed Café & Bar
Friday
Apocalyptic Visions of Tomorrow - Friday, September 30, 2022 10:00 AM, Watershed Cinema 1
Dan Geesin’s SPUTUM World - Friday, September 30, 2022 - Undershed Exhibition Space (10am - 6pm - Free un-ticketed event)
Choosing Your Creative Path: Writer, Writer-director or Director? - Industry Talk - Friday, September 30, 2022 11:00 AM Waterside 3
Screenwriting Masterclass with Olivia Hetreed - Friday, September 30, 2022 1:00 PM Waterside 3
South West Showcase 1 - Friday, September 30, 2022 4:00 PM Watershed Cinema 1
Address: 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX
See suggested sites and trail sheet from Sam Brooks
Visit to RPS on Thursday
Meet outside Watershed, 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX, 9.45 am
Take Bus 349 from Centre, Broad Quay (C3) to Paintworks (16 min), walk 3 mins to:
The Royal Photographic Society, RPS House, 337 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol, BS4 3AR. 0117 316 4450
Exhibition details: https://rps.org/opportunities/squaring-the-circles/
https://arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/forestwakethisground/
Arnolfini welcomes you to celebrate what lies above and below the forest floor with Forest: Wake this Ground, a major group exhibition including artists, writers, filmmakers, and composers from across the globe: Rodrigo Arteaga, Mark Garry, Alma Heikkilä, Eva Jospin, Jumana Manna, Zakiya Mckenzie, David Nash, Maria Nepomuceno, John Newling, Rose Nguyen, Ben Rivers, Ai Weiwei, and Hildegard Westerkamp.
With works that recycle, reuse and repurpose resources, we will be discovering the forests’ ancient rhythms, as well as exploring stories, myths, and folktales, passed down between people over centuries.
Ben Rivers’ film Look Then Below looks to the future, journeying into a subterranean world. Shot beneath the Mendip hills and ancient woodland in Somerset, the film reimagines a future in which the full impact of environmental damage inflicted by man is felt.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s monumental upended ‘roots’, cast from the ancient and endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree (found in the Bahian rainforest), reflect both the uprootedness of arboreal species and the displacement of people.
Think Global: Act Bristol - explores big environmental questions affecting people here and worldwide, and presents perspectives from a wide range of local voices.
https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/whats-on/think-global-act-bristol/
Disability Activism in Bristol: pioneers, protests and progress from the 1980s to now
Bristol has been a vital city in disability activism, but this history has been largely unwritten. Until now. This brand new display is a collaboration with Bristol Disability Equality Forum. The research and interviews were carried out by young Disabled volunteers. The themes, design and feel of the museum display have all been guided by the experiences of Disabled young people. The images were taken by Bristol-based photographer David Constantine.
Building a Martian House - Building a Martian House is a public art project that has made a prototype of a real Martian house.
https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/whats-on/building-a-martian-house/
Tickets: Tickets: £3.00 (Via Headfirst - on sale from Sept 1st). Cube Cinema, Dove Street South, [off top-left of King Square], Kingsdown, Bristol, BS2 8JD
If you want to submit your own film for screening, Film submission end date will be: Sept 19th. Details at:
https://cubecinema.com/programme/event/bluescreen,12014/
Thursday 29/9/22 - 20:00
£7 . Cube Cinema, Dove Street South, [off top-left of King Square], Kingsdown, Bristol, BS2 8JD
Details at: https://www.beefbristol.org/portfolio/beef-presents-conspirators-of-perception/
This selection of rarely screened Iranian documentaries from the 1960s is a window into the brilliant documentary movement that emerged in the country in the late 1950s. A distinctive voice as opposed to the Iranian commercial cinema of its time, the movement was fully established by the mid-1960s as the greatest cinematographic offering that Iran had to offer the international film scene. What most of these often commissioned films had in common was the subversion of not only the commissioned subject but also the whole notion of state-sponsored cinema. At least two of the selected films were banned at the time for that bold move.
Ehsan Khoshbakht is a film curator, writer and filmmaker. He co-directs Il Cinema Ritrovato; a festival of classics and film restoration in Bologna, and writes about film and the history of cinema and beyond for Notes on Cinematograph.
