Presented in partnership, as part of CINECITY The Brighton Film Festival. Supported by MET Film.

Programme approximately 80 minutes. Running order may vary

ALMA

DIR: LEA NEUMAYER. 15 MINS.

Alma lives alone in her quaint cottage. We follow her as she navigates everyday life in her old age. When she starts to unexpectedly develop feelings for the shopkeeper Joan, Alma is confronted with mixed feelings about moving on from her late wife; contemplating going against a promise she made to herself to live the rest of her years alone.

ANGUILLA

DIR: MAX MISTRY. 15 MINS.

A cosmic meditation on obsession and discovery. An amateur scientist’s lifelong study of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), one of nature’s great enigmas, drives him toward a revelation of universal proportions. As he edges closer, his grip on reality unravels, blurring the line between genius, madness, and enduring mystery.

BITTER HARMONY

DIR: LOUIS CAVALIER. 13 MINS.

Set in a Drama rehearsal room, Bitter Harmony follows Aoife, a raw talent under fire from her razor-tongued teacher. When hope of an opportune funded showcase is on the cards, Aoife battles nerves, family struggles, and cruel authority—until her monologue explodes with defiance, blurring the lines between performance and reality.

DON’T EAT THE BLACKBERRIES

DIR: JACOB CLARKE. 10 MINS.

Prolonging his study into a dangerous forest, a stubborn alchemist must choose between his occult practices, his personal safety, and his love for blackberries.

HONK

DIR: SPIKE MCGUIRE & ALEXANDER VAUGHAN. 7 MINS.

After a kid’s birthday party, tired and weary Clown Bumble the Boisterous and his partner, an enthusiastic and energetic Chuckles the Cheeky, have a heartfelt conversation, reflecting on the past and considering their future, both as clowns, and as business partners.

THE MONSTER

DIR: BEN SHEPPARD. 2 MINS.

A scientist assembles his greatest creation yet, harnessing the power of the elements to break the frontiers of life itself. But is he too busy to think of the consequences?

NANNY PAT

DIR: FLORA WEBB. 2 MINS.

This animation is a mixed-media homage film, celebrating the life of Patricia Ellen Mitchell, who sadly passed away a few years ago. The continuous shot, passing through memories with her, serves as a journey through grief and nostalgia, executed through a mixture of 2D hand-drawn, risograph print and collage animation.

PEACHES

DIR: ROSIE MERAT BRANDWOOD. 6 MINS.

In a post-apocalyptic world plagued by disease and paranoia, a girl leads an isolated life in her garden shed. One day at the peak of her despair, a stranger stumbles into her garden, and the two share a brief moment of connection and trust over sharing a tin of peaches.