English Riviera Film Festival and awards puts Torbay on the film fest map

Torbay can now count itself officially on the movie map, following a successful week for the English Riviera Film Festival and the inaugural English Riviera Film Awards.

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At Saturday’s main festival day at the Riviera International Centre in Torquay, festival-goers enjoyed screenings of short film entries from all over the world and directors and producers flew in from London and Milan to attend the awards ceremony. As is de rigeur on such occasions, international directors from as far away as Canada and Japan who were unable to attend the awards were present via video films of their acceptance speeches.

South Devon College Filmmaker of the Year: from left to right: Emily Appleton, Nicole Rosen, Seren John, Alex Small (tutor) Gareth Day (tutor ). Courtesy of Mike Alsford

Local film and media students waited with baited breath to hear who British director Peter Richardson would announce as South Devon College Filmmaker of the Year and receive one of the beautiful hand crafted glass award trophies especially created for the festival by Our Glass of Cockington. This year the award was shared by five students for their co-directed film Run.

Best Picture Nominees: From left to right: Orson Cornick (Director PILLOW); Emily Haigh (Producer and Best Actress Winner THE INURING); Simon Lex (Director and Audience Award Winner IT GIRL); Justin Carter (Director ME); Dom Lee (Director ROCKETSHED); Caterina Frola (Director VISION). Courtesy of Mike Alsford — Best Picture Nominees: From left to right: Orson Cornick (Director PILLOW); Emily Haigh (Producer and Best Actress Winner THE INURING); Simon Lex (Director and Audience Award Winner IT GIRL); Justin Carter (Director ME); Dom Lee (Director ROCKETSHED); Caterina Frola (Director VISION).

The awards provided a climax to a whole day’s worth of interviews, talks, exhibits and interactive workshops that brought together filmmaking talent on both sides of the camera from across the south west and beyond. It came at the end of a whole week of festival activities that festival director John Tomkins believes provides a strong basis for an even better and higher profile festival in 2018.

‘It’s been a steep learning curve this year and we knew we’d set ourselves a challenge in programming a week of events, but several of those events have sold out and the general feedback I’m getting is that everyone who came along wants more!’ said John.

The English Riviera Film Festival is a not-for-profit concern, which has been supported by local businesses and the cultural community in Torbay, with a percentage of the ticket receipts from the Saturday event going back to the community in the form of a donation to the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network.

April Kelly and Sara Huxley from Mini Productions. Courtesy of Mike Alsford

Behind the scenes at The Riviera Film Festival. Courtesy of Mike Alsford

John Tomkins. Courtesy of Mike Alsford

Peter Richardson at the English Riviera Film Festival Courtesy of Mike Alsford

Behind the scenes at The Riviera Film Festival. Courtesy of Mike Alsford

John said of philosophy behind the event: ‘This is a festival that has been built and will be grown by the Torbay community for the good of the whole English Riviera.

“My abiding ambition is always to shine a light on the wealth of talent on our own doorstep and let the movie industry at large know that our beautiful bay is open for filmmaking business.’

You can see a full run-down of the English Riviera Film Awards nominations and winners on the festival Facebook page with behind scenes photos and videos. Plus update on the official website www.erfilmfest.co.uk

The Winners of the South Devon Film Maker of the year are: Nicole Rosen; Shannon Brown; Jamie Bridgman; Sophie Hill and Riekus Thompson

English Riviera Film Festival | Facebook | Twitter: @ERFilmFest

(from a press release)