National Student Film Festival double
Two filmmakers from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) picked up awards at the 2011 National Student Film Festival on 20 March.
Chloe Rodham, who graduated UCA Farnham last year, won Best Animation for her stop-motion film Sprinkles, while UCA Canterbury's Max Kimber continued her award-filled year by winning Best Experimental film for Cusp.
21-year-old Chloe, from Newcastle, said: "I am still in shock. I was excited enough just to be nominated and never expected to actually win anything.
"This award has definitely spurred me on to continue pursuing a creative career and to keep on making my own films instead of relying on commissions and commercial work. "
The stop-motion film, which is a romance tale of missed opportunities, was shot against a green screen and hand-painted backgrounds were composited to create its unique look.
BA (Hons) Animation course leader, Lesley Adams, said: "Sprinkles was Chloe's second year film. It's a sweet story of unrequited love, expressed through ice-cream on a foggy day, but it showed Chloe's ability to build atmosphere and create to a great back-story.
"Chloe is a real and original talent and this award is a great start to her career."
Max Kimber, who is in the final year of her BA (Hons) Fine Art degree at UCA Canterbury, has already picked up several accolades this year, including the Grand Jury award at the Exposures Student Festival in November.
Her short film Cusp examines the tenuous nature of life through a young fledgling.
The part-time student from Rochester in Kent, said: "It feels amazing to win another award - I am most certainly not taking them for granted.
"Once again, I was totally convinced that I hadn't won anything and chose a table near the back of the room at the ceremony so that I could leave quickly when they finished."
Max classifies herself as a fine artist, and hopes to specialises in taxidermy and bronze sculpture, however her filmmaking achievements have not convinced her to change career path.
"The success of my film hasn't made me want to move away from Fine Art," said Max. "I view my filmmaking as an extension of my fine art practice rather than a destination although I do have another film I want to make."
In total, ten films made by students at UCA were screened at the Festival. Second year BA (Hons) Animation student, Joanna Brooks, was shortlisted for her film, Puzzle the Cat.
UCA is no stranger to national and international film success - three BA (Hons) Animation graduates have gone on to win Oscars; a short film by former BA (Hons) Film Production student, Davide Cinzi, was nominated for an Academy Award this year; and, UCA Epsom graduate, Poss Kondeatis, won a BAFTA Award in January for his short, Until the River Runs Red.
For more information contact:
David Reilly, Press Officer, UCA
T: 01252 892939
E: dreilly@ucreative.ac.uk
Twitter: @UCA_creative
