October is rapidly approaching and with it comes the early bird deadline for the Bootleg Film Festival 2013. For those who do not know Write Shoot Cut are bringing Bootleg to Edinburgh for the first time. The Bootleg Film Festival is one of the coolest, hippest indie film festivals on the circuit, founded in 2008 in Glasgow by Tom Wilton it is a moving festival, never staying in the same place twice but instead taking its ethos and buzz to cities across the UK and last year, successfully, to Toronto.
Submissions are coming in thick and fast with films from the UK, US, Argentina, Peru, Switzerland, Lebannon and Spain to name but a few. The programme will be truly international with a distinct flavour of quality. That’s the thing with Bootleg; it’s not about the quantity of films we screen, it’s about the quality. We want to show the best independent films being made by guys and girls in their basements and on the hoof. Budget or no budget it’s about the story and that’s the number one priority for our submission team. Does this film engage you on some level? Does it show a talented filmmaker using their means to create an interesting and entertaining movie?
It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, it’s all about the work. That’s Write Shoot Cut got involved with Bootleg. Our values are the same and its incredible that we have been given the opportunity to bring such a prestigious festival to Edinburgh.
Scottish Submissions
Personally I feel there is a lack of Scottish submissions. Having run the Write Shoot Cut monthly film night for the past seven months, I know there are some awesome filmmakers out there making really amazing stuff. Whether its the submission cost or a lack of self belief; I’m not sure, either way I believe that Bootleg is a unique opportunity for local filmmakers to make a splash on an International scale… in their own back garden. There will be no preferential treatment for local filmmakers but you need to be in it to win it. This year Screen Education Edinburgh are sponsoring the Best Scottish Film Award with the winner getting free access to equipment and training in order to help them with their next project. How cool is that? This is a unique award that Tom has kindly let me introduce this year and one that is at the heart of Write Shoot Cut’s desire to offer a platform to local filmmakers in Scotland.
Horror Strand
As Creative Director this year I have taken the decision to run a horror strand through the festival. The reason for this is simple; it’s Edinburgh, a city heaped in the macabre. Our venue is Edinburgh’s most haunted pub, located in the old vaults where criminals and reprobates would do their deeds. What better place to run a late night horror section from midnight to the wee hours? In order to do this we need horror films. We have a few but we need a whole lot more! I know there are some gems out there, so don’t sit on them, submit!
Feature Films
Write Shoot Cut may be about short films but Bootleg is not. We will be presenting a programme of shorts and features across the festival weekend and while we’ve had some great features submitted, we want more. It takes a hell of a lot to make a short, but it takes every inch of your being to go through the gruelling process of making a feature film. Do not miss this opportunity to screen your film to an enthusiastic audience while also gaining worldwide exposure and the opportunity to win one of our feature awards.
Awards
Which brings me to the Bootleg Awards. You may not know this but Bootleg doesn’t just screen films, we also award genuine talent. These were the films that won at Toronto along with the categories:
Best Cinematography (Short): Crosshairs
Best Cinematography (Feature): Historias de le Urbe
Final Draft Inc presents Best Screenplay (Short): Friday Night and Saturday Morning
Final Draft Inc presents Best Screenplay (Feature): Historias de la Urbe
Best Actor–Short (Male): Paul Stevens for Bruised
Best Actor–Short (Female): Clare McNamara for Bruised
Best Actor–Feature (Male): Mig Feliciano for Francis of Brooklyn
Best Actor–Feature (Female): Lucy Jane Quinlan for Weaverfish
Audience Choice Award: Weaverfish
Best Director (Short): Ryd Cook for Thrown
Best Director (Feature): Josh Wick for Francis of Brooklyn
Technicolor presents Best Short: Being Bradford Dilman
Technicolor presents Best Feature: Historias de la Urbe
It’s always nice to be able to call yourself an ‘award-winning’ filmmaker and here at Bootleg we give you the opportunity to be that. Our judging panel are looking for outstanding work by outstanding people. If you believe in yourself and your film then there is no reason why it can’t be your name up there in March.
The Bootleg Film Festival 2013 takes place over the weekend of the 22-24 March 2013 at the Banshee Labyrinth Cinema in Edinburgh The early bird entry closes on October 3rd. You can find all the details on submissions over on the Bootleg site. Don’t think about it, get your film in now.
